LAW CREATES TEXAS HORSE INCENTIVE PROGRAM

America’s Horse, June 30, 2009 – All American Quarter Horses, American Paint Horses and Appaloosas conceived by mares and stallions living in Texas during 2009 are eligible to be nominated to the new Texas Equine Incentive Fund. House Bill 1881, which was signed by Gov. Rick Perry on June 19, becomes law September 1.

The bill creates a voluntary monetary incentive program to keep Quarter, Paint and Appaloosa horses breeding, showing or racing in Texas.

The bill was introduced into the Texas House by Rep. Sid Miller (R) of Erath in February and garnered broad support as a nonpartisan bill that did not assess taxes on Texas residents.

Miller was the 2006 and 2007 amateur tie-down roping world champion and the 2007 reserve world champion in amateur breakaway roping at the AQHA World Championship Show, and the reserve world champion in breakaway roping at AQHA’s 2008 Bayer Select World Championship Show.

The Texas Equine Incentive Fund will provide rural jobs in the state of Texas by providing incentives to raise and show horses in Texas, rather than other states. The funds for the program are raised within the horse industry and will be administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture. The rules and guidelines for the program will be determined by a panel representing each of the stock-horse breeds.

The equine industry was worth more than $11 billion in 1998, according to studies at Texas A&M University.

Texas is home to about 900,000 horses. More than 450,000 people are employed by or involved in the industry. More than 101,000 service-providers’ jobs are affected, including veterinarians, veterinary support staff, real estate agents, trainers, farriers, horse trailer dealerships, truck dealerships, fertilizer dealers, feed stores, saddle and tack makers, western apparel stores, hay growers, hotels and restaurants.

For more information, contact the Texas-Bred Horse Association at (214) 223-4188. Watch upcoming issues of The American Quarter Horse Journal for more information on this program.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal, The American Quarter Horse Racing Journal or America’s Horse, visit www.aqha.com/magazines.