Since the Virginia Racing Commission recently approved a new Certified Residency Program that is expected to contribute to the long term economic prosperity of Virginia agriculture and encourage preservation of Virginia farmland, it is now up to industry participants to take advantage of these new opportunities.
Modeled after the very successful Delaware Certified Program, the new Virginia-Certified Thoroughbred Program (VACTP) will reward horsemen who board horses at Virginia farms or training centers for six consecutive months prior to December 31st of the horse’s two-year-old year. The six month requirement must be fulfilled after the program start date of July 1, 2017 — this is the earliest date eligibility can begin.
Sadler’s Joy is shown here as a yearling at Woodslane Farm in The Plains. Photo by Nick Hahn.
In order to proceed and take advantage of this new program, here are 3 EZ Steps:
Become a Certified Virginia Farm/Training Center – Certify your facility so out of town horse owners can learn about your participation in the program. Each horse in the program must maintain residency at a Virginia-Certified Farm or Training Center within the Commonwealth, where the horse can be available for inspection by a VACTP official. A full list of these farms and centers, with addresses and contact details, appears on
www.vabred.org. If you have not made an agreement with the VTA to participate in the Program yet, fill out an application on the website.
Register Each Virginia-Certified Horse. Within 30 days of the horse’s arrival in Virginia, owners must submit an application for the VACTP along with a registration fee (that covers the lifetime of the registered horse), a completed W-9, and a copy of the horse’s registration papers. The VTA member fee is $100 and non-member fee is $250. Checks should be made out to the Virginia Thoroughbred Association, and all materials can be sent to: VACTP, c/o Virginia Thoroughbred Association – 250 West Main Street, Suite 100 – Charlottesville, VA 22902. Both the application & W9 form are available on the website.
Submit/Acquire A Verification Form. Once the six month residency is complete, the Virginia-Certified Farm will send a notarized Verification Form (available on the website) to the VTA office confirming that the horse has completed the requirements of its residency. The VTA will then process the form and issue VACTP certificate to the owner of the horse.
More details of the program are available at www.vabred.org. If you have any further questions about the program, call 434-977-3716.
