NEWSLETTERS

Newsletter dated May 1, 2006

NTWA Newsletter from President Gary West
Download a PDF version of this newsletter.

  The Annual Meeting

  The time approaches, of course, for the annual meeting at Churchill Downs. This year's will be especially important because we'll elect new officers and some new board members. Jill Williams, who completed Dan Liebman's term as secretary-treasurer, has done an outstanding job, and I'm especially pleased that she will stand for re-election. Jay Hovdey and I, however, will not. And three positions on the board are also up for election.
   So this meeting is important, and members who can are urged to attend. It's scheduled for Thursday in the auxiliary press box at 11 a.m., with board members asked to gather about a half-hour earlier.

  It's Live in Louisville

   The drawing and selecting of post positions for the Kentucky Derby this year will be Wed. at 5 p.m., in downtown Louisville, at Fourth Street Live, which, I've heard, is better than the alternative. But I get the impression that the draw has become a made-for-TV event bad TV, at that and accommodations for the print media don't seem very encouraging. In fact, citing logistical and workspace problems, Tony Terry suggests Turf Writers not attend, but instead watch it from the press box on the medium for which it's made. "The event will be televised," he explained, "on ESPN that will be shown in the press box, and the trainers' interviews will follow on monitors in the press box."
  He said he will attempt to find workspace for anyone wishing to attend and file from Fourth Street Live.

  Shuttles
 
   Once again, starting Tuesday, Turf Writers will have to park at the Papa John's Cardinal Stadium Media lot. Shuttles are to start running at 4:30 a.m. They'll continue running between Papa John's and the barn area until 10 o'clock, and then from the grandstand (gate 10) until 9 p.m.
  On Oaks and Derby day, the shuttles run until 8 a.m. After that, Turf Writers are to take a TARC shuttle. 

  Scholarship

  Applications for the National Turf Writers Association-Youbet.com scholarship totaled 188. Elisabeth Collier of The Race for Education was very encouraged by the large numbers.

Good luck at the Derby.

Click here to download a PDF version of this newsletter.