Dear Members,

The MHHA Board remains committed to protecting your financial interests and supporting your family businesses and farms. As we navigate current industry challenges, I want to provide an update on our progress and the path forward.

Congratulations to the connections of the state champions honored at our Annual Meeting and Banquet. A few years ago, program champions earned less than $50,000. This year, we celebrated 20 horses earning over $50,000, including seven state champions exceeding $80,000. Notably, the trotter New Plan Stan set a state record for a non-champion by earning over $94,000. 

The Sixth Circuit Court recently ruled that the State of Michigan cannot require revenue-sharing agreements for ADW wagers from residents. This results in a devastating loss of nearly $5M in annual revenue, including $1M for the AG Equine Fund and $2M each for our association and the licensed track.

Considering this devastating reduction in revenues the Board has requested the MGCB for a 10-day meet at Hastings for September 2026, featuring overnight events and the Michigan Sires Stakes.  Sires Stakes Eliminations will take place the first week, with finals ($80,000–$100,000) scheduled for September 9. This is the most viable strategy given the ruling. We are working with our attorneys and the Carlo family on a legislative fix and have requested formal opinions from the MGCB and the Attorney General regarding potential taxation of these wagers.

With the loss of simulcast and ADW revenue, our primary funding source is Casino Tax Revenue. We expect approximately $4M for the Ag Equine Fund in 2026. Our top priority is the passage of HB 4346-47, which would increase the funding cap from $3M to $9M this year, reaching $15M by 2028.

This vital legislation would provide:

• Up to 20% Breeders Awards.
• Estimated Doubled purse levels for 2 and 3-year-old programs.
• New 4-year-old programs with potentially six-figure finals.
• An expanded fair racing season from mid-April to late September.
• Annual revenue payments for all 86 fairs.
• Additional revenue opportunities for racing fairs.

These bills have passed the Agriculture and Rules Committees and await a House vote. Your outreach to Speaker Matt Hall is making an impact. We did get some encouragement from some key legislators this week and hope for House approval in February and Senate approval by May to secure additional funding for the 2026 season. We have unprecedented bipartisan support in both chambers, and we remain optimistic the Governor will sign the bills.

I would like to thank our team at AMR.  They did a great job with our Annual Meeting & Banquet and Katy Stanke is preparing the 2026 Stallion Guide, which will be mailed to members soon. Staking guides are available at mhha.com and can be mailed upon request. Please note that postmarking rules have changed this year and we encourage you to mail forms early or pay online by February 17.

Thank you for your continued engagement and support.  Please continue to contact your legislators and push for support for House Bills 4346-47!

Happy New Year,

Brett Boyd

MHHA President