from the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition

Harrisburg, PA — The Pennsylvania Equine Coalition today publicly released a video touting the far-reaching economic benefits of the horse racing industry in Pennsylvania, as well as the impact on farmland preservation in the Commonwealth.

The video was released as the Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives work to craft a state budget for Fiscal Year 2012-2013.

In February, Governor Tom Corbett’s proposed budget called for diverting $72 million provided by the state’s casinos and racetracks to the Race Horse Development Fund for breeders’ incentives and racing purses. Faced with the loss of up to 15,000 jobs as a result of the proposed cut, members of the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition have been working to increase the legislature’s awareness of the economic and job impacts of the horseracing industry in Pennsylvania.

The video, entitled “Save Pennsylvania Horse Racing,” can be viewed online at this link.

The video features interviews with individuals representing a diverse cross-section of the Pennsylvania economy — veterinarians, builders, feed producers, trainers, and real estate agents — to demonstrate the breadth of the economic impact of the horseracing industry.

“Act 71 was adopted with the goal of saving the horseracing industry, creating jobs and preserving open space,” said Pete Peterson, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Equine Coalition. “Since the legislation was adopted in 2004, Pennsylvania has experienced tens of millions of dollars in new economic investment and the creation of thousands of new jobs. Our goal with this video is to tell this untold economic success story in Pennsylvania and show the breadth and depth of the economic impact of horseracing.”

The Pennsylvania Equine Coalition is a statewide group representing more than 10,000 owners and trainers of the horseracing industry in Pennsylvania. Members of the coalition include the Pennsylvania Harness Horsemen’s Association, the Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association, the Standardbred Breeders Association of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, the Meadows Standardbred Owners Association, and the Pennsylvania Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association.