Horses and Kentucky

Growing up in southern Indiana, I was a fan of auto racing from an early age. Many people grow up in Kentucky with that same appreciation for horses. We've all read about the desire by some for expanded gaming in Kentucky. More recently during the June special session of the Kentucky General Assembly, adding slots to the horse tracks passed the House only to fail in a Senate committee. The issue is now expected to play a role in determining which party controls the state senate over the coming months.

I believe most people in the western part of the state (and probably eastern Kentucky too) appreciate the state's horse tradition even if they don't own horses. The popularity of the "Unbridled Spirit" state slogan speaks to this. Our Chamber of Commerce did not take a position on the idea of slots at race tracks. With there being no track in Daviess County, I believe most locals feel that Owensboro/Daviess County doesn't really "have a dog in that fight."

As the current president of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Executives, I recently took part in the interview process to hire a new director. The position is based in Frankfort, and we had about 50 applicants—most from the Lexington and Louisville areas. Four of the six people we interviewed had worked in a managerial position of some kind in the Kentucky horse business or with a company/association closely affiliated with horses. My eyes were opened to the fact that many people are touched by the equine industry in Kentucky. We see the jockeys, the trainers and hear about well-heeled horse owners, but there are many others we don't see.

I don't know where the debate about slots at the tracks will go. I highly doubt that I will ever own a horse. What I did learn one day, however, is that horses mean jobs and income for many people in Kentucky.