by Pete Denk

The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders’ and Owners’ Association applauded an agreement between a group of industry stakeholders working to promote integrity in public and private horse sales in Florida, although the FTBOA declined to reveal specific details of the proposal.

The FTBOA, working in conjunction with prominent Thoroughbred owner Earle Mack and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co., presented their joint recommendations to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services on Tuesday.

Department of Agriculture officials are expected to make the new rules public sometime next month, said Richard Hancock, executive vice president of the FTBOA.

“We’re not going to comment on the specifics. It wouldn’t further anything, and the ruling will be out in a couple weeks,” Hancock said on Thursday. “We wanted to decide on some issues that would move the industry forward without affecting the sales adversely, and we have reached an agreement. Now we‘re just waiting to see what [state officials] accept and don’t accept.”

Mack, a West Palm Beach resident who has been a leader in the push for sale reform, said he was pleased with the progress in Florida.

“We must be diligent in our continued efforts to protect the integrity of the horse marketplace and thereby encourage wider public participation in our great industry,” Mack stated in a press release. “The Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services asked all of us to work together and come back with an agreement on rules that would protect horse buyers in Florida.  I congratulate the FTBOA and OBS management for their hard work and spirit of cooperation in the public good by getting this accomplished.”

Pete Denk is a Thoroughbred Times staff writer