France Galop Committee Set; Presidential Selection Next

As is the case every four years, the approximately 9,000 members of the France Galop Association, in charge of horse racing in France, voted from Friday to Tuesday to elect their representatives within the institution. These representatives are categorised as owners, breeders, trainers, and jockeys.

In total, 7,926 votes were counted, 15% fewer than in 2019 when electronic voting was first introduced.

Among the owners, two lists gained one seat each: Alliance Galop went from two to three elected representatives, while the Association of Trainers-Owners (AEP) now has two representatives, compared to just one in this category in 2019.

Among the breeders, the French Thoroughbred Breeders' Association leads with 43.3% of the 1,528 votes and gains a fourth representative, while Alliance Galop maintains its three seats.

These three associations secured 15 of the 18 available seats in these two main categories. Alliance Galop, which participated in its first elections in 2019, brings together many figures from the jumping world but not only, as this year it welcomed more Flat owners and breeders, including Anthony Baudouin (Haras du Hoguenet), who led the list of breeders.

The Thoroughbred Breeders Federation is a traditional player on the French and European scene. The list was led by Pierric Rouxel (Haras de Maulepaire), but Loïc Malivet has been the association president for 12 years. Loïc Malivet, Vice President of France Galop, could not run in the election due to reaching the age limit (72 years). Haras d'Etreham's Nicolas de Chambure was also elected on the French TBA's list.

The third winning list is the Association of Trainers-Owners, created by highly involved professionals often cumulating functions, as their name suggests. Probably more radical in its approach, it benefited this year from the support of Philippe Germond, President of PMU (French Tote) from 2009 to 2014, who was elected among the owners.

In the trainers' category, Nicolas Clément and Gabriel Leenders were elected for the Trainers Association, while Cédric Boutin and Isabelle Gallorini will represent AEP, bringing the representation of this organisation to five seats.

Thierry Gillet, the sole candidate among the jockeys, remains their representative.

The regional representatives of France Galop members were also elected during this vote. On November 30, the regional bodies where these local representatives sit will, in turn, designate their five representatives to the France Galop Committee, bringing the total number of elected members on the Committee to 28. The Committee consists of 56 members, with the rest being co-opted members, racecourse presidents, or regional council members.

This newly formed Committee will convene for the first time on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, to elect the new President of France Galop, as Edouard de Rothschild steps down after 16 years in charge. Upon the proposal of the next President, Vice Presidents for Flat and Jumps, as well as the other nine members of the Board of Directors, will be elected for four years.

Detailed results can be found on the France Galop website.

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TOBA Names Officers and New Trustees to Board

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association re-elected Brant Laue as chairman of its Board of Trustees. Also joining Laue on the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms as new members are Billy Koch, Braxton Lynch, and Francis Vanlangendonck.

Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Doug Cauthen, Marshall Gramm, Stephanie Hronis, Jason Loutsch, and David O'Farrell.

Officers named for 2022-2023 are: Laue, chairman, O'Farrell, vice-chairman, Dan Metzger, president; Doug Cauthen, secretary; and Garrett O'Rourke, treasurer.

The TOBA Board also approved the appointment of O'Farrell and reappointment of Barbara Banke to the American Graded Stakes Committee. The 2022-2023 committee is comprised of TOBA members Everett Dobson (chair), Banke, Craig Bernick, Walker Hancock, Laue and  O'Farrell and racing officials Frank Gabriel (NYRA), Rick Hammerle (Oaklawn Park and Kentucky Downs), Ben Huffman (Churchill Downs and Keeneland), Chris Merz (Santa Anita Park), and Thomas Robbins (Del Mar).

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MHBA Elects 2021 Board of Directors

The Maryland Horse Breeders Association membership has selected two incumbent members, a 2019 presidential appointee and two new members to the 2021 Board of Directors. Those elected will serve for the next three years. Michael J. Harrison DVM, a presidential appointee to the board in 2009 to 2010 who has since served from 2011 to 2016 and as the president of the board from 2018 to 2020, and Christy Holden, a board member for the past three years and general manager of Country Life Farm, are this year's incumbents.

Also elected was George Adams, owner and manager of Housatonic Bloodstock, who was a presidential appointee to the MHBA board in 2019; Ann B. Jackson, owner of Foxharbor Farm in White Hall, who serves her first term; and Adair B. Stifel, co-owner with her parents of Mantua Farm, who also serves for the first time.

Of the five directors whose terms expired this year, David Wade and Kent Murray were ineligible to stand for reelection because of having served six consecutive years as a member of the MHBA Board. Those whose terms have not expired are Richard F. Blue Jr., Ellen M. Charles, Michael D. Golden DVM, Michael Horning, Louis Merryman, Sabrina Moore, A. Leonard Pineau VMD, William Reightler, Thomas J. Rooney and James B. Steele.

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Voters Approve Racetrack Casinos in Nebraska

The Nebraska horse racing industry, which has struggled for years to offer competitive purses, got a major boost Tuesday when voters overwhelmingly approved three constitutional amendments that legalize casinos at the state’s racetracks.

In other gambling related matters on the ballot across the country Tuesday, Marylanders voted in favor of legalizing sports betting in the state and voters in South Dakota approved sports betting, which would be restricted to the town of Deadwood, which already has a casino. In Louisiana, 55 of 64 parishes approved sports betting, including the four parishes that are home to the state’s racetracks, Fair Grounds, Evangeline Downs, Delta Downs and Louisiana Downs.

In order for casinos to pass in Nebraska, voters had to approve three initiatives. All three passed with nearly two out of every three voters voting in favor of the gambling expansion. Proponents of the initiatives argued that Nebraska was losing out because residents were traveling across state lines to gamble at casinos in Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Missouri. Supporters of the initiatives have said that the state will take in $65 million annually from taxes on the casino revenue. Money from the casinos will be used to reduce property taxes.

There are several racetracks in the state, a list that includes Lincoln Race Course, Horsemen’s Park, Fonner Park, Columbus, Atokad and Fair Play Park. Some of the tracks have been reduced to running one race a year, which is required to maintain a license. At Lincoln, the entire 2020 meet consisted of racing last Sunday and Monday, with each program consisting of one one-furlong race for Nebraska breds.

“We’re overwhelmingly thrilled and I couldn’t be happier,” said Lynne McNally, the executive vice president of the Nebraska HBPA. “This was a long time in the works. And what makes me even happier is that there was a clear mandate that people wanted casinos here and wanted the money to stay in the state to lower their property taxes. There are still a lot of moving parts, but once this is fully operational we will be seeing a very healthy increase in purses.”

McNally said that under current rules the Nebraska tracks are required to offer a combined 53 days of racing. She speculated that that number could double once the casino money begins to come in.

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