Newsletter: July 1
Racing Commission meeting of June 18, 2008
The New Mexico Racing Commission met at Sunray Park Racetrack and Casino June 18th to discuss the use of the Santa Fe Downs track and backside for training while the National Junior Rodeo and the National Junior Arabian horse shows are held during July at Sunray and Expo New Mexico, respectively. Plans to accommodate horsemen in Santa Fe are on schedule.
The NMRC also discussed the retroactive purse payment policy and reaffirmed that if purses are increased after a meet starts, a retroactive payment in a like percentage will be made to owners who have earned money from races run before the purse increase was announced. What do the Horsemen think about this policy? Please let us know.
On July 10, 2008 the NMRC will hold a town hall meeting in Raton, NM to discuss the Raton application for the state’s final racing license which is provided for in the recent Indian Gaming Compact. Town hall meetings will also be scheduled for Santa Fe (Santa Fe Downs application) and Tucumcari. These town hall meetings for Tucumcari and Santa Fe have not be scheduled as of yet. We will notify you when the meetings are scheduled so that you can plan to attend.
The July NMRC meeting will be held on July 16, 2008 at the Ruidoso Downs racetrack. The public meeting will start at 9:30 am. The NMRC will hold a Medication and Rules Committee meeting on July 15, 2008 also at the Ruidoso Downs racetrack. Call us at 505 266 7056 for more information regarding the place and time for these meetings. All Horsemen are invited and encouraged to attend and participate in these meetings.
State Board meeting of June 17, 2008:
During its meeting held June 17, 2008, the State Board of the NMHA reviewed the audit report of the NMHA financials for the recently completed 2007 tax year. A copy of the NMHA audits will be available shortly at:www.newmexicohorsemen.com. The State Board also discussed the opening of the Santa Fe track for training during the month of July.
The Racing Commission held a meeting on July 1st to consider 2009 race dates. The Horsemen, with support from the New Mexico horse breeders, proposed an increase in race dates for 2009 over 2008. The NMRC appears to be receptive to running more race dates in 2009. Final race dates for 2009 will be announced shortly.
The NMHA will hold its monthly meeting in Ruidoso on July 15, 2008. The time and place, and the agenda for the meeting will be posted shortly. During the July meeting, the NMHA will elect its officers for the upcoming 2008-2009 fiscal year. All horsemen are invited and urged to attend this meeting.
Announcements
Congratulations to the new Ruidoso Downs Track Committee- Gerald Marr, Bobby Dan Crenshaw, Mitch Lane, Randy Schalla, Jerry Rogers, Orlando Montes, Dan Hardisty and Freda McSwane. Thank you all for your service! Also, congratulations are in order for Bobby Dan Crenshaw and Jerry Rogers on their election to the NMHA Board of Directors!
The Downs at Albuquerque transfer of license (to conduct racing in Moriarty beginning in 2010) has been approved by the Racing Commission. The DAA anticipates that the move will result in an increase of overnight purse money to $200,000 per race day. The DAA has pledged to include Horsemen in the planning and building of the facility.
A new track is slated for New Mexico! There are 4 applications presently pending for a new state race track and casino. The applicants are: Raton, Tucumcari, Lordsburg and Santa Fe. Among these applicants/finalists, which applicant is at the top of your list? Call Kirsten at 505.266.7056 or e-mail her at kirsten.nmha@yahoo.com. We anticipate that the NMRC will award the State’s final racing license to one of the 4 applicants either in August or September of this year.
Sunray Park recently completed a successful spring meet with an overall entry rate of 8 plus horses per race with excellent participation at the entry box by the horsemen. The average number of entries per race at Sunray Park ranks above the national average.
Upcoming events
The DAA/State Fair meet will start on August 16, 2008 and will continue until November 16, 2008. A total of 59 days of racing will take place. Both the State Bred and Open Stakes schedule at the DAA have been enriched to ensure that black type is achieved by the horses that win, place, or show.
ZIA Park’s stall applications are due July 31, 2008. Be sure not to miss this deadline.
Ruidoso Downs will hold the 50th running of the world’s richest quarter horse race, the All American Futurity, this coming Labor Day, September 1, 2008. Sunland Park will commence its annual track renovation this summer to ensure that the track is in the best possible condition for the coming winter/spring meet. ZIA Park will commence its 53 day meet on September 12, with purses exceeding $215,000 per day.
NMHA Member Patty Shirley Appeals to her fellow NMHA Members
"Following Eight Belle's tragic death at the Kentucky Derby, a special was played on HBO; Horses were shown running a race one day and vanned off to slaughter in Mexico the next. The slaughter methods were horrific: repeated stabbing in the neck and back until the animal could no longer stand. Not only are animal rights groups and the media enraged, but the general public is beginning to question the humanity of the sport in which many of us place our livelihood.
If our industry is to survive, we are going to have to change our image. One of the first and most imperative steps we must take is to assure that our equine athletes are well attended to once they end their careers on the race track
I ask that you please agree to have five dollars withheld from the purse of each horse that starts in New Mexico in order fund the retirement or retraining of the equine athletes that have ran their last race. If we can all donate this small amount, the equine athletes that normally would be given a painful death sentence can have a new start and a new life. Let's put New Mexico on the list of States that think race horses should be given a second chance.
Thank you,
Patricia (Patty) K. Shirley
Please let us know how you feel about participating in this initiative. See below for address and phone/fax/e-mail where to forward your responses.
Account Wagering
The NMHA is in the preliminary stages of an initiative to bring account wagering to New Mexico. The initiative (which would require a change in state law) if passed by the legislature and signed by the Governor would allow a racing fan to place a bet over the internet or by phone on any live or simulcast race with any of the 5 presently licensed racetracks in New Mexico. In addition to greater fan participation, the initiative would also lead to an increase in tax revenue for the State of New Mexico, an additional source of revenue for the state’s race tracks, and an increase to horsemen’s purses. In the coming year, the NMHA will work with our partners in racing in New Mexico to make account wagering a reality.
Steroid Regulation
The NMHA expects that the NMRC will move by this year’s end to further regulate anabolic steroid use in race horses. We believe that there is momentum for this to happen by the end of this year. The NMRC will take up the subject at its July medication committee meeting to be held on July 15 at Ruidoso Downs. Please plan to attend this important meeting and to express your opinion on this important topic.
IRS: Good Record Keeping is a Must For your Racing Business
Most of us would rather organize a tack room than worry about whether all our business records are in order. Tax audits by the IRS are a reality of business and especially so in the business of training and racing horses. Fortunately, for Horsemen, preparation and organization can save you from unnecessary expenses and stress that go hand in hand with an income tax audit.
These tips may help:
1. DEVELOP A FILING SYSTEM: When the IRS visits, their agents may not believe that your stable is a business run for profit. According to The Complete Equine Legal and Business Handbook by Milt Toby, one of the most frequently cited indicators of business legitimacy is whether or not the owner is keeping good records of their past and present business transactions.
2. KNOW WHAT TO KEEP AND FOR HOW LONG: First, be sure to keep your records for as long as your CPA or attorney advises you to. A good rule of thumb is to keep track of the following:
* Records of Transactions: Start by opening a separate bank account for your business, and keep your business transactions separate from your personal expenditures. When you make a purchase, be sure to purchase business items on one receipt, and personal items on another. Pay by either credit card or check, as these payments are much easier to track, and hard copies of the transaction are easier to obtain. Keep a secure file of all transaction records, including vet, farrier, and feed bills, etc. If you do pay for something in cash, write a receipt, and file your copy. Maintain a ledger that allows you to easily determine how much income and expenses are being generated by your business.
* Employee Records: Each employee should have a separate file in which all employment forms and records are kept. Government records, such as W-4s (employee's withholdings they intend to claim) and I-9s (legal status of the employee) should be included in the file, and kept up to date. It is always a good idea to check with your employee on an annual basis to see if he or she needs to change any information listed on their government or employment documents. Keep copies of all payroll records, including tax deductions and salary/wage payments in this file as well, and be sure that your employee has a copy for their own records.
* STORE YOUR RECORDS IN A SAFE PLACE: It is always a good idea to make at least one copy of your business transactions to store in a separate place. If you use a computer to organize your documents, be sure to back up all of the business records on a removable drive, so that if the computer crashes, or needs repairs, you have a security cushion. Also, if at all possible, store copies of all records at an offsite facility so that, in the event of a fire or flood, you’re safe and don't miss a step.
HBPA to Hold Its Annual Summer Convention in Hershey Pennsylvania
The Horsemen’s benevolent and Protective association (HBPA) is holding its summer convention in Hershey Pennsylvania from July 17th to the 20th
One of the important topics of the convention will be "Welfare and Safety of the Horse: Where we are and where we are going." The forum will focus on the recent congressional hearings that were held to discuss horse injuries and breakdowns. Other important forums will cover topics such as medication regulation and immigration (see below). The NMHA plans to send Vice President Susan Vescovo, and executive director Pat Bingham to the convention. Susan and Pat will provide a full report on the topics discussed at the convention to Horsemen when they return to New Mexico.
Immigration: Not just a political debate
If you were to walk down the backside of a race track, you would find a great number of people hard at work, in spite of the weather or time of day. The work is long and hard and finding workers who are qualified and want to do this work is becoming more and more difficult. The Philadelphia Daily News reported recently that even Americans who are jobless are rejecting offers to work on the backside of racetracks and at breeding farms. While some people are declining to work on the backside, many others would jump at the chance to work with horses. The problem is, many of the folks who would like to work with horses are undocumented immigrants. If our industry is to thrive in the future we must gain legal access to these workers. Presently, the number of agricultural worker’s visas (H2b Program) are limited and the annual quota for these visas is filled. The NMHA, in conjunction with the National HBPA, is working with our partners in the industry: the racetracks, NM Horse Breeders, and the NMRC to find a solution that will increase the number of qualified and dedicated workers on the backside.
Question of the day: What changes would you make to the website, www.newmexicohorsemen.com and why?
Call, fax, write, or e-mail us and let us know what topics you would like addressed in the upcoming issues of the newsletter.
Phone: 505 266 0243; 505 205 6650
Fax: 505 266 0243
Website: www.newmexicohorsemen.com
E mail:
Kirsten.nmha@yahoo.com
Sincerely,
The New Mexico Horsemen’s Association
I would like to know what the NMHA will be doing about horse retirement for our NM bred and raced horses? With all the national publicity, I think action needs to be taken by New Mexico to join in the effort to fund retirement facilities for our horses. We have no sport without them.
Reply to this