Since You Asked . . . About Maryland Horse Park

Nothing has prompted so much response as the recent suggestion (albeit indirectly) that the prospect of a Maryland Horse Park may be back in the ring once again.

Terry hears more whispers than most, and not just because the horse industry is such a bastion of sports and recreation in Maryland.  Because he spent many years in Kentucky, working with the industry in Louisville and particularly promoting their fabled Horse Park in Lexington, he has become somewhat the de facto source for input about a Maryland based facility.

And so, Kind Querier, to clear up any misperception about where such interest and enthusiasm should be directed, we went right to the horses’ mouthpiece.

Allow us to introduce Ross Peddicord, newly appointed Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board.  He has taken the reins at this important function within the Maryland Department of Agriculture, promoting the industry and use of horses for recreation.

His extensive background of 30 years in the equine world includes Thoroughbred racing and breeding operations, and riding in amateur steeplechase races.  He was the co-founder of Maryland Life Magazine and serves on the Maryland Tourism Council, Howard County Tourism and Promotion Council, and the Baltimore Office of Promotion and The Arts.

In other words, he has the tourism and PR angles covered.  The horses are in good hands.

In response to our inquiry about the Maryland Horse Park prospects, Mr. Peddicord responded:

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In August 2009, over 300 leaders and a wide variety of horse folks, including the Governor, convened at the Prince Georges Equestrian Center for the second Maryland Horse Industry Summit. The number one initiative folks felt that could move the industry forward is the creation of a Maryland Horse Park.

So it is something that the Maryland Horse Industry Board, the equine arm of the Md. Dept. of Agriculture, feels that they are obligated, and are also excited, to explore. Right now it’s just in the very preliminary stages of exploration, but its an idea that is germinating among the board and the segments of the industry that they represent.

The Board just released the data from the 2010 equine census and the figures back up the resilience and vibrancy of the state’s equine industry, even in tough economic times. The best thing anyone in the state’s equestrian community can do to get involved is to be plugged into the activities of the Md. Horse Industry Board (http://www.marylandhorseindustry.org/)  and to join the Maryland Horse Council (http://www.mdhorsecouncil.org/).

The Horse Council is a very pro-active grassroots organization comprised of representatives of nearly 50 breed and horse event organizations throughout the state.
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Mr. Peddicord can be reached at his office in Annapolis.  Here is his contact information:
Phone: 410-841-5798
Cell: 240-344-0000
Fax: 410-841-5780
Email: peddicrd@mda.state.md.us

So give him your thoughts and share your ideas.  And keep those letters coming.  Tweety is still on deck, awaiting her chance at bat.

NOTE:  If you would like to learn more about the economic impact of a Maryland Horse Park, you can review the analysis performed in 2006, which evaluated the job creation and revenue generation potential of a Maryland facility.  Here is the full feasibility study performed by the Maryland Stadium Authority, which contains even more information about the importance of the industry throughout the state.

A Horse is a Horse . . .

Of course, of course,
and now we know what economic force
so if you go right to this source
You’ll find them making hay!

(Sorry that last line didn’t rhyme, but I couldn’t find anything to go with $5.6 BILLION DOLLAR$)

While 2010 was a census year for all Americans, here in Maryland it was also the year to count noses in stables. And according to the report released yesterday by the Maryland Horse Industry Board(linked above) the equine industry continues to be a major factor in job creation, land preservation, recreational activity, and tourism.

This validates Governor O’Malley’s personal intervention on behalf of the industry when the Preakness was imperiled. For although thoroughbreds (the State Horse) are the ranking breed in terms of number and they drive most of the activity, the impact of the equine industry goes much deeper, and reaches every region in the state.

Horses are undeniably an important part of our history and heritage, but they represent an activity enjoyed by Marylanders of all ages, economic backgrounds, and interests. Three years ago, Kevin Plank, owner and CEO of UnderArmour, purchased the Sagamore Farm in Glyndon with the intent to revitalize the racing industry in Maryland. His commitment to the restoration of the estate not just a boost to the future of racing in Maryland, but also its potential as a visitor attraction.

We’ll be hearing a lot more about this report, what it means, and what can be done to bolster the industry woven throughout the fiber of our state’s economy and identity. Now that the racing industry is bolstered by a cash infusion for purses, and legislative protections are in place to retain the Preakness, the subject may again turn to the recreational and competitive part of the industry that involve so many participants.

Who knows? The Horse Park project may even trot back.

Stay tuned. For now, give thanks to those who rode in like the cavalry and saved the racing industry from an almost certain death blow this year. Then see what will be unfolding to maximize the impact this industry has in tourism, recreational activity and spectator sports.

And count on Tweety and Blogue to cover some of the many equine related activities that bring visitors to Maryland and some of its most beautiful and historic settings.