South Carolina's Horses Need Your Help!
SUPPORT THE SOUTH CAROLINA EQUINE ADVANCEMENT ACT
SC Equine Industry
The Problem
If you love South Carolina’s horses, horse-based recreation and horse sports, then you may already know how difficult these challenging economic times are making it for our special horse agribusiness to survive.
The historic South Carolina equine industry does not need or want a handout, but it certainly could use some new tools to help it generate fresh revenue and compete for investments in horse farms, horse breeding, training centers, veterinary activity and other horse-based enterprises that have been flowing out of South Carolina and into surrounding states for years.
Absent any action to help South Carolina’s horse ecosystem regain its competitive footing, the many benefits of what was once a vibrant horse economy here will continue to dwindle and may disappear altogether.
WHY SUPPORT THE S.C. EQUINE ADVANCEMENT ACT?
Establishes a grant program to benefit South Carolina's equine industry.
Finances the grants by allowing a limited form of pari-mutuel wagering which will be licensed by South Carolina Equine Commission.
Advanced Deposit Wagering already occurs unofficially on a large scale across South Carolina. This bill is an opportunity for South Carolina to regulate and capture revenue from these activities and return it to the state’s equine industry.
SOUTH CAROLINA IS FALLING BEHIND
Other neighboring states are moving faster than South Carolina to legalize Advanced Deposit Wagering and we are getting left behind.
The economic impact of the existing equine industry in SC is $1.9 billion and employs nearly 30,000 South Carolinians.
If we don’t act soon, we could lose most, if not all, of the jobs and investment in South Carolina related to the equine industry to neighboring states.
Supporters of the Bill
S.C. Thoroughbred
Owners & Breeders
Association
Carolina Cup Racing Association
Horseman's Council
Wateree Hounds
Aiken Training Track
Aiken Steeplechase Association
Dream Riders
LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
The South Carolina Equine Advancement Act was prefiled by Senators Katrina Shealy (R-Lexington) and Thomas McElveen (D-Sumter) in the Senate and Representative Russell Ott (D-Calhoun) in the House for the 2023-2024 Legislative Session. The Senate version of the bill has advanced through Committee to the Senate floor. The House version of the bill remains in Judiciary Committee.
Please click below for the full versions of the South Carolina Senate and House bills.
What You Can Do
Get involved! You can participate directly in:
