By Tom Gallo
I am a lifelong member of the Thoroughbred industry, having earned my living here for over 50 years. During that time, I have served on the New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB) Board of Directors for 32 years, recently completed a 10-year term as President, chaired the NYTB PAC for over two decades, and previously represented state organizations on the TOBA Board.
Over the years, I have witnessed a declining foal crop alongside a steady erosion of public interest in horse racing. To address this, NYTB partnered with SUNY Cobleskill to create an accredited educational initiative that introduces graduate students to careers in breeding, racing, training, and horse care. I also applaud Amplify Horse Racing for its excellent work exposing young adults to industry opportunities.
While these programs are valuable, they target individuals who already have an interest in horses, drawing from a limited pool. If we want to secure our industry's future, we must expand that pool by cultivating interest at a much younger age.
Virtually every successful sport understands this concept. Baseball uses T-ball and Little League; football relies on youth leagues starting at age seven; soccer and hockey build early engagement through Pee Wee programs. The business world follows the same principle, as seen in McDonald's long-standing youth marketing. Early positive experiences create lifelong customers and fans.
Unfortunately, the horse industry has largely ignored this opportunity despite having a powerful, natural vehicle to achieve it.
My wife and I have owned a farm for 46 years, routinely hosting elementary school field trips. I have watched dozens of young children sit quietly on hay bales, completely captivated, simply because a horse was standing beside me. You do not have to convince a child to like a horse–the attraction is immediate and instinctual. Furthermore, informal conversations with racegoers, industry partners, and owners consistently reveal the same pattern: their lifelong involvement began with a childhood fascination.
In recent years, our industry has focused heavily on courting celebrities and high-profile guests for marquee events like the Kentucky Derby and Breeders' Cup. While this provides temporary visibility, it does little for long-term growth. These attendees are seeking a social spectacle, much like casual fans attending a Super Bowl or World Series. Their interest is event-driven rather than sport-driven, offering very little long-term “stickiness.”
We must shift toward sustainable, grassroots engagement:
- Expand Educational Backstretch Tours: Building on NYRA's successful morning tour model, racetracks nationwide should develop youth-focused field trips, educational seminars, hands-on experiences, and pony rides;
- Partner with Youth Organizations: Racetracks should actively collaborate with local schools, 4-H, Future Farmers of America, Girl Scouts, Boy Scouts, and Boys & Girls Clubs;
- Mobilize Industry Volunteers: Racetracks can tap into an existing pool of passionate retired trainers, grooms, exercise riders, outriders, breeders, and owners eager to share their knowledge.
With expanding competition from sports betting and other entertainment options threatening our wagering handle–the economic engine of our sport–we cannot afford inaction.
As an NYTB representative, I welcome the opportunity to partner with NYTHA and NYRA to launch a pilot program. When young people experience horses firsthand, that connection becomes part of who they are. It stays with them.
Introducing children to horses early turns curiosity into passion and creates future fans, owners, breeders, and advocates.
By sharing horses with the next generation, we can ensure the future of our industry with love and appreciation for the star of the show: the horse!
–Tom Gallo is the managing member of Dream Maker Racing. He is a past president of the New York Thoroughbred Breeders, and the chairman of the NYTB PAC.
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