Letter to the Editor: Why Showing Up Matters: KEEP at the Capitol

[Wandering Eyes]

Kentucky's horse industry is strong by any measure: economically, culturally, and politically. But that strength did not happen by accident. It was built through years of consistent engagement with lawmakers by groups such as the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association (KTA), the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers Club (KTFMC), and the Kentucky Equine Education Project (KEEP). Participation by industry members at KEEP Day at the Capitol on Thursday, February 12, is critical, even without a pressing legislative crisis.

For legislators, KEEP Day is not about a single bill or budget line. It's about relationships and understanding. Lawmakers are responsible for hundreds of issues each session and often only hear from industries when problems arise. When horse industry participants take time to introduce themselves, explain their work, and share how horses support jobs and communities back home, it creates context that lasts far beyond one meeting.

Speaker of the House David Osborne highlighted this during the 2025 KEEP Day, pointing to challenges facing the horse industry in states like Florida and California. In those cases, lawmakers are scrambling to understand an industry they haven't been consistently engaged with. Kentucky has avoided that scenario precisely because the horse industry has stayed involved during both good times and bad.

Former Senate Floor Leader Damon Thayer also noted the importance of consistent engagement and would frequently highlight the work of the optometrists who would bring an army of advocates to Frankfort every year, whether they had an issue before the legislature or not.

I have seen first-hand how exposure to horses can completely alter a person's perspective on our industry. I have experienced this with KEEP Day, too. Giving lawmakers a view of the industry and building those relationships opens up new perspectives that they previously did not have.

Legislators frequently note that it is far easier to support an industry when they know the people behind it. A breeder, farm employee, veterinarian, or small business owner brings meaning to economic statistics and reinforces why sound policy matters. Those relationships were essential to past successes, from protecting historical horse racing to establishing and protecting industry incentive funds.

KEEP Day at the Capitol also matters because the General Assembly is always changing. New lawmakers arrive each year, many representing horse country but lacking direct exposure to the industry. Early, informal conversations help shape how they view future policy questions.

Kentucky's horse industry may be thriving, but legislators will tell you that success requires vigilance. Engagement prevents complacency and helps ensure Kentucky remains a national model rather than a cautionary tale.

Showing up matters. KEEP Day at the Capitol is a simple but powerful way to protect the industry's future, by continuing the relationships that have already served Kentucky so well.

 

RSVP to KEEP Day here.

 

Rob Tribbett
Watercress Farm
KEEP Vice Chair

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