From the Arkansas State Racing Commission
Stan Bowker, who has more than 40 years of race track experience, has accepted the position as state steward for the Arkansas State Racing Commission, director Ron Oliver announced Sept. 23.
Bowker, who worked the 2009 Oaklawn live season as association steward, has served as chairman of the Racing Officials Accreditation Program, which accredits stewards and judges in racing, for the past four years. Bowker also served as chairman of the Executive Director/Secretaries Committee for two years, and was a member of the committee on model rules and drug testing.
“We’re very fortunate to have someone with Stan’s credentials serving as state steward at Oaklawn,” ASRC chairman Cecil Alexander said. “His extensive background in racing is a welcome addition.”
Bowker began his 40-year career in racing at Ak-Sar-Ben in 1968, where he served as director of racing for 12 years. He became vice president and general manager of Canterbury Downs (now Canterbury Park) in 1984 before starting up his own consulting company to assist in new race track start-ups. Bowker assisted with new track start ups in Iowa, Texas, Oklahoma, Washington, Nebraska, Florida, New Mexico, and Alabama before returning to Minnesota to assist the new owners in the re-opening of Canterbury Park.
This expertise led Bowker to Virginia in 1997, where he assisted in the start-up of Colonial Downs. He was hired as senior steward for the Virginia Racing Commission in 1998, and also served as executive secretary of the Virginia Racing Commission until his retirement in 2008.
Bowker will be joined in the Oaklawn stewards’ stand by veteran association steward Larry Snyder and John Ferrara.