In recent months, the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association (OQHRA) set out to do two simple but important things: listen to the industry and bring people together. What came from that effort, an industry survey and a national Quarter Horse Racing Summit, made one thing clear. There are still many people across the country who care deeply about this sport and are willing to show up and work to make it better.
The survey drew responses from well over a hundred owners, trainers, breeders, veterinarians, and other industry participants. Many of those who responded race in more than one state, which reinforced something we hear often. The challenges facing Quarter Horse racing do not stop at state lines, and neither can the solutions.
Across the responses, several themes came through clearly. Participants strongly support fair racing and meaningful enforcement. There is frustration with uneven rule application, delayed accountability, and repeat offenders who continue to find ways to stay in the system. At the same time, many respondents pointed to the strengths that keep them invested, including competitive purses, state-bred programs, and quality racing opportunities. The overall message was not one of giving up. It was a call for consistency, fairness, and a system that works the same for everyone who plays by the rules.
Using the survey results as a starting point, OQHRA hosted the Quarter Horse Racing Summit to create space for open, honest conversation and to begin moving toward solutions. While the Summit was held in Oklahoma, it was never intended to be an Oklahoma-only conversation. Leaders from multiple states attended, representing racing commissions, racetracks, horsemen’s organizations, testing laboratories, investigators, veterinarians, and national industry groups. Their willingness to travel, participate, and commit time to the discussion mattered.
“We were truly thankful for the leaders from other states who came to the table and committed to working together,” said Krissy Bamberg, Executive Director of OQHRA. “The problems we are facing are shared, and real progress only happens when states are willing to talk to each other and work together.”
The conversations focused on real-world issues the industry faces every day. Topics included sharing information across state lines, drug testing and enforcement, investigations and integrity, program training and owner responsibility, workforce shortages, and horse safety and welfare. The goal was not to point fingers or place blame, but to better understand where the system falls short and where cooperation can lead to practical improvements.
One message came through clearly in both the survey responses, and the Summit discussions. Frustrations needs to stay pointed in the right direction. Accountability must focus on those who knowingly break the rules or seek unfair advantages. At the same time, there was recognition that many regulators, investigators, and industry professionals are doing the best they can within systems that were not built for today’s challenges. Strengthening integrity means improving the rules, tools, and cooperation that allow enforcement to happen fairly, consistently, and in a timely manner.
The work does not end with a survey or a meeting. Task forces formed during the Summit will continue the conversations started there, with the goal of turning talk into shared tools, clearer standards, and better coordination between states. These groups will focus on practical steps that can actually be used and sustained, not ideas that look good on paper but fail in real-world application.
“This was not about hosting an event,” Bamberg said. “It was about starting something that lasts. The survey and the Summit showed us that a lot of people still care. Now the job is to keep moving forward together.”
Change takes time, but the message coming out of these efforts is encouraging. People are paying attention. Leaders are talking to each other. Momentum is building. Quarter Horse racing has strong roots, and protecting it means holding bad actors accountable, supporting those who are trying to do things the right way, and continuing to work together for the horses, for the horsemen, and for the future of the sport.
by Krissy Bamberg
Executive Director
Oklahoma QH Racing Assn.
