TQHYA RACE EXPERIENCE

Check back for information on our 2007 TQHYA Race Experience

• Experience the excitement of horse racing!
• Take a behind-the-scenes tour of a Texas race track.
• Tour the stable area of the track, test barn, and jocks’ room.
• Be in a photo in the winner’s circle after the TQHA sponsored race of the evening.
• Meet and talk with professional horseman including: top jockeys, trainers, and owners.

The 2006 TQHYA Race Experience was a huge success and so much fun:

Our day began early Saturday, July 8th for the TQHYA Race Experience at Sam Houston Race Park. We gathered at the track’s kitchen at seven in the morning so we could see the early morning workouts of the horses that would in the races later that night. While touring the barns, trainer John Buchanan explained the charts that he uses for deciding which race to put his horses in and showed a lip tattoo on one of the horses that he is currently training. We later met trainer J. Benny Pennington and jockey Dewey Paul Smith. J. Benny Pennington explained the tack he uses, and Dewey Smith described the use of safety equipment that the jockeys use.

Midday, we had the privilege of listening to Christine Miller, Executive Program Coordinator for The Elite Program, Inc., and of Dr. Candice Frome, a professional veterinarian at the Elgin Veterinary Clinic, give in depth discussions on horse care, covering topics of: safe handling of horses and horse body language, racing breeds and parts of the body, colic, and digestion and feeding. Christine Miller used Sam, the Sam Houston Race Park mascot, to visually describe a horse’s digestive system. We had an afternoon break and meet up again around 5:30 pm for the live races.

The live race began at 6 that evening and the true excitement of horse racing was experienced by the TQHYA Race Experience participants! Before the third race, we were able to go into the paddock and witness the jockeys mount their horses and be lead out to the track. We were at the starting gate for the third race – what a rush to see the horses break from the gate! The fourth race was sponsored by TQHA Youth Race Experience. All the participants presented the winner a beautiful blanket and were pictured with the winning horse.

It was a thrilling event! With the behind-the-scenes tours, meeting professional horsemen including: top jockeys, trainers, and owners, and being up close to the action on the track - it couldn’t have been a better experience!

Trainer Benny Pennington shows and explains the use of blinkers	Participants meet professional jockey Dewey Paul Smith
The lip tattoo for one of the horses training with John Bucanan	Morning workouts at Sam Houston Race Park
Participants received Jockey goggles and wore them with pride.	Christine Miller shows the digestive system of a horse using Sam, the Sam Houston Race Park mascot
Up close to the action at the starting gate