Time will tell
by Cricket Goodall

We are headed into the most demanding season on the Thoroughbred breeding farm. It is a busy season, and it can be a mean season. As the days are getting shorter, and it seems that hibernation is in order, the farms are gearing up. The next six months will have a direct impact on the bottom line. It is time to focus all energy into the production phase. The selling of seasons has begun; the vans will soon arrive with precious cargo, and the nightwatchman’s call will certainly come during the darkest hours of the morning. Attempting to breed Thoroughbreds in the winter is as complicated as forcing a daffodil to bloom in January.

But February to July is the season for a stallion to flourish and to flaunt. Each stallion must prove his worth. His reputation and legacy are on the line. The stallions are the magnets. They will attract mare owners from around the region—and possibly around the country. The stallions are the anchors of the breeding programs in each state. They hold an arsenal of gene weaponry that could have a lasting impact on the breed. Time, of course, will tell.

The Mid-Atlantic region contains a wellspring of valuable bloodlines. Competition will create a regional market with both an immediate impact—and a lasting value—for the states that foster and promote it. The economic impact on each state is exponential, and it is money that will dictate which states stand the most favored stallions. The farms that support those stallions work hard to produce the most valuable book of mares, because the genetic appeal is proven in the quality of the progeny. We all know the mantra “breed the best to the best—and hope for the best.” As each state faces a new set of challenges, one thing is certain: the stallions are the most important component of this annual cycle.

The breeding season is a time of renewal, the rekindling of hope—another chance to produce that good horse. In this region alone, thousands of people are going to take the opportunity to try again. It is the hallmark of this industry, the persistent nature and this willingness to look ahead. Those horse breeders who dwell on the past are not in this business for long. An optimistic nature and willingness to focus on the future are what keep many horse farm owners in the breeding shed by day and the foaling barn at night.

Despite the competitive nature of the business, the goals are the same on every breed--ing farm—to produce the competitive spirit and physical attributes that are capable and willing to win. It is this fierce determination to be the best that will ensure this industry a future. That persistence has already been productive in some states in the region, and will certainly mobilize those states that are still battling for legislative recognition.

The states that understand that the horse industry is more than just race tracks will, in the end, benefit from the valuable agricultural industry that supports those race tracks. Horse farms are valuable assets on many levels. They are open space devoted to producing and protecting the agricultural way of life. Horse farms promote family involvement, often housing multiple generations who work in the business. They produce a commodity that is sold in both the wholesale and retail commercial markets. Horse farming is a business for most, a way of life for others—and a vital and important part of our culture.

All horse breeders and owners would acknowledge, however grudgingly, that competition is healthy. Competition pushes us to be better at what we do, to try harder to make the best product, and to promote that product in the most effective way. But when competitors are also regulators, it makes it difficult to determine who is interested in what. The horse industry is tough and resilient, and it is important! Just as we have lofty expectations for the upcoming breeding season, or that new foal, we will continue to strive for advancement.

This region is home to a prosperous auction market, several successful race meetings, and produces horses who are genuinely competitive on the national level. It also serves as a precious repository of the history and tradition of the Thoroughbred breed. Only time will tell if the horse breeding industry will survive the critical trials that lie ahead. One thing is certain, our persistence and tenacity will be tested once again.

Cricket Goodall is executive director of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association and Maryland Million Ltd.