The Jockeys' Guild announced its plan to hold a national meeting of the organization's newly-elected leadership on June 26 in Louisville, Ky. The summit of the 27 senators is being hosted by the Greater Louisville Sports Commission and the Greater Louisville Convention and Visitors Bureau as part of an aggressive campaign to convince the Guild to relocate its national headquarters to Louisville.
"The jockeys attending the meeting are the face of the new Jockeys' Guild," said Darrell Haire, the Guild's interim national manager. "Our coming together in Louisville is certainly a sign of unity and support for the Jockeys' Guild as the riders' organization."
During their meeting, the senators are expected to elect a new board of directors as well as board officers. The current board members have been serving on an interim basis since November when they were elected following the termination of the organization's controversial past management.
The day-long meeting will take place at the Galt House Hotel and Suites, located downtown on the waterfront. The site appealed to the Guild due to the hotel's "Gallop to Glory" exhibit which features the handprints of Derby winning jockeys. The hotel has also been the site for the past two years of the Mint Jubilee Gala, an event held the night before the Kentucky Derby that has established a tradition of honoring the jockeys' role in the Derby.
"We will be rolling out the red carpet during the senators visit to Louisville," said Andy Jugan, executive director of the Greater Louisville Sports Commission. "We think the jockeys will like our hospitality and hope to convince them to relocate their national headquarters to our city."
The Guild's national office is presently in California, where it has been located since 2002 when the past management moved the headquarters from Lexington, Ky