The horsemen’s organization representing owners and trainers at Gulfstream Park in Florida has rejoined the National Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association as an affiliate, the organizations announced on Monday.
The Gulfstream organization, which had called itself the Florida Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association for several years despite not being affiliated with a national group of a similar name, dropped its affiliation with the National HBPA in 2019. The board of the National HBPA voted unanimously on Thursday to accept the group’s affiliate application, the National HBPA said.
The Gulfstream organization is rejoining at a time when Florida horsemen, owners, and breeders have coalesced behind an effort to defeat a bill sought by Gulfstream’s owner, 1/ST Racing and Gaming, that would allow the track to operate its casino without any statutory obligations to live racing. The National HBPA had joined that effort months ago, after it became known that the board of the Gulfstream’s horsemen’s organization had tacitly approved the effort.
The Gulfstream organization’s support for the bill led to blistering criticism of the group and its leadership from rank-and-file horsemen and other racing constituencies in the state. Since then, the organization’s executive director, Herb Oster, has resigned and the board has backtracked on its support, voting instead to oppose the bill.
Citing a “change of leadership” and a “serious discussion” about the organization rejoining during the National HBPA’s recent conference last week, Eric Hamelback, the chief executive of the National HBPA, said that the addition of the Gulfstream group will strengthen the lobbying effort to defeat the bill, which passed easily out of a Florida House committee four weeks ago.
“Everyone seemed very encouraged and felt as if now would be the time for them to return because of ongoing issues in Florida,” Hamelback said. “Our board members are convinced there is strength in numbers and working together is the best way to assist not only individual state affiliates but horsemen across the country.”
According to the National HBPA, affiliate organizations are able to use the national office as a resource on issues affecting horsemen, as well as benefit from federal lobbying efforts and programs and services that can impact backstretch personnel, including third-party liability insurance. The National HBPA is a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt company.
The organization representing horsemen at Tampa Bay Downs, Florida’s only other Thoroughbred track, is already a National HBPA affiliate. The addition of the Gulfstream group brings the number of U.S. affiliates at the National HBPA to 24. The organization also has five Canadian affiliates.
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