Letter to the Editor: A Decade of Horse Country

[Wandering Eyes]

Celebrating 10 Years of Connecting People to the Horse

Horse Country, Inc. will celebrate its 10th anniversary in October 2025. Our first tours across Horse Country were offered during the inaugural Breeders' Cup at Keeneland, which also saw the first-ever Grand Slam winner, American Pharoah. You may call that timing good luck, but in truth Horse Country's launch is the perfect example of what happens when preparation meets opportunity.

Horse Country's story began with a call to action. In 2011, The Jockey Club's McKinsey Report revealed some concerning findings about the public's perception of our sport. Many across the industry responded to the McKinsey report, but in Kentucky a group of leaders-who we affectionately call the “Mule Team” (Brutus Clay, Headley & Price Bell, and Dr. Luke Fallon)-got to work. In 2013, they brought in experts from the Disney Institute to consult on a concept that would become Horse Country. Those experts confirmed what many in our industry already knew: Thoroughbred racing has a compelling story to tell, a thrilling product to share, and an invaluable asset in the beautiful horse farms of Central Kentucky.

Since that inaugural Breeders' Cup week, Horse Country's impact has been profound. We've welcomed nearly 500,000 guests, from paying fans and leisure travelers to students on complimentary tours and leaders from across the region. In 2024, our twenty-eight locations hosted over 42,000 guests, a 12% increase from 2023 and in 2025 we are on track to reach similar numbers. Importantly, we're sharing our passion with the next generation-last year, over 6,000 students took a tour in Horse Country.

The feedback we receive from our guests is a testament to the power of these experiences. We're proud to report an average net promoter score of 91 (on a scale of -100 to 100), but what truly excites me is the data that shows our tours are shifting public perception for the better. We ask guests to rate their likelihood to recommend horse racing before and after their visit, and the results directly address the concerning statistic from the 2011 McKinsey Report that only 22% of the general public held a positive view of our sport. We're changing that narrative, one tour at a time.

The best part? 70% of our visitors have limited or no prior knowledge of Thoroughbred racing, while the other 30% are existing fans. This means we're reaching new audiences and introducing them to the magic of the sport. While we have a loyal base, with 16% of our guests being return visitors who come back to explore new locations and deepen their connection, 84% of Horse Country's guests are first-time visitors.

Beyond the numbers, the stories are what truly stand out.

• I think about the young family who, after a visit to WinStar's “Santa and Stallions” event, sought out local riding schools. Their daughter now takes lessons, and they've since returned for multiple tours, building a lasting relationship with the WinStar team.
• There's the couple who were so inspired by their first Kentucky visit that they relocated here, bought a farm, and started a small breeding stable which is a great example of how tourism impacts economic development in Kentucky!
• Another visitor's private tour at one of our locations led to a $450,000 foal share investment.

These aren't just one-off stories; they're examples of how a single experience can create a lifelong connection.

Our Collaborative Commitment

Horse Country's success is not our own–it belongs to our twenty-eight incredible touring partners who open their farms and businesses to welcome guests and connect them with their horses, land, and people. They are the heart of what we do. While Horse Country provides the essential marketing, booking, and customer service support, the tours themselves are a direct result of our partners' commitment to our shared mission. It takes leadership and vision to integrate public experiences into a working horse farm, and our partners embrace that challenge for the betterment of our sport. We have also been supported by leading industry organizations, and hope to continue to collaborate with these entities moving forward.

As an industry, we can no longer rely on chance encounters to cultivate future fans, owners, and workforce. We must be proactive. Horse Country provides a sustainable platform for fan development, offering meaningful entry points for deeper engagement with the sport. Experiential marketing has worked for other major brands and sports, and it's time for horse racing to capitalize on the concept too.

We also prioritize giving back. Our Horse Country Charitable Fund, established at the Blue Grass Community Foundation, supports educational experiences and community events, like the field trips hosted for the Woodford County Summer School Program and our annual event, Meet the Neighbors. In 2024, our six nonprofit partners, including four Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance accredited organizations raised over $35,000 through their tours and experiences. Every ticket sold for a tour of these organizations is donated directly to their causes.

Throughout October, we will be celebrating our 10-year anniversary with our members and partners. We are also excited to participate in Lexington's 250th anniversary celebration, as the city highlights its storied equine industry all month long. Horse Country will be a leading organization in those activities throughout the month, expanding our connection to our local community.

The Next 10 Years

Looking ahead, the Horse Country team and our members are dedicated to expanding our reach, elevating the quality of every experience, and creating new opportunities for guests to engage with the sport after their experience in Horse Country. We stand as a model of sustainable, grassroots marketing for horse racing, fostering powerful connections between people, horses, and the land. But, we can't do it alone, we need the collaboration, engagement, and support of our industry to continue to sustain our positive impact.

Here are some ways you can support Horse Country:

*Consider if your business or organization has scope to offer tours and experiences,

*Partner with Horse Country to share ways our guests can stay connected to horse racing, for example racing syndicates, ADWs, news outlets, and more

*Support Horse Country's educational and community outreach by donating to the Horse Country Charitable Fund (donate here)

*Be an ambassador for Horse Country by sharing with your friends, family, acquaintances, clients, fans, etc. that they can come on a tour and have an incredible experience in Horse Country!

If you'd like to discuss further, I invite you to reach out to me directly at hhardy@visithorsecountry.com. Let's work together to improve the future of Thoroughbred racing.

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