Las Vegas, NV — Wednesday (Jan. 20) was an important day for horse racing in Nevada, as the Nye County Commission approved horse racing by a unanimous 5-0 vote.

The approval related to zoning issues of a Quarter Horse racetrack in Pahrump, Nev. — a 60-mile drive west from Las Vegas — that has been serving as a training center since 1995. The track is approved for non-betting races only.

T.J. Bohannon, president of the Nevada Standardbred Association (NVSA), was a significant contributor during open community comment and spoke to the integrity and safety of horse racing and compliance from governing bodies such as the United States Trotting Association and the American Quarter Horse Association. He also spoke of the economics related to having horse racing with a focus on jobs, education and the multi-stream revenue sources.

What does this mean for the NVSA? Through this approval, it helps pave the way for future approvals for pari-mutuel racing in Pahrump and Nye County. Additionally, support by the NVSA for their horse racing brethren not only promotes the sport, but also builds relationships for future partnering opportunities to promote pari-mutuel racing, equine education and breeding programs.

Nye County has many activities, including a top motorsports track, balloon festival, hiking and recreational areas, Area 51 (and the Extraterrestrial Highway), OHV courses and regional wineries. Pahrump, a rural bedroom community and the largest unincorporated town in Nye County, is approximately one hour from the Las Vegas Strip.

The NVSA, a Nevada not-for-profit corporation that promotes and supports harness racing, Standardbred breeding and development programs, as well as equine education in Nevada. The NVSA also assists racetrack start-ups and represents members in negotiations. The NVSA recommends rule changes and regulations and works with related organizations to further the Standardbred industry.