Jun. 11—GRAY — The Kentucky Equine Education Program (KEEP) visited Soldier Stables in Knox County on Thursday to educate local leaders about the future of the horse industry.
Also present was horse-racing legend Kenneth Ramsey, who is perhaps best known for owning the renowned horse Kitten’s Joy.
Soldier Stables is owned by Tommy Black, a horse enthusiast who also owns REMAX in Corbin.
KEEP is an organization which seeks to promote the horse industry and maintain Kentucky’s most famous tradition.
President of the Kentucky Quarter Horse Racing Association Christine Sowders emphasized to the audience, which was filled with local leaders and dignitaries, that the horse industry was vital to Kentucky’s continued success.
“There are thousands of jobs in Kentucky related to the horse industry…Billions of dollars each year are brought into the state by horse farming, racing, and gaming,” she said.
The primary goal of KEEP is to maintain Kentucky’s position as the Horse Capital of the World, doing so mostly by preserving and expanding the economic viability of the horse industry.
Gaming, in particular, has been a topic of much discussion in Kentucky in recent years.
State Representative Tom O’Dell Smith noted to the audience during his speech that he strongly pushed the passing of Historical Horse Racing Legislation in 2021 to help preserve the industry.
“We walked into that session without the votes…It was a tense day, but we ultimately got it through,” he said.
As keynote speaker and horse racing legend, Ramsey spoke for an extended period at the luncheon, offering to the audience his life story through a series of challenges that he faced.
Ramsey is from Artemus, a community located in Knox County a short distance from Barbourville.
One of Ramsey’s most captivating stories was when he recounted the time he shared tea with Queen Elizabeth II at the Royal Ascot racecourse in England.
Ramsey noted one humorous exchange between himself and the Queen, saying, “She asked me if I wanted sugar and cream with my tea, and I said ‘no ma’am.’ She said back to me, ‘Just like you Kentuckians drink your bourbon.”
