university of kentucky | Horse Racing Free Tips

Study: Can Adoption Combat Wild Horse Overpopulation?

In March of 2020, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) estimated that there were about 95,000 wild horses and burros living on federal land, with an additional 50,000 being kept in holding facilities – more than triple the number of animals for appropriate land management, reports The Horse.

The BLM says that private adoptions of these wild animals are key to controlling the overpopulation problem. Dr. Jill Stowe, a University of Kentucky associate professor of agricultural economics, and Hannah White, Stowe's student, created a survey to determine what horse owners thought about this solution to overpopulation. The team created a survey that was shared on social media to try to determine if enough people were willing to adopt one of these animals to eliminate the excess of animals.

The survey received 2,247 responses from horse owners who were over 18 years old. The research team found that more than 90 percent of those surveyed would be receptive to adopting a wild horse or burro in some capacity.

The scientists also found that “ … respondents are willing to pay an average of $282.03 more for a horse that has received training for basic ground manners and $539.21 more for a horse that has been started under saddle as compared with a completely unhandled horse,” reports Stowe.

Additionally, previous wild horse and burro adopters are willing to pay more, indicating that their first adoption experience was positive.

The team found that the two biggest barriers to adopting a wild horse or burro was accessibility to appropriate facilities and lack of experience, skills and time to start an unhandled horse.

Stowe concluded that if 4 to 5 percent of horse-owning households in the United State adopted one wild horse or burro, the 70,000-animal surplus could be eliminated. She suggested that education of horse owners on adoption requirements, training of horses and targeted information dissemination could help place more wild horses and burros.

Jabelman to Lead Third Session of Racecourse Manager Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, an online curriculum for turf surface maintenance personnel, will host its third and final session Monday, June 21 at 11 a.m. ET, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky announced Thursday.

Entitled “Measurement of Turf Condition,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations from eight leading authorities on racing surfaces. Brian Jabelman, Senior Director of Track Operations for the New York Racing Association, will provide introductory remarks as the leader of the session.

The Racecourse Manager Certification program curriculum is designed for those already engaged in careers with turf surface maintenance. The online classes are free. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance.

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NYRA’s Brian Jabelman To Lead Third Session Of Racecourse Manager Online Certification Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, an online curriculum for turf surface maintenance personnel, will host its third and final session on Monday, June 21 at 11 a.m. ET, the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky announced Thursday.

Entitled “Measurement of Turf Condition,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations from eight leading authorities on racing surfaces. Brian Jabelman, Senior Director of Track Operations, for The New York Racing Association will provide introductory remarks as the leader of the session. In addition to Jabelman, topics and participants include:

“The phases of loading with respect to surface functional props.” – Dr. Sarah Jane Hobbs, University of Central Lancashire;
“Current tools and limitations for measuring biomechanical response.” -Peter is a PhD student in the Biosystems & Agricultural Engineering department at the University of Kentucky.
“Calibration and correlation – what kinds of things do we use to measure turfgrass responses and safety.” – Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University; and Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL);
“Measurement of surfaces in British Eventing.” – Alison Northrop, Senior Lecturer, Nottingham Trent University, Nottingham, England ;
“Take-off and landing areas in measurements of turf for appropriate biomechanical response.” – Jim Pendergest, Director of Racing Surfaces, Keeneland Race Course; and John “Trey” Rogers, III, Ph. D., Professor of Turfgrass Research, Michigan State University;
“Data from the Maintenance Quality System and the Equine Injury Database.” – Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D.

Individuals who pre-register at https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/ will be sent a Zoom link prior to Monday's webinar.

The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D.

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Pendergest, Reeves Head Online Racecourse Manager Program

The inaugural Racecourse Manager Certification program, presented by the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA) and University of Kentucky, will take place Monday, June 14 at 11 a.m. ET. Entitled “Cultivation of Turf for Compaction and Wear,” Monday's two-hour session will feature presentations by Keeneland Director of Racing Surfaces Jim Pendergest and Atlantic Tractor's Jamie Reeves, who will present John Deere research and development findings.

The upcoming program includes:

“Turfgrass aeration–why, how, when” – Mike Boekholder, Boekholder & Associates
“How often in practice: Lessons from Del Mar, Woodbine, Fair Grounds and Churchill Downs” – panel discussion led by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the Racing Surfaces and Testing Laboratory (RSTL)
“Tractor selection (100 hp with creep), tires and tow versus 3-pt. (John Deere Research and Development)” – Jamie Reeves, Atlantic Tractor
“Topdressing and surface maintenance. What can you add or use to eliminate wear and divots? Why pick one thing over another?” – Geoffrey Rinehart, MS, Turfgrass Management Lecturer, University of Maryland, and Logan Freeman, Mountain Branch Golf Club, Joppa Maryland
“Divot mix, germinating seed and the use of cutouts” – Jim Pendergest and John N. “Trey” Rogers, III, Ph. D., Professor of Turfgrass Research, Michigan State University
“Selection of cultivation equipment” – Michael Goatley, Jr., Ph.D., Professor and Extension Turfgrass Specialist, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and Beth Guertal, Ph.D., Professor of Crop, Soil and Environmental Sciences, Auburn University.

To pre-register, visit https://www.ntra.com/rmcp/

The Racecourse Manager Certification program curriculum is an online curriculum designed for turf surface maintenance personnel. The online classes are free. Individuals who complete the video courses and pass a test that requires a $50 fee will receive a certificate of completion from the University of Kentucky. Participating Thoroughbred racetracks that enroll their personnel will receive credit toward future accreditation by the NTRA Safety & Integrity Alliance. The curriculum for the turf management course was developed by Michael “Mick” Peterson, Ph.D., Director of the Racetrack Safety Program at the University of Kentucky and Executive Director of the RSTL.

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