Kentucky Equine Education Project | Horse Racing Free Tips

KEEP: Kentucky’s Horse Industry Would Suffer ‘Massive Blow’ If Historical Horse Racing Ends

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) released the following statement in response to the Kentucky Supreme Court's Opinion calling into question the operation of historical horse racing (HHR) in the Commonwealth:

“Thursday's ruling by the Kentucky Supreme Court is devastating to the Commonwealth, the horse industry and the tens of thousands of Kentuckians who work in the industry.

“The result of this ruling, if there is no action by the state legislature to enact law permitting wagering on HHR, would severely impact the horse industry at a time when Kentucky is leading all competing states in nearly every metric. That success is largely based on HHR and the financial incentives it has funded that have led to more horse operations moving to Kentucky, more horses being bred in Kentucky and more horses racing in Kentucky. The competitive advantage that Kentucky has over competing states will disappear overnight with the absence of HHR.

“The potential elimination of HHR will have an immediate negative impact on the value of Kentucky horses and investment in Kentucky. This will lead to hardships for Kentucky's racetracks and horse operations, loss in real estate values and tourism and, ultimately, to job losses across the industry. Kentucky's signature industry has suffered a massive blow, from which recovery will be very difficult. This does not affect just the horse industry, it affects all Kentuckians as tax revenues from HHR and other industry programs will decline.

“While this is devastating news for Kentucky's horse industry, there are possible solutions and there may be an opportunity to create a permanent legislative fix for HHR. KEEP will continue working with the industry, the state legislature and the governor to advocate for policies to address immediate and long-term needs to build not just a stronger horse industry, but a stronger Kentucky.”

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Kentucky Equine Education Project To Host Webinar Promoting Diversity, Equity, And Inclusion

The Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) is excited to announce a webinar focused on diversity, equity and inclusion in the horse industry.

Building Diversity, Equity & Inclusion in the Equine Industry With Talent Pipeline Management will be held on August 25, 2020, at 1pm ET. KEEP is providing this webinar in partnership with the Kentucky Chamber Workforce Center, the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet, and the Kentucky Community and Technical College System.

If you are interested in participating in the webinar, please register here. Participation in the webinar is free.

This webinar is part of KEEP's Equine Workforce Initiative that began in August of 2018. The initiative has led the industry in assessing labor needs and creating solutions within the state to meet those needs. This has included showcasing career pathways within the industry, the creation of a nationally recognized horseman apprenticeship program, and the engagement of new populations in the industry.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion has also been an important focus of the initiative. This webinar follows an industry survey on these issues and was shaped by the responses to that survey. This webinar is the first in a series of industry-wide discussions about these issues and how industry stakeholders can take a leading role in ensuring that careers in the horse industry are available and accessible to anyone.

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KEEP, Race For Education Award $21,000 In Scholarships To 18 Students

The Kentucky Equine Education Project Foundation (KEEP), and The Race For Education (RFE) are proud to announce their 2020 Scholarship recipients.

The KEEP Foundation board of directors approved over $21,000 in scholarships to 18 students, attending 10 universities across the Commonwealth. All of the 2020 scholarship recipients are students currently enrolled with a university or college in Kentucky in an equine and/or, agriculture related major or a horse-related program.

In addition to the 18 Kentucky students; the Race For Education awarded it's annual Robert J. Frankel Scholarship to New York state student, Elsa Loriel. Now, in it's 10th year, the Robert J. Frankel Scholarship, in honor of the late Robert (Bobby) J. Frankel, is awarded to a student attending a college or university in California or New York state, pursuing any field of study, whose family is employed in the Thoroughbred industry. Ms. Loriel's father is a long time assistant trainer to Shug McGaughey and her mother is an exercise rider for Christophe Clement. Ms. Loriel, herself an equine enthusiast and photographer, will be majoring in Equine Business and Management at the University of Louisville.

The KEEP Foundation and the Race For Education also awarded it's first annual RFE/KEEP Veterinary Scholarship. The 2020 RFE/KEEP Veterinary Scholarship is awarded to a student from the state of Kentucky who is intending to enter equine veterinary medicine. This year's recipient is Lacey Willis. Ms. Willis, a Warren County native, and Western Kentucky University graduate will be attending her first year of Veterinary School this Fall at Auburn University.

“Having a group of quality students interested in equine careers from around the country, attending universities in Kentucky, truly represents the statewide nature of our industry”, said Elisabeth Jensen, KEEP's Executive Vice President.

2020 Race For Education KEEP Foundation Scholarship
Dylan Abrams – Grant County – Midway University
Celene Correa – Jefferson County – Jefferson Community & Technical College
Savannah House – Kansas – Morehead State University
Emily Monroe – Jessamine County – University of Kentucky
Zoey Norris – Adair County – Campbellsville University
Maria Oachs – Wisconsin – University of Kentucky
Rashea Smith – Whitley County – Auburn University
Madeline Sparks – Harrison County – Midway University
Landon Thompson – Taylor County – Asbury University
Maggie Welch – Hardin County – University of Kentucky

2020 4H 'Leg Up' Scholarship
Mackenzie Coil – Marshall County – Murray State University
Anya Deaton – Campbell County – University of Kentucky
Lydia Deaton – Campbell County – University of Kentucky
Alina Knore – Bourbon County – Murray State University
Madeline Queen – Campbell County – Murray State University
Sydney Simpson – Henderson County – Murray State University
Ashley Terrill – Shelby County – University of Kentucky

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University Of Louisville, KEEP Release Second COVID-10 Kentucky Equine Business Impact Survey

The University of Louisville Equine Industry Program and the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) have released the second round of their COVID-19 Kentucky Equine Business Impact Survey. The survey will be shared with employers throughout Kentucky's horse industry and community to further capture the impacts of the pandemic on the Commonwealth's signature industry.

The second round of the COVID-19 Kentucky Equine Business Impact Survey will close July 13. Access the survey here.

The previous survey, conducted in May, showed that the pandemic resulted in Kentucky's equine businesses cutting costs and postponing capital improvement projects. However, the survey indicated that the vast majority of respondents did not have to lay off employees.

Since the last survey, horse racing has resumed in Kentucky, although without spectators, and historical horse racing facilities have reopened with limited capacity. The second round of the COVID-19 Kentucky Equine Business Impact Survey will capture how this is affecting the equine businesses across the state. Churchill Downs announced last week that the Kentucky Oaks and Kentucky Derby, scheduled for Sept. 4 and Sept. 5, will occur with a limited number of spectators.

Survey participants will not be identified in the published results.

“Since we completed our first survey in May, the state has lifted some of the restrictions on the horse industry, which should provide a boost to equine business across the state,” said Elisabeth Jensen, KEEP's executive vice president who oversees the daily operations of the organization. “However, we have yet to see the impact of how the pandemic is affecting horse sales and what that means for Kentucky's equine economy. We hope that this second round of our survey can, when combined with the data from our May survey, paint a clearer picture of the challenges the industry will face.”

“The UofL Equine Industry Program educates and trains the next generation of leaders for Kentucky's signature industry,” said Sean Beirne, director of the UofL Equine Industry Program in the College of Business. “The COVID-19 Kentucky Equine Business Impact Survey provides us with an incredible up-to-the-moment view of the challenges that the industry will face in the coming years. In addition to helping inform policy-makers on the status of the industry, we can also use this data to prepare our students for the challenges of the industry they will be entering.”

The Kentucky Equine Education Project is a not-for-profit grassroots organization created in 2004 to preserve, promote and protect Kentucky's multi-breed horse industry.

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