FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, August 7, 2024

TOBA

TOBA Names Officers and Four New Trustees to Board

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association announced today the election of David O’Farrell as chairman of its Board of Trustees. Also joining O’Farrell on the Board of Trustees to serve three-year terms as new members are Jake Ballis, Ben Bernhard, Tina Marie Bond, and Brook Smith.

Re-elected to three-year terms were current trustees Carrie Brogden and Tim Cohen.

“I am honored to be re-elected as TOBA chairman,” said David O’Farrell. “Our board of trustees and the TOBA membership represent an important constituency, and we look forward to working with other industry stakeholders to improve the economics and integrity of the sport.”

Following its annual members meeting, the TOBA Board of Trustees met to elect officers for the association. Officers named for 2024-2025 are: David O’Farrell, chairman, Everett Dobson, vice-chairman, Dan Metzger, president; Doug Cauthen, secretary; and Garrett O’Rourke, treasurer.

Brant Laue was elected chair of the American Graded Stakes Committee, succeeding Everett Dobson who reached his term limit. Also, the TOBA Board approved the appointment of Billy Koch to the American Graded Stakes Committee. The 2024-2025 committee is comprised of TOBA members Brant Laue (chair), Barbara Banke, Walker Hancock, Billy Koch, David O’Farrell, Alex Solis II, and racing officials Gatewood Bell (Keeneland), Dan Bork (Churchill Downs and Ellis Park), Martin Panza (NYRA), Rick Hammerle (Kentucky Downs), and Tora Yamaguchi (Del Mar).

The Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association (TOBA), based in Lexington, Ky., was formed in 1961 and is a national trade organization of leading Thoroughbred owners and breeders. TOBA’s mission is to improve the economics, integrity and pleasure of the sport on behalf of Thoroughbred owners and breeders. Projects managed by TOBA include the American Graded Stakes Committee, Claiming Crown, Ownership Seminars, Breeding, Conformation & Pedigree Clinics, US-Bred, TOBA Owners Concierge, OwnerView and the Sales Integrity Program. TOBA provides international representation for U.S. owners and breeders on the International Grading and Race Planning Advisory Committee, International Cataloguing Standards Committee and International Thoroughbred Breeders Federation. Thoroughbred Charities of America (TCA) is the charitable arm of TOBA. TOBA Media Properties, a subsidiary of TOBA, is the co-owner of BloodHorse LLC. TOBA is represented on the board of directors of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association and the Racing Medication and Testing Consortium as founding members.