The Florida HBPA's annual General Nominating Meeting and Awards Dinner will be held Saturday, Dec. 11, 2021, at Ten Palms at Gulfstream Park. We invite all of our members to join us at this year's event. Each FHBPA member is welcome to bring one guest.
The night will start with a Cocktail Hour, followed by a Buffet Dinner. Our guest speaker will be the newly appointed NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney. We will also honor this year's FHBPA Award Winners, and our Grooms of the Month.
"Our annual Election Dinner Gala is back," enthused FHBPA Election Committee Chair Teresa Palmer. "It will be hosted at the beautiful Ten Palms restaurant at Gulfstream Park. The board of the FHBPA, along with the FHBPA staff, have been hard at work to make this a memorable evening. Our President Stephen Screnci will give an update on issues effecting our industry and how they affect Florida racing. We will be hosting a guest speaker, our Grooms of the Month and our jockeys will join us. We will also honor our horses in select categories and one local hero with our 'Person of Distinction' award.
"Make it a date night and join us for food, music, fellowship - and nominations to the upcoming election."
The Florida HBPA is supervised and managed by a Board of 15 Directors. Six seats are reserved for Owner/Directors, and six seats are reserved for Trainer/Directors. Three Directors may be either an owner or a trainer. Elections are held annually, and the term of all Directors is three years.
The next election will be held on March 15, 2022. At that time, five Directors will be up for re-election: Owners Adam Lazarus, Troy Levy and Stephen Screnci, and trainers Joe Orseno and Terri Pompay.
In order to be a candidate for the FHBPA Board of Directors, owners and trainers must be licensed as an owner and/or trainer and be in good standing, and must have started a horse five or more times during the 12 months immediately preceding the date of the election in which they are running for a seat on the Board. An individual licensed as an owner may only run for a seat on the Board as an owner; an individual licensed as a trainer or as an owner and trainer may only run for a seat on the Board as a trainer.
Nominations for the 2022 Election will be accepted during the General Nominating Meeting Dec. 11, and must be endorsed by three members of the Association, or be accompanied by a petition signed by no fewer than 75 members of the Association.
Photo: NTRA President and CEO Tom Rooney