lifes to short
Moderators: Roguelet, hpkingjr, WaveMaster
lifes to short
Well since my accident I started back to work and my heart is not into it . So I am scrapping my previous occupation, I closed down the company and I am selling all heavy equipment, land, and gear. It is time to start enjoying every day, since we never know when it might be the last. I will be heading for better weather and a less stressfull life, my horses make me the happiest so they will be coming along. I'm not sure if I will keep my michigan farm or sell that also, does not matter. Any sugestions on some southern states and tracks??? anything go's I can do anything I want, anywhere I can. LIFE IS GOOD....AS LONG AS WE ARE HERE TO ENJOY IT...
onalimb
Re: lifes to short
onalimb wrote:Any sugestions on some southern states and tracks??? anything go's I can do anything I want, anywhere I can. LIFE IS GOOD....AS LONG AS WE ARE HERE TO ENJOY IT...
New Mexico.
Anywhere but Nevada
As a 17 year resident of New Mexico and former Michigander, I second Sam's suggestion hardily!
Great weather, great people (and most of them from somewhere else!), fabulous scenery, very few insects, lots of art and SW culture, and for TB breeders--an up and coming TB industry, 4 soon to be 6 racetracks, a wonderful incentive program, and some nice stallions continuously migrating to the state.
Things to be aware of: If you like a lot of green, there are only certain areas of the state that have it. And be ready for a bout of altitude sickness if you move here -- many of our valleys are at a higher elevation than Denver, the mile high city. Santa Fe is actually the highest state capital in the US at around 7,000 feet. (My ranch is at 6,800.) But that's why we don't have the blistering heat in the summer like Arizona or parts of Nevada.
And no, it may sound like it, but I don't work for the Department of Tourism.
Laurie
Great weather, great people (and most of them from somewhere else!), fabulous scenery, very few insects, lots of art and SW culture, and for TB breeders--an up and coming TB industry, 4 soon to be 6 racetracks, a wonderful incentive program, and some nice stallions continuously migrating to the state.
Things to be aware of: If you like a lot of green, there are only certain areas of the state that have it. And be ready for a bout of altitude sickness if you move here -- many of our valleys are at a higher elevation than Denver, the mile high city. Santa Fe is actually the highest state capital in the US at around 7,000 feet. (My ranch is at 6,800.) But that's why we don't have the blistering heat in the summer like Arizona or parts of Nevada.
And no, it may sound like it, but I don't work for the Department of Tourism.
Laurie
So many pedigrees...so little time. (C)
Sunland Park (El Paso TX area)
Ruidoso Downs
The Downs at Albuquerque
Sunray Downs (Farmington, in the NW corner of the state)
Zia Park (near Hobbs, opening in the next month or two)
and
The Downs at Santa Fe may be reopened in the next two years as a racino after the resolution of a lawsuit between Pojoaque Pueblo and the State of New Mexico. Pojoaque owns the track. (BEAUTIFUL track setting, and right across the interstate from my workplace. Yahoo!)
There's also "talk" of the track at Raton (NE corner of the state) reopening at some point in the future. Raton is also the home of Mesa Vista Stud where Precocity and Seacliff stand and is just below the Colorado state line.
Laurie
Laurie
Ruidoso Downs
The Downs at Albuquerque
Sunray Downs (Farmington, in the NW corner of the state)
Zia Park (near Hobbs, opening in the next month or two)
and
The Downs at Santa Fe may be reopened in the next two years as a racino after the resolution of a lawsuit between Pojoaque Pueblo and the State of New Mexico. Pojoaque owns the track. (BEAUTIFUL track setting, and right across the interstate from my workplace. Yahoo!)
There's also "talk" of the track at Raton (NE corner of the state) reopening at some point in the future. Raton is also the home of Mesa Vista Stud where Precocity and Seacliff stand and is just below the Colorado state line.
Laurie
Laurie
So many pedigrees...so little time. (C)
Onalimb, it depends...
The big track is Sunland Park (best purses, etc.) and the greater El Paso area has a lot to offer, but other than around the Rio Grande...and there are some nice areas...it's pretty bleak and rugged countryside. This is also one area of the state that gets very hot. I'd equate it with Tucson, temperature-wise. Ft. Bliss is going to be expanding in the near future so while real estate is very affordable right now, it's starting to increase rapidly. Values have risen 14% this year alone. If you buy soon, it will probably be a great investment. Two of the largest stud farms, A&A and Weatherly, are in the area.
For overall liveability, I'd recommend the Albuquerque area. The city itself is quite green and the Rio Grande runs right through the middle of it. There are some beautiful farms all along the Rio Grande. The track isn't on the same par as Sunland Park, but there are a lot of trainers and horse farms in the area. Some of the main stud farms in the state are located south of Albuquerque (like TNL and Double LL).
If you like forests and a bit more rural living there's Ruidoso, a mountain resort area with a track that has TB races, but is mainly a QH track and home of the All American Futurity. It's also the area that made Billy The Kid and Smokey Bear famous.
If you're more into grasslands and a Texas-flavored lifestyle, the Hobbs area where Zia Park is about to open would probably suit you quite well, but it is a lower elevation and hotter there. I would expect the TB industry in that area to grow rapidly after the track opens.
I can't tell you much about Sunray Downs in Farmington because I've never been to the town or the track, but I understand that generally speaking it's purses are smaller. I do know there are people who haul out of Texas and Oklahoma to run their horses there, so it must have something going for it.
Hope this helps.
Laurie
The big track is Sunland Park (best purses, etc.) and the greater El Paso area has a lot to offer, but other than around the Rio Grande...and there are some nice areas...it's pretty bleak and rugged countryside. This is also one area of the state that gets very hot. I'd equate it with Tucson, temperature-wise. Ft. Bliss is going to be expanding in the near future so while real estate is very affordable right now, it's starting to increase rapidly. Values have risen 14% this year alone. If you buy soon, it will probably be a great investment. Two of the largest stud farms, A&A and Weatherly, are in the area.
For overall liveability, I'd recommend the Albuquerque area. The city itself is quite green and the Rio Grande runs right through the middle of it. There are some beautiful farms all along the Rio Grande. The track isn't on the same par as Sunland Park, but there are a lot of trainers and horse farms in the area. Some of the main stud farms in the state are located south of Albuquerque (like TNL and Double LL).
If you like forests and a bit more rural living there's Ruidoso, a mountain resort area with a track that has TB races, but is mainly a QH track and home of the All American Futurity. It's also the area that made Billy The Kid and Smokey Bear famous.
If you're more into grasslands and a Texas-flavored lifestyle, the Hobbs area where Zia Park is about to open would probably suit you quite well, but it is a lower elevation and hotter there. I would expect the TB industry in that area to grow rapidly after the track opens.
I can't tell you much about Sunray Downs in Farmington because I've never been to the town or the track, but I understand that generally speaking it's purses are smaller. I do know there are people who haul out of Texas and Oklahoma to run their horses there, so it must have something going for it.
Hope this helps.
Laurie
So many pedigrees...so little time. (C)
If you're a serious racer, Kentucky is pretty hard to beat... Churchill Downs, Keeneland, Turfway Park, River Downs, Ellis Park, Kentucky Downs, Indiana Downs, Hoosier Park, Arlington Park, etc. etc. for tracks within a reasonably short haul, training centers galore, some of the very best equine vets and research centers, top access to quality horses, etc. Also, Sallee run a shuttle from Churchill to other tracks that is free if you are racing.
So Run for the Roses, as fast as you can.....
Onalimb...Good for you!
Let me put my 2 cent's in for Sallisaw, OK. Halfway between Hot Spring's and Dallas and not too far from Lousiana or Oklahoma City. Also, Blue Ribbon at Sallisaw just announced it would be a racino.
We do have winter down here, but nothing like Michigan! I lived 2 year's in Milwaukee. Oh my, even the summer's were cold!
Don't know how big a place you want, but this place is for sale. www.pawsupqh.com It's located at Purcell, OK. about 40 minutes south of OKC on interstate 35.
Let me put my 2 cent's in for Sallisaw, OK. Halfway between Hot Spring's and Dallas and not too far from Lousiana or Oklahoma City. Also, Blue Ribbon at Sallisaw just announced it would be a racino.
We do have winter down here, but nothing like Michigan! I lived 2 year's in Milwaukee. Oh my, even the summer's were cold!
Don't know how big a place you want, but this place is for sale. www.pawsupqh.com It's located at Purcell, OK. about 40 minutes south of OKC on interstate 35.
Laissez les bon temps rouller!
-
Linda in TX
- Maiden Special Weight
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 5:07 pm
- Location: Manor Downs
- Contact:
Re: lifes to short
onalimb wrote:Any sugestions on some southern states and tracks???
Central Texas east of Austin is a good location. The climate is not as extreme in this area as the rest of the state or other southern states -- not as cold in the winter, not as hot in the summer, and hurricaines don't wipe us out. The area I live in is not prone to tornado touchdowns (with that said, look for my next post to come from Oz).
I'm centrally located between Retama and Sam Houston race tracks. The Retama management is trying to secure permission to build a new race track outside Austin. Manor Downs is a very small track with a mixed meet during the spring.
The major disadvantage here at this time is the lack of slots. But the governor is pushing for passage, so hopefully it won't be too much longer. With slots in place, the TB industry here will likely grow.
The cost of living might be a little cheaper here than in some other states. Our gas prices tend to be somewhat lower at least. Property is affordable.
New Mexico is also worthy of a long look.
-
Sylvie Hebert
- Restricted Stakes Winner
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Thu Sep 16, 2004 12:19 pm
- Location: canada
If you bred horses to run then Louisiana where much of the bigger purses are for LA breds and competition is low grade.hay is inexpensive,help is affordable and property prices and taxes are low still(that is changing since the slots came in in the recent years so value is increasing)and within striking distance to plently of tracks.as far as Texas and Oklahoma you cannot give away a Texas or Oklahoma bred....Florida is now too expensive and Tampa with small purses and competitive horses(they bred top horses there and you are isolated from other racing states..) is hard to win at,hay prices outrageous same for properties.
The sport and industry survive not only because of the champions that are remembered forever but also because of the losers that are so easy to forget...
Ever since I read this post, I have been thinking about why I come to work everyday...so I couldn't really come up with a reason apart from money, which isn't alot anyway being a part time job...I wasn't having any free time, no fun time and everything at home (and farm) is getting way behind, so I quit this week. Gave notice Monday...had a panic attack Monday afternoon, went out and rode my horse-realized it was the right thing and it'll be OK. Life IS too short!!! 