NTRA Adds to Industry Relations Team

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The National Thoroughbred Racing Association has hired Joe Clabes as director of industry relations and Jamie Eads as industry programs coordinator.

Clabes and Eads are the newest additions to the NTRA's legislative and industry relations team, which also includes Molly Zeagler, who joined the NTRA in February as manager of industry communications; Peggy Hendershot, vice president of legislative and industry affairs; and deputy commissioner Greg Avioli, who leads NTRA's legislative and lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C.

Clabes joins the NTRA after a five-year stint in the office of retiring Congressman Ken Lucas (D-KY), during which he worked closely with the NTRA on legislative issues and served as Lucas' lead assistant with his duties as co-chairman of the Congressional Horse Caucus. Clabes' connection to the racing industry began at an early age through his family's breeding and training operation based in Northern Kentucky.

Clabes will oversee the "1/4 percent program" whereby sellers, buyers, consignors, and sales companies voluntarily contribute one-quarter of one percent of the price of Thoroughbreds sold at public auction to the NTRA's Legislative Action Campaign, a "soft money" fund that helps to support the American Horse Council as well as legislative activities such as lobbying, educational programs and research projects.

Eads, who has worked at the NTRA in a variety of capacities since last June, will serve as the administrative and communications liaison for the Legislative Action Campaign.

The Campaign complements the NTRA Political Action Committee, which raises "hard money" for targeted contributions to political candidates and parties at the federal level. PAC funds are raised by members of the NTRA PAC Board, which is chaired by William S. Farish, Jr. The PAC Board includes second-term board members Lucy Young Hamilton and John C. Harris ,as well as new members Case Clay, Terry Finley, Ben Haggin, F. Jack Liebau Jr., Nadia Sanan, and John Stuart.

Farish was the NTRA PAC's leading fundraiser in 2003. NTRA commissioner Tim Smith and Breeders' Cup president D.G. Van Clief, Jr. return in their roles as ex-officio NTRA PAC Board members.

Zeagler, who worked on the successful election campaign for Congressman Ben Chandler (D-KY), will manage the NTRA PAC fundraising events and communications. Hendershot, who previously served as NTRA vice president of corporate communications, will coordinate fundraising efforts for both the PAC and Legislative Action Campaign. She managed the NTRA PAC's first-year fundraising, which produced $345,000 in contributions in 2003, exceeding the PAC's initial goal of $250,000.

In Washington, the NTRA continues to be represented by the Alpine Group, a leading legislative advocacy group whose clients include BP (British Petroleum), AT&T, and Bristol-Myers Squibb. In addition to its lobbying activities, the Alpine Group is a leading fundraising organization for Members of the House and Senate and politically active both in Congress and the Executive Branch.

"We've assembled a team that's seasoned in not only fundraising and the legislative process, but also in grassroots communications," Smith said. "Our legislative team and members of the NTRA PAC Board will be working closely throughout the year to educate NTRA supporters and other industry stakeholders about the NTRA's legislative programs and the importance of having a strong presence on Capitol Hill."

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