Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association Offers Educational Foal Watch Program

Through the end of April, the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association (PHRA) is giving adults and kids across the Commonwealth an educational opportunity to watch what could be the next generation of champion racehorses being born through its free, live foal cams.

The foal cams are streamed live from Pine Grove-based Blackstone Farm, where 60 expectant mares are expected to give birth from now through the spring. 

This year, PHRA is inviting elementary school teachers and students to take a virtual educational field trip to Blackstone Farm for a fun day where they can “bring a horse to class” via a video call. Students will have the opportunity to gain a closer look at the expectant mares, the new foals, and learn about the variety of jobs needed on the farm during foal season. Online educational activities will accompany the virtual field trip. Elementary school teachers who are interested in bringing this virtual educational activity into their classroom can register for more information at https://pennhorseracing.com/foalcams-education.

“We are excited to once again be able to provide horse racing enthusiasts, new fans, and students the opportunity to witness the beauty of a foal being born through our foal cams,” said Pete Peterson, president of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association. “The addition of our virtual field trips provides elementary school classrooms the opportunity to learn more about the foaling season, and provide students a fun, educational activity that highlights the breeding basics and the various jobs needed on the farm when a foal is born and raised.”

Visitors tuning in to the PHRA's foal cams can watch the live camera feeds and will see the expectant mares in their stalls as they anticipate the arrivals of their foals, day-to-day interactions between the mares and their caregivers, and — when the timing is right — the opportunity to witness the births of the next generation of racehorses. In addition to the foal cams, the PHRA website includes breeding basics, videos, interactive polls and gender reveals. 

Follow PHRA's Facebook and Instagram for live foaling season updates.

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Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association Offers Live Foal Cams

The Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association (PHRA) is giving adults and kids alike an educational opportunity to watch what could be the next set of champion race horses being born through its free live foal cams.

The foal cams will go live today from Kennett Square-based Thoroughbred farm Walnut Green and Wellsville-based Standardbred operation Diamond Creek Farm, where a total of 52 expectant mares will be giving birth to either a frisky filly or charming colt from now until the end of May. The foal cams will be live until the end of April.

“As we continue to find new ways to keep ourselves entertained and learning virtually, we are thrilled to give horse racing enthusiasts and new fans the opportunity to get a glimpse into the life of these magnificent creatures, and the beauty of a foal being born, which is truly an awesome sight,” said Pete Peterson, president of the Pennsylvania Horse Racing Association. “We hope that people will tune in and learn about this exciting time we call foaling season.”

Viewers tuning into the PHRA foal cams will see the mares in their stalls as they anticipate the arrivals of their bundles of joy, day-to-day interactions between the mares and their caregivers, and — if lucky enough — the opportunity to witness the births of the next generation of Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds.

In addition to the foal cams, the PHRA website includes breeding basics, videos, interactive polls and gender reveals.

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‘Real Financial Harm’: Pennsylvania Equine Coalition Pushes Back Against Governor’s Proposed ‘Raid’

From the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition

Gov. Tom Wolf's proposed FY 2021-22 budget – which seeks to raid $199 million from the Race Horse Development Trust Fund — would result in the end of horse racing in Pennsylvania, an integral part of the state's agriculture industry that supports hundreds of small businesses and 20,000 family-sustaining jobs.  The proposed budget repeats a recommendation the Wolf Administration put forth last year that failed to gain traction in the legislature.

“It is hard to fathom why the Wolf Administration would once again put forward a fundamentally flawed proposal that was widely dismissed and failed to gain any meaningful support last year in the legislature,” said Pete Peterson, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition, an organization representing the six Thoroughbred and Standardbred horsemen and breeder associations in the state. “This proposal would result in the end of horse racing, which supports 20,000 jobs, delivers an annual $1.6 billion economic impact, and preserves hundreds of thousands of acres of open space.”

Peterson noted that the effects would be felt well beyond Pennsylvanians who work at a race track or breed horses.  Purse money earned by a horse enables the owner to buy hay and straw from farmers, feed from local feed mills, as well as pay the horse's jockey, trainer, blacksmith, groom, veterinarian, and equine dentist.  In addition, countless small businesses in the manufacturing, retail and construction industries count horsemen and breeders among their major customers for horse trailers and vehicles, feed equipment, riding tack and other supplies, the construction or repair of barns and fencing, and more.

“Given the current economic climate, we should be looking for ways to provide support to struggling working families and small businesses, not threatening their jobs and livelihoods,” said Peterson. “Eliminating horse racing and breeding would have far-reaching negative impacts throughout the agriculture industry, Pennsylvania's leading economic sector, as well as the broader state economy. Pennsylvanians who work in or rely on the horse racing industry to support their families already face financial challenges due to the COVID-related shutdown of race tracks and casinos last year and this proposal will only add to their stress.”

“Everyone recognizes that college debt and rising tuition rates are major problems, but you don't fix one debt problem by putting an entire sector of the agriculture industry out of business and thousands of people out of work,” said Peterson.

Beyond the economic ramifications, Peterson noted that the Administration's proposal to divert non-tax dollars from the Race Horse Development Trust Fund (RHDTF) for purposes other than what they were intended also faces a significant legal hurdle.  In 2017, the General Assembly passed – and Governor Wolf signed into law – legislation (Act 42) that specifically states the amounts in the RHDTF “are not funds of the Commonwealth” and that “the Commonwealth shall not be rightfully entitled” to the RHDTF funds.  The General Assembly and Governor approved that trust fund protection language in order to spur new long-term investment in Pennsylvania's racing and breeding industry by providing increased economic certainty for investors.  Now, no more than four years later, the Governor appears to be suggesting that the Commonwealth reverse its commitment.

“Given the proposal's far-reaching negative impacts on Pennsylvania's agricultural industry and the significant legal issues it faces, we are optimistic that the legislature will again reject this proposal,” said Peterson. “But by merely floating this idea, the Administration is hurting working families that are already reeling from the effects of COVID-19.  These next few months are an extremely important time for horse breeders, as customers are deciding right now whether they want to breed their horses here in Pennsylvania or in other states such as New York, Virginia, Maryland, or Kentucky.  Putting this idea out there – even though it has little chance of success – will result in real financial harm to our breeding farms here in Pennsylvania.”

The Pennsylvania Equine Coalition is a statewide organization that represents more than 10,000 owners, trainers, drivers, and breeders in Pennsylvania's horse racing and breeding industry.  Our member organizations include the state's six horsemen and breeder associations, including: the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen's Association, the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, the Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, and the Pennsylvania Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association.

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