Tapeta has been installed at Turfway Park in Kentucky and at Gulfstream Park in Florida, Golden Gate Fields in California and Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania, as well as facilities in Canada, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom.

“I am honored and flattered to receive the Galbreath Award,” Dickinson said. “The safety of the horse has always been a long-term goal of mine ever since I was a child when on small ponies I had to keep up with my mother, who was on a Grade A international show jumper. We used to jump post and rail fences, some with ditches and drops, and stone walls. Since then, I've always felt very grateful and indebted to all the horses I rode.”

A native of Yorkshire, England, Dickinson is perhaps best known as the conditioner of 1996 and 1998 GI Breeders' Cup Mile winner Da Hoss (Gone West). He was a champion steeplechase jockey before becoming a trainer, is a member of the Steeplechasing Hall of Fame and has four listings in the Guinness Book of World Records, including the record for the most racing wins [12] in one day. Dickinson owns and operates Tapeta Farm training center in Maryland.

“We are excited to present the 2022 Galbreath Award to Michael Dickinson for his contribution to the sport of racing through the creation of Tapeta and synthetic track surfaces,” K. Amy Lawyer, assistant professor and chair of UofL's Department of Equine Administration, said. “The nature of the Galbreath Award is to recognize innovation and business efforts that move the equine industry forward. Mr. Dickinson's business achievements added a new element to a sport that had been largely unchanged for centuries.”

The Galbreath Award is named for the late John W. Galbreath, a self-made man who distinguished himself in both business and as a horseman. The Darby Dan Farm founder was honored with the 1972 Big Sport of Turfdom Award and in 1974 he won the Eclipse Award for Outstanding Breeder. He was inducted into the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame in 2018 as one of its esteemed Pillars of the Turf.

For information on the award presentation dinner to honor Dickinson to be held Mar. 30, contact Kimberly Spear at kimberly.spear@louisville.edu or 502-852-7727.

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Jason Barkley didn't even consider that connection until days after the 6-year-old son of English Channel delivered him the first graded stakes victory of his career. The trainer was too busy planning for the next step.

“I'm kind of an action junkie,” Barkley admitted. “I just love the racing, the handicapping, the figuring out the puzzle. The handicapping side is so much of how it plays out on the track, and you have to have a tactical plan for what is going to happen in the race.” 

That puzzle was part of what led Barkley to claim Spooky Channel for $80,000 on April 30, 2021, a bold gamble that has definitely paid off in just his fourth year of running his own stable.

“We liked his consistency and with the purse structures what they are, there will be plenty of opportunities for him,” said Barkley. “He just tries. You don't win 11 races by mistake, I don't care where you're at. It's evident to everyone that he likes what he does. He's kind of a quirky dude, but we just accept that and do what works for him. We just treat them all as individuals: get 'em happy, keep 'em happy!”

That philosophy is part of the reason Spooky Channel has a large stuffed unicorn that travels with him to his races.

“He doesn't really play with it, but if you take it away, he's not happy,” Barkley said. “He's just a little nervous. He'll stand at the front of the stall and weave a bit, looking for the action, so we also built him a window into the stall next to him, and that's helped him settle down, too.”

Working with and accepting each horse's different quirks has helped the 32-year-old grow his operation: Barkley began with a one-horse string at the end of 2017, and now has 35 head under his care. 

It's where Barkley always envisioned himself, but as with all best-laid plans, the path to that goal was anything but linear. 

He grew up around Ellis Park, a third-generation trainer who helped his father on the weekends and after school. Barkley's logo, a triangle, pays homage to that history.

His parents insisted he pursue a college degree, if only to have a backup plan in case training Thoroughbreds didn't pan out, so Barkley attended the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program. He intended to use the program primarily as a networking opportunity — having grown up at a smaller track, he didn't know the right people to advance his career.

That program is where Barkley met his mentor Tim Capps, a longtime horse racing executive and head of the EIP until his death in 2017.

“He wasn't Mr. Capps, or Professor Capps, just 'Capps,'” Barkley recalled. “If I'd have done exactly what he told me to do, I'd be training harness horses! You know, because they run every week. 

“Whenever you'd walk by his office, you could just go in and talk to him. You'd meet whoever else was in there, talk for like an hour, at least. He was always willing to help, and he had great stories, some clean, some not clean. It was refreshing to go from being a high school kid, who had teachers who were just teachers, to a guy who not only wanted to help you succeed but also could answer any question you had, or could find the answer.

“He introduced me around, and always kind of helped steer me in the right direction. That's what I remember about college the most.”

Barkley spent summers hotwalking at Churchill Downs, gaining experience with bigger stables for the first time, and got a job as a foreman after graduation. He wanted to travel to other racetracks, too, so when the opportunity came to work for Nick Zito, Barkley jumped at the chance.

A year of working for the Hall of Famer, while invaluable, took its toll.

“When you're young, you want to work at the track, but then you do it and there's no free time,” said Barkley. “I'd never had a job that was seven days a week, 365 days a year, and I guess I got a little burnt.”

Spooky Channel with his favorite stuffed unicorn

The young horseman had a girlfriend in New Hampshire at the time, so he moved there and took a job with SmarkPak, then at a casino. It didn't take long for Barkley to realize the racetrack was where he belonged.

“After a year I decided I didn't want a normal life; I wanted a racetrack life,” Barkley said.

He learned that Joe Sharp needed an assistant trainer, and decided to learn about the claiming part of the business while he could. From there, an opportunity with Wesley Ward sparked his interest in learning more about developing young horses.

“My whole plan all along – when you grow up on the racetrack, you know a lot – but I wanted to learn from a lot of people,” said Barkley. “The issues that claiming horses have compared to the issues that babies have are so vastly different, so it was nice to have that experience.”

At the end of 2017, an owner offered Barkley the chance to claim one horse and open his own stable.

“I took the leap,” Barkley said, laughing.

The young trainer figured the best claiming opportunities could be had at Oaklawn Park, so he wintered there, coming home to Kentucky in the spring with six horses. Barkley has grown his stable from there, a “slow grind,” but one with a steady upward trajectory.

Each year he's sent out a few more winners than the year before: he went 1-for-12 in 2017, then won 11 races in 2018, 15 in 2019, and last year had his picture taken 22 times. With two months to go in 2021, Barkley has saddled 20 winners for earnings of $718,685.

Also growing over the past four years has been his family. He and his fiancee, who also serves as his assistant trainer, have a young daughter, so Barkley has had to learn to balance work with a bit of free time.

“When I'm home I try not to work unless my daughter is taking a nap, or after she goes to bed, like 8pm to 11pm at night,” Barkley said. “I try not to take away from the free time with her. It's a little bit of a lack of sleep right now, but I'm still only 32 so I guess I can manage on that right now! You're just trying to have a life as you go, and I wouldn't trade it.”

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The final event in the series will be an interview with Houston business owner, philanthropist and horse owner Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale. The events will be held from 5:30-6:45p.m., and will be broadcast live on the Horse Racing Nation Facebook page.

This year's series features:

Sept. 14  – “Examining Horse Racing's 'Super Card' Trend,” Horn Auditorium – UofL College of Business

• Eric Halstrom – vice president and general manager of racing, Indiana Grand Racetrack & Casino
• Ben Huffman – vice president, racing and racing secretary, Churchill Downs and Keeneland
• Jon Moss – executive director, Iowa HBPA Inc.

Panel moderated by Jude Feld, racing analyst and contributor, Horse Racing Radio Network.

Oct. 12  – “How Racing Can Grow Through Diversity and Inclusion,” UofL Student Activities Center

• Jason Wilson – chief operating officer, 1/ST Content
• Greg Harbut – founder and president, Harbut Bloodstock
• Ron Mack – executive director, Legacy Equine Academy

Panel moderated by Alicia Hughes – digital content editor, TVG/FanDuel.

Nov. 9  – “An Evening with “MATTRESS MACK,” aka Jim McIngvale,” UofL Student Activities Center

The series concludes with an entertaining evening with Jim “Mattress Mack” McIngvale, known in racing circles for his strong opinions on the sport, horses running medication free and supporting the ecosystem of horse racing by placing wagers at the racetrack instead of advance-deposit wagering accounts.

Tickets are required for the free events. For more information and tickets, contact Kimberly Spear at kimberly.spear@louisville.edu or 502-852-7727.

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The Equine Workforce Development Initiative is a collaborative effort between the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP) and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Foundation Workforce Center, created to address the shortage of skilled equine workers across the state. The goal of the initiative is to understand the needs of employers and subsequently use that information to better inform educational and community partners who can assist with filling gaps in the equine industry's workforce.

The work and results of the Equine Workforce Development Initiative all stem from employer collaboratives in which employers engage in conversation about the most pressing issues of the industry. In a 2019 study conducted by the Thoroughbred Farm collaborative, it was projected by just ten farms that there was a need for 255 new and replacement grooms before 2021. With an estimated five-hundred Thoroughbred farms in Kentucky, this is little more than a drop in the proverbial water bucket of actual talent needed.

“Like many states and industries around the country, the equine industry in Kentucky is struggling to find qualified workers to fill its ranks,” states Laurie Mays, Equine Talent Pipeline Project Manager with KEEP and the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. “However, the lack of concrete data needed to substantiate the current workforce crisis has hindered progress in equine workforce development. The creation of the Thoroughbred Data Collection Project survey will allow the industry to obtain the vital information needed to advance crucial conversations with organizations and individuals who support workforce growth in our unique industry.”

The Thoroughbred Data Collection Project was derived from the Thoroughbred farm collaborative group to obtain concrete evidence of the state of the equine workforce. Despite the widely acknowledged fact that workforce shortages are prevalent in the Thoroughbred industry, there is limited industry-specific data that quantifies the scope of workforce needs and where deficiencies exist. Without statistical evidence of staffing challenges, the industry's quest for community engagement, initial job training, upskilling, and financial assistance is difficult.

The data collection process, completed by Thoroughbred Farms around Kentucky, will occur through a brief online survey developed collaboratively with the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program. The anonymous survey will identify the size of farms and demand projections for particular positions, analyze trends in recruitment and hiring, as well as understand staff retention and reasons for turnover. After analysis from the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program, the information provided will form an industry baseline to enhance existing projects and assist in identifying new programs and initiatives that need to be implemented.

For more information about the Thoroughbred Data Collection Project or to participate in the survey, contact Laurie Mays at lmays@kychamber.com.

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James is a lifelong equine enthusiast who turned her love of horses into a career as an educator and equine career coach. She also co-founded the Liberty Horse Association, the first organization supporting the discipline of liberty training.

“I am most proud of the role I've gotten to play in helping other people accomplish their career goals. From students in higher education to clients as a coach, nothing has meant more to me than getting the call when they landed their dream job or their dreams were becoming reality,” James said.

For a decade, James served as a lecturer and internship coordinator at the University of Kentucky (UK), where she received her Ph.D. In 2018, she founded Equine Career Coach, an equine career coaching program, and co-founded the International Liberty Horse Association, the first association dedicated to the discipline of liberty training. In liberty training, the horse performs completely free of tack and equipment, instead relying on trust and attention to verbal or other cues from the handler. James earned her bachelor of science in animal science from the University of Nebraska and her master of science in animal biology from the University of California – Davis.

“Elizabeth epitomizes the cream of the crop when it comes to being a horsewoman: She has the academic background all the way through a Ph.D., has experience in many facets of the industry, from working with ranch horses to thoroughbreds, to owning and managing a horse training facility, to being an equine entrepreneur, to starting an association and launching a career coaching business,” said Fernanda C. Camargo, D.V.M., Ph.D., associate professor and equine extension specialist at UK, in nominating her for the award.

James said she is honored to be recognized by UofL.

“I have always seen UofL as the premier program when it comes to equine business, so to be recognized by these professionals carries more weight than I can say,” James said. “On top of that, to see the caliber of people who have won this award before me – people I admire, and to think a committee selected me to be among them is very humbling.”

Recipients of the Galbreath Award demonstrate original and creative techniques or approaches to business, a willingness to take personal or career risks, forward-thinking and visionary management planning, an ability to render a business firm or organization more effective and profitable and the respect of peers as evidence of character and integrity. The recipient is selected by a committee of faculty in the Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship in the UofL College of Business.

The award is named for the late John W. Galbreath, a self-made man who distinguished himself in both business and as a horseman. Previous Galbreath Award recipients include John A. Bell III, Cothran “Cot” Campbell and Judith Forbis. The 2019 winner was B. Wayne Hughes, who re-established Spendthrift Farm as one of the largest stallion stations in the world through innovative marketing techniques such as the “Share the Upside” program.

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The program, an initiative of the Association of Racing Commissioners International (ARCI), is the first of its kind and has applicability to all existing and aspiring horse racing investigators.

“The job of a racing investigator is a specialty involving knowledge not only of police procedures concerning interrogation and evidence gathering but also of horseracing, the backstretch, and the horses themselves,” said RCI Chair Tom Sage of Nebraska, a former longtime law enforcement officer and racing investigator and past-Chair of the Organization of Racing Investigators.

The initial program will last two days and be conducted online by the UofL Equine Industry Program. Additional programs may be conducted in person and the ARCI is committed to working with both the University of Louisville's Equine Industry Program and the University of Arizona's Racetrack Industry Program.

Those participating in the program will be deemed certified after passing an examination. The RCI encourages commissions and racetracks to phase in a requirement for a current Racing Investigator Certificate as a requirement for employment.

RCI President, Ed Martin, who formerly served as the New York regulator responsible for some of racing's most notable investigations – Breeders' Cup Pick 6 Wagering Scandal, the NYRA Mutuel Department fraud conspiracy, OTB mismanagement, Yonkers Raceway drug search lockdown – noted that “proactive investigators will develop intelligence networks and not be hesitant to dig deep into any situation where things do not seem as they should.”

“There is a tremendous amount of expertise and experience that is required to do this job properly,” he said, noting the work of the NY Gaming Commission in its effective records audit investigation and prosecution of a horse trainer who was circumventing the drug rules and testing lab and the work of the Louisiana, Oklahoma, and Nebraska commissions initiating a successful federal prosecution of illegal drug compounding used to facilitate horse doping.

The curricula for the program will focus on basic horsemanship skills, safety procedures in the barn or paddock areas, racing terminology, overview of officials and their duties, creating the condition book and drawing for the race as well as what is involved in preparing a horse for a racing career. Equine care and medications, vet records, investigatory tools and techniques, interactions with other enforcement entities, evidence gathering, and ways cheaters attempt to avoid detection will also be addressed.

“The University of Louisville is excited for its collaborative work with the ARCI to bring this certification program to fruition, said Sean Beirne, Director of the UofL Equine Industry Program. “It is an important aspect of our mission to educate the professionals in the horse racing industry, to build on their knowledge, and provide resources to enhance and develop the methodology to create standards for the execution of their duties,” Beirne added.

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“The job of a racing investigator is a specialty involving knowledge not only of police procedures concerning interrogation and evidence gathering, but also of horseracing, the backstretch, and the horses themselves,” said RCI Chair Tom Sageof Nebraska, a former longtime law enforcement officer and racing investigator and past-Chair of the Organization of Racing Investigators.

The curricula for the program will focus on basic horsemanship skills, safety procedures in the barn or paddock areas, racing terminology, overview of officials and their duties, creating the condition book and drawing for the race as well as what is involved in preparing a horse for a racing career. Equine care and medications, vet records, investigatory tools and techniques, interactions with other enforcement entities, evidence gathering, and ways cheaters attempt to avoid detection will also be addressed.

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“Our previous panels have focused mainly on the racetrack, however this year we have added a panel exploring the new dynamic occurring in Kentucky horse sales,” said Sean Beirne, director of the EIP. “The sales companies have shifted the way horse sales are conducted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, completely changing the way horses are purchased and sold. We have a number of students who want to work as bloodstock agents upon graduation and this will give them insight as to how the business landscape is changing.”

The events will be held monthly on Tuesdays from 5:30 – 6:45p.m., broadcast live on the Horse Racing Nation Facebook page.

Sept. 22 – “Racing's Now Reality: Is it Sustainable?”

Is horse racing's new operational model sustainable for the long run?

• Mike Penna (moderator) – Owner, Horse Racing Radio Network
• Chris Kotulak – CEO, Fonner Park
• Andrew Offerman – VP Racing Operations, Canterbury Park
• Terry Finley – Founder, West Point Thoroughbreds
• Jack Jeziorski – EVP, Monarch Content Management (subsidiary of the Stronach Group)

Oct. 13 – “Waiting for the Gavel to Fall: Kentucky Horse Sales Go High Tech”

What does a virtual environment mean for the Thoroughbred sales industry?

• Megan Devine (moderator) – 2014 EIP alumna, TV personality and founder of VidHorse
• Boyd Browning – President/CEO, Fasig Tipton
• Duncan or Mark Taylor – President or VP of Sales, Taylor Made Sales Agency
• David Ingordo – prominent bloodstock agent, Ingordo Bloodstock

Nov. 10 – “An Evening with Hall of Fame Jockey Pat Day”

Pat Day will recount his highs and lows both on and off the track, interviewed by Sean Beirne, EIP director.

For more information on the series, contact Liz Young at liz.young@louisville.edu, (502) 852-4865.

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Rusty Ford, the Equine Operations Consultant at the Office of the State Veterinarian, has been instrumental in helping to keep the horse industry functioning throughout the COVID19 crisis. Mr. Ford will discuss the guidelines for the safe operation of horse shows, breeding sheds, boarding barns and more. There will be additional time for questions and discussion from the participants.

“We are excited to present this topic that has affected every horse owner and enthusiast this spring,” said Kentucky Horse Council Executive Director Katy Ross. “Kentucky is lucky to have such a strong advocate for the horse industry in this unprecedented crisis. Rusty's experience and knowledge allowed for the continued operation of much of the equine industry and he has been an important liaison between the industry and state government.”

KENA is charged with the mission of providing an educational and social venue for equine professionals and horse enthusiasts from all disciplines. Organized by the Kentucky Horse Council, KENA provides the opportunity for attendees to share ideas, business strategies and knowledge, and to obtain up-to-date information on horse and farm management and on issues affecting the equine industry. KENA is made possible by the generous support of sponsors, including Dinsmore Equine Law Group, WesBanco, Neogen, University of Louisville Equine Industry Program, KESMARC Kentucky, and Equine Land Conservation Resources.

The July meeting is presented by Dinsmore & Shohl LLP's Equine Law Group. Dinsmore & Shohl is a full-service law firm with offices in twenty-three cities throughout eleven states and the District of Columbia, including Kentucky offices in Lexington, Frankfort, Louisville and Covington. The Dinsmore Equine Law Group is a generous supporter of the KENA dinner series.

The Kentucky Equine Networking Association welcomes all Kentucky horse owners, professionals and enthusiasts to participate in the July meeting. Learn more and register here.

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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.

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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