Postscript on the Flooding at Ruidoso Downs
Open Letter to Horsemen:
Dear Horsemen: As most of you know, Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino was recently hit with torrential rains. As a result of serious flooding a significant portion of the main racetrack was washed away. Through a miraculous effort on the part of Ruidoso Downs with the assistance of Sunland Park and ZIA Park the track has been repaired and racing has resumed. Not well publicized in all this was the fact that the jockeys' room located in the Ruidoso racetrack infield was completely flooded and underwater and mud for a number of days. As a result, most of the jockey colony at Ruidoso Downs suffered a significant loss of their tack and clothing. The tack, other equipment and clothing was not insured. As the Horsemen, Jockeys, Racing Commissioners and Track Management met to assess the future of racing at Ruidoso it became apparent that without tack, goggles, whips, boots and other necessities, normal resumption of racing at Ruidoso Downs would be significantly delayed. As a result the Horsemen volunteered to make an attempt to acquire tack for the jocks colony at Ruidoso Downs. The Horsemen's intent was to acquire enough tack and other supplies so that racing could be resumed as soon as possible. Within 24 hours of taking on the challenge, the Horsemen were able to acquire sufficient tack and equipment so that racing could resume at Ruidoso. The quick turn around contributed to the fact that our Owners were able to run at total purses in excess of $200,000 over the Saturday and Sunday that racing resumed.
I am aware that some of our members are upset by what the NMHA did with regard to acquiring and dispensing the tack and other equipment to the Jockeys. Please understand the following however: The tack and other equipment (goggles, mud pants, vests, boots etc. ) is on loan to the Jocks who will either purchase it or return it to the NMHA in due course. An accurate record has been kept of each transaction. Any equipment that was unused is in the process of being returned to the vendor for a complete refund. I believe that the actions of the NMHA with regard to acquiring tack and equipment and dispensing it to the affected jockeys has been done to further the best interest of racing in New Mexico. I believe that if the NMHA had not acted as it did and if several folks had not volunteered their time and organizational skills including Freda McSwane, Flaco Cappellucci, Pat Mackey and Kay Bushong that racing at Ruidoso Downs would not had resumed as promptly as it did and that our owners and trainers would have suffered financially.
Finally, the action that was taken by the NMHA was not done without consideration and deliberation. The actions to acquire tack etc. were taken so that racing could return to Ruidoso Downs as soon as possible. Our efforts were a complete success in this regard. If you have any questions or comments on this or any other topic, please drop us a line or call us at 505.266.7056.
Sincerely,
Pat Bingham, Executive Director, NMHA
Dear Horsemen: As most of you know, Ruidoso Downs Racetrack and Casino was recently hit with torrential rains. As a result of serious flooding a significant portion of the main racetrack was washed away. Through a miraculous effort on the part of Ruidoso Downs with the assistance of Sunland Park and ZIA Park the track has been repaired and racing has resumed. Not well publicized in all this was the fact that the jockeys' room located in the Ruidoso racetrack infield was completely flooded and underwater and mud for a number of days. As a result, most of the jockey colony at Ruidoso Downs suffered a significant loss of their tack and clothing. The tack, other equipment and clothing was not insured. As the Horsemen, Jockeys, Racing Commissioners and Track Management met to assess the future of racing at Ruidoso it became apparent that without tack, goggles, whips, boots and other necessities, normal resumption of racing at Ruidoso Downs would be significantly delayed. As a result the Horsemen volunteered to make an attempt to acquire tack for the jocks colony at Ruidoso Downs. The Horsemen's intent was to acquire enough tack and other supplies so that racing could be resumed as soon as possible. Within 24 hours of taking on the challenge, the Horsemen were able to acquire sufficient tack and equipment so that racing could resume at Ruidoso. The quick turn around contributed to the fact that our Owners were able to run at total purses in excess of $200,000 over the Saturday and Sunday that racing resumed.
I am aware that some of our members are upset by what the NMHA did with regard to acquiring and dispensing the tack and other equipment to the Jockeys. Please understand the following however: The tack and other equipment (goggles, mud pants, vests, boots etc. ) is on loan to the Jocks who will either purchase it or return it to the NMHA in due course. An accurate record has been kept of each transaction. Any equipment that was unused is in the process of being returned to the vendor for a complete refund. I believe that the actions of the NMHA with regard to acquiring tack and equipment and dispensing it to the affected jockeys has been done to further the best interest of racing in New Mexico. I believe that if the NMHA had not acted as it did and if several folks had not volunteered their time and organizational skills including Freda McSwane, Flaco Cappellucci, Pat Mackey and Kay Bushong that racing at Ruidoso Downs would not had resumed as promptly as it did and that our owners and trainers would have suffered financially.
Finally, the action that was taken by the NMHA was not done without consideration and deliberation. The actions to acquire tack etc. were taken so that racing could return to Ruidoso Downs as soon as possible. Our efforts were a complete success in this regard. If you have any questions or comments on this or any other topic, please drop us a line or call us at 505.266.7056.
Sincerely,
Pat Bingham, Executive Director, NMHA
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