The Texas Thoroughbred Association held its annual awards banquet on Saturday night at Lone Star Park, with the top honor of T.I. “Pops” Harkins Award for lifetime achievement going to William S. Farish III.
Farish is known as a successful businessman, philanthropist and the former U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, and on the national racing scene he is a two-time Eclipse Award winner for Outstanding Breeder and the 2009 recipient of the Eclipse Award of Merit for lifetime achievement. His Lane's End farm in Kentucky is one of the leading stallion farms in the country. In his home state of Texas, Farish has been a vital part of the industry, as he served on the TTA Board of Directors and as the TTA's president in the 1980s before pari-mutuel wagering was legalized once again in the Lone Star State. His Lane's End Texas, located in Hempstead and formerly known as Huisache Farm, stood all-time leading Texas stallion Valid Expectations and current leading Texas stallion Too Much Bling.
Other human awards went to Dallas and Donna Keen's Remember Me Rescue as the Thoroughbred Charities of America Award of Merit winner for Texas. The Allen Bogan Memorial Award went to Denis Blake for his efforts to promote the TTA and Texas racing and breeding through American Racehorse magazine. The leading breeder award went to Eileen Hartis, the breeder of 2015 Texas Horse of the Year Ivan Fallunovalot (Valid Expectations).
At the TTA's board meeting earlier in the day, Phil Leckinger of Tioga, Texas, was elected as president of the association. Leckinger brings 30 years of business experience and 20 years in the horse racing industry.
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