by Christine Burling, for the NYSS

Albany, NY — Peter Goold, executive director of the Agriculture & New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund, which administers the New York Sire Stakes program, today announced the launch of its new Web site, www.nysirestakes.com. The site was designed by its consultants, 3GS, LLC of Schenectady, New York.

The completely redesigned Web site is the second phase in a strategic branding initiative, which began earlier this year with a new logo and graphic identity for the New York Sire Stakes and the Fund.

“We are proud to unveil the new look of our Web site,” said Goold. “While our URL remains the same, visitors will surely notice the many upgrades made to the site. Our goal in this redesign was to design a user-friendly, informative site for horsemen and fans of the New York Sire Stakes racing program. Working with our consultants, 3GS, LLC, we’ve surpassed that goal and are happy to provide our customers with a fresh, new look and feel for the official home of the New York Sire Stakes.”

The new site now offers an easily navigable, professional design that will allow visitors to find everything they need for staking to the New York Sire Stakes program. New features include frequently asked questions, glossary of terms, and easy-to-read calendars with race dates for each NYSS division and important dates for staking to the program, such as payment due dates.

Another new feature is a “Featured Farm” section, where the Fund is offering a free advertising opportunity for New York State breeding farms affiliated with the NYSS. This feature, prominently displayed on the nysirestakes.com homepage, will provide an overview of the featured farm’s services and accomplishments and will be updated with a new farm monthly. Farm managers or owners interested in taking part in this opportunity should contact the Fund for more information.

Returning visitors to nysirestakes.com will notice the improved organization of the site’s content including easy-to-find, designated pages for information about racing, breeding, forms, and news, as well as Fund meetings and administrative information.

Additionally, visitors will notice improvements made to databases that make it easier to quickly find specific horses, statistics, and other information.

The redesigned site is now in line with New York State and federal accessibility guidelines and internet protocols, making it a socially responsible site that provides equal access and equal opportunity to people with disabilities. Accessibility features include structured and consistent page layout for easy navigation, searchable databases, and text equivalents for images.

The Agriculture and New York State Horse Breeding Development Fund is a public benefit corporation established in 1965 by the Laverne Law (Laws of New York, Chapter 567 of the Laws of 1965). The mission of the Fund is to promote agriculture through the breeding of Standardbred horses and the conduct of equine research within the State. To carry out its legislative mission, the Fund administers the New York Sire Stakes races, State Fair races, Late Closers Series events, and County Fair Series races.

Additionally, the Fund provides assistance to county agriculture societies and contributes to the statewide 4-H program and to the Harry M. Zweig Fund for Equine Research.

For more information, contact the Fund at (518) 436-8713 or visit www.nysirestakes.com.