OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—JULY 15, 2019—The annual election of directors will take place beginning in September. There will be at least seven Oklahoma Director Positions to be filled in the election for 2020 directors. Your membership must be current as of SEPTEMBER 1, 2019.

To be an eligible voter you must have started a horse as an owner or trainer or assistant trainer at an Oklahoma racetrack during either the 2018 Will Rogers QH Mixed meet, or the 2019 Remington Park or Fair Meadows meet, and you must not have opted out of representation by the OQHRA. Additionally, if you are an annual or lifetime member you are entitled to vote whether or not you started horses, but not if you opted out at any of the Oklahoma racetracks.

Each director is elected for a three year term. The term begins in January of 2020 and runs through December of 2022. Being an OQHRA director is much more than a popularity vote. The directors you elect determine how much gaming money goes to purses and the OKB program, as well as which tracks get tribal purse funds. They help negotiate terms of each race meet with the tracks, and represent the best interests of all participating horsemen before the commission and the legislature. Each elected director must be accessible by email and cell phone to deal with important issues. There is an attendance requirement and you cannot miss more than four of the eight regular board meeting in the calendar year to remain on the board.

The election is a two part process, first members are nominated, then the top ten nominees are listed on a second ballot from which the directors are selected on the basis of number of votes to fill the open positions. If you are interested in running for a director position you may submit your name to the OQHRA office via email or text (oqhra@aol.com) or (405-640-2628) and your name will be included on the nomination ballot that will go out to all eligible voters in late September.

If you have any questions about the OQHRA Board of Directors, the election process, or the status of your membership please call the OQHRA offices 405-216-0440 and ask for Debbie or Krissy, or email oqhra@aol.com .