Arizona State Officials Join Arizona Horse Council (AzHC) at Equine Economic Impact Event

Phoenix, AZ, February 14, 2012 --(PR.com)-- Officials in blue jeans and boots arrived at WestWorld in Scottsdale, Arizona, last Saturday, Feb. 4, to attend the Economic Impact of the Equine Industry in Arizona. They came from all over the state and from all walks of government, a powerful reminder of what the Arizona Horse Council (AzHC) represents as the “official voice of Arizona’s $1.8 billion equine industry.”

Among the speakers that day were Arizona State Representative Heather Carter, who spoke of the leading role Arizona plays in the Quarter Horse circuits; Arizona State Senator Steve Pierce, who spoke of untapped “racino” opportunities with the potential to bring new suppliers and manufacturers to the state; and Scottsdale Mayor W.J. “Jim” Lane, who reported on the economic impact of equestrian activities on Scottsdale.

Topics ranged from the significance of the WestWorld Equidome expansion project to incentives for bringing in more rodeo venues to the state, as discussed by Arizona Speaker of the House Andy Tobin.

Also adding to the discussions were Doug Huls, Show Director for Arizona Sun Circuit, one of the more esteemed Quarter Horse circuits in the nation with an estimated $4.5 million directly impacting the local economy; Janice McCrea-White from the Arabian Horse Association of Arizona, which hosts the annual Scottsdale Arabian Horse show representing an estimated $52 million in direct contribution to the local economy every year; and Irene Kunz of the Arizona Thoroughbred Breeders Association, which estimates $134 million in annual horse racing revenue for the state.

One of the voices that stood out came from a representative with Governor Janet Brewer’s office, who spoke of the equine property tax bill championed by the Arizona Horse Council (AzHC) and recently passed by the state of Arizona exempting equestrian businesses from excessive property tax under the agriculture classification. This is just one of the many actions directly or indirectly supported by the Arizona Horse Council (AzHC), the only organization to retain a lobbyist to represent horse interests in the Arizona State Capitol.

For those sitting in the audience that day, the event was both a reflection and a vision for the state of Arizona as one of the nation's more horse-friendly states in the country.

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