American Horse Council

Edited Press Release As California grapples with a budget deficit in the tens of billions of dollars, the horse industry has grown financially for the state over the last five years; responsible for billions of dollars in economic impact and tens of thousands of jobs, according to a report released by the American Horse Council. In 2023, the equine ecosystem provided a total value of $11.6 billion to California's economy and a direct contribution of $6.5 billion to state GDP, according to the report. This marks a significant increase from...

Maryland was one of the breakout states in the American Horse Council's report on the economic impact of the national horse industry, released on Jan. 31. The total economic impact of the industry grew 38% between 2017 and 2022, from $2.1 billion to $2.9 billion. In addition, the industry's direct contribution to Maryland's GDP grew by 40.5% between 2017 and 2022. The industry is responsible for 28,434 jobs, and horse industry wages total more than $1.24 billion. The survey, conducted in 2023 by the American Horse Council, determined that Maryland...

With increases since 2017 in both the total value impacted and equine-related employment, the 2023 findings of the Equine Economic Impact Survey by the American Horse Council (AHC) reflect the positive contributions of the equine industry on the U.S. economy, the organization said via a release Wednesday. The survey offers a comprehensive overview of the economic impact and trends within the sector and highlights how the industry reaches far beyond the pastures and ranch land across the country. Highlights include: Diverse Economic Sectors Impacted: $177 billion. That's the total value...

A panel discussion titled "From Data to Dollars: Understanding Horse Racing's Economic Impact As Racing's Future is Questioned" during Wednesday's Global Symposium on Racing hosted by the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program (RTIP) led off with moderator Alan Foreman confronting "the elephant in the room that we dodge." Foreman, the chairman and chief executive officer of the Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association, said racing is facing an "existential moment" at a time when industry stakeholders increasingly must make the case for the sport's so-called social license to exist in the...

At the recent American Horse Council (AHC) Annual Meeting, the Board of Trustees elected new officers and filled standing committee chair positions, the organization said in a release Thursday. The new officers are: Dr Rick Mitchell, Chair; representing United States Equestrian Federation (USEF) Marilyn Bertera, Vice Chair; representing United States Trotting Association Matt Iuliano, Treasurer; representing The Jockey Club Kristin Werner, Secretary; representing The Jockey Club At the same event, the following standing committee chairs were approved: Kathy Alm, of PATH International as chair of Equine Welfare Katie Flynn, DVM,...

The California Horse Power Coalition (CHPC), a growing partnership of Thoroughbred associations, will commit to fund the California breakout report as part of the American Horse Council's California Economic Impact Study, the organization said in a release Thursday. "The American Horse Council consistently produces the most comprehensive national economic impact studies that showcase the vast benefits that the equine industry brings to communities across the country," said Josh Rubinstein, President of Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, an American Horse Council member. "As our industry continues to evolve, we are confident that...

Lonny Powell, the CEO and executive vice president of the Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners,' was recognized as the Executive of the Year by the Florida Society of Association Executives at its annual conference held July 20-22 in Tampa. The award, which was presented Friday during the conference awards luncheon, honors the association executive who has displayed the highest commitment to professional growth and pride in association management, with evident professionalism and leadership in both services to the association management profession and to the community. "I am very honored to...