Horse industry aiming to breed more success
Hoping to foster the likes of Smarty Jones, the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association has tapped a Chester County man to run the successful state Breeding Fund program.
A member of Chester County's esteemed Hannum family has been tapped to run the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association as its executive secretary.
John B. "Jeb" Hannum 3d, the grandson of the late Nancy Penn Smith Hannum, a matriarch of open space in Chester County and a former master of the hunt, will succeed Mark McDermott, who retired after 35 years of service.
PHBA president Brian Sanfratello made the announcement yesterday, calling Hannum "an individual with the talents to lead what we think is the top state breeders' incentive program in the country."
Hannum, who resides in the Unionville area with his wife and three children, said he was thrilled with the opportunity. He said he will administer a state fund that has quadrupled in the past six years to nearly $20 million a year, largely because the legislation that legalized slot machines funnels a percentage of the gambling revenue into the horse-racing industry.
The arrangement encourages investment in a business that benefits Pennsylvania residents in myriad ways, Hannum said. He said the money generated by horse racing and breeding typically gets recycled in the state through staff salaries and purchases of hay, farm equipment, and barn repairs. He said people who own or breed Pennsylvania horses receive monetary incentives, encouraging strong programs that produce horses like Smarty Jones. Such success enables Pennsylvania to compete with state equestrian strongholds such as Kentucky, Maryland and California, Hannum said.
"Where many states are seeing a decline in the number of mares bred per year, Pennsylvania has seen an increase over the last few years," Hannum said. "Pennsylvania is simply a good place to invest in racing and breeding."
Hannum said there's also a strong link to open space preservation since horse breeders need expanses of pastureland, and breeding incentives provide them with income — and motivation to keep the land undeveloped.
"Farmland is available, there are a number of good horsemen across the state, and we have great veterinary facilities - most notably New Bolton Center outside of Kennett Square," Hannum said, referring to the University of Pennsylvania facility. "We have a great story to tell in Pennsylvania."