By JANE HOUIN
Ohio Correspondent

REYNOLDSBURG, Ohio — Designed to strengthen and promote Ohio’s $2.2-billion equine industry, the Ohio Equine Task Force recently submitted recommendations to achieve those ends.
The task force was created by Ohio Agriculture Director Robert Boggs in response to the critical state of Ohio’s equine industry.
“This industry is facing many challenges, but the recommendations set forth by the task force address these obstacles and offer viable solutions,” said Boggs. “This will need to be a joint effort among state government, legislators, and the equine industry, but I am hopeful that we can begin the process of rebuilding this crucial industry and increase community interest and awareness.”

The task force is composed of 13 members who represent all facets of the industry, and it held its first meeting in November 2008. The group is chaired by State Veterinarian Tony Forshey and continues to meet to discuss ideas and strategy implementation options focused on improving and enhancing Ohio’s horse industry.

Among the recommendations of the task force were using the Ohio Equine Industry Coalition as a unified voice for the equine industry in Ohio and working to define concepts and potential funding sources for an equine marketing program.

The task force recommended the funds generated from this program be used to expand the general public’s knowledge of Ohio’s equine industry and motivate greater participation in the variety of equine activities throughout the state.

In addition, it recommended examining the need for infrastructure projects and supporting the industry in efforts to get those developed. These projects will include, but are not limited to, the expansion of facilities for the Quarter Horse Congress and the building of a show facility at Stark County fairgrounds in northeastern Ohio.

The All-American Quarter Horse Congress is the world’s largest single-breed horse show, hosted by the Ohio Quarter Horse Assoc. (OQHA) each October at the state fairgrounds. The show receives more than 17,000 horse show entries and houses more than 8,500 horses during its three-week schedule. The Congress attracts more than 650,000 people to the Columbus area, bringing more than $110 million to the central Ohio economy.

Other recommendations include the state taking no action on expanded gaming that would negatively impact Ohio’s equine and agricultural industries as well as an encouragement to “level the playing field” between Ohio and surrounding states to allow Ohio’s agriculturally-based horse racing industry to offer similar benefits to its fans and participants. The task force states that without immediate action to rectify Ohio’s competitive disadvantage, Ohio’s formerly billion-dollar racing industry will cease to exist, causing serious ramifications in jobs and tax revenues that would be felt by farmers, feed dealers, grooms on the backstretch and beyond.
Ohio’s equine industry contributes a total economic impact valued at approximately $2.2 billion in goods and services and is made up of more than 307,000 horses. More than 16,000 Ohioans are employed by this sector.