Knappenberger speaks to large crowd
By George Starks

GREENVILLE- According to Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association General Manager, Jerry Knappenberger, 2013 was a big year for standardbred racing and for the county fairs statewide.

Earlier in the evening, Ohio State Representative, Jim Buchy, had talked about where the purses in the sport were going and the growth that had been made.

Buchy also talked about how the fan support was growing in the industry and what was happening at the racinos in Ohio, moreover, Scioto Downs.

Friday, Knappenberger spoke about the influx to the county fairs and beyond.

“Last year, we were able to put a million dollars into the fairs with 754K going into the purses and the rest for fair support,” said Knappenberger. “In a deal we worked out with the Ohio Fair Manager’s Association for their support of our industry was they wanted all 94 of their fairs to get something and we agreed to this. This year, it will be more because of the opening of the three tracks which is Dayton, Scioto and Monroe with Northfield being a circuit of its own. What they (Northfield) have built there is outstanding and if they continue the way they are now, they will create the most money of any track. So we are off to a great start at that facility.”

While Buchy emphasized over and over that numbers were up not only in the financial areas but with horses as well, Knappenberger put the number of horses out.

“Last years the numbers were way up on the amount of horses,” said Knappenberger. “We had 376 two year olds with 445 this year. We passed New York for third in the nation in mares bred so we will have between 800 and 900 two year olds in the year 2015. Last year, we bred the second most mares behind Pennsylvania as we passed Indiana. Last year we bred over 2,200 mares so in 2016, we’ll have 11-1,200 two year olds in 2016. So we are on our way there.”

Knappenberger touched on one more thing that directly affected the horsemen and the payouts.

“In the past, most of the money in our purses was horseman’s money,” Knappenberger pointed out. “This year, we are going to rely more on VLT money (Video Lottery Terminal) instead of the horsemen’s money. So all the stakes in Ohio, The Ohio Sire Stakes, The Ohio State Fair, The Ohio Breeders Championship, The Ohio Breeders Stakes and all county fair circuits, are going to have one payment on March 15. So this will take a lot of the Horsemen’s money out of the equation and still be able to go for a lot of purses.”

Knappenberger wouldn’t say exactly how much it would be in the end but did say it should double.