Minutes
Ohio HBPA Board Meeting
11:30 am, Tuesday, September 16, 2025
Ohio HBPA Main Office
Members Present: President Joe Poole Directors Susan Anderson, Bobby Cline, Christy Estvanko, Jeff Jarvis, Brian Poe, Kim Puhl, Mike Rone, Doug Shanyfelt, George Sikora
Members Unable to Attend: Linda Carrera, Tim Hamm
Others On Call: Executive Director Dave Basler, Lobbyist Kyle Miller
Call to Order/ Approval of Minutes:
President Poole called the meeting to order. After review President Poole moved and Director Puhl seconded a motion to approve the minutes of the June 25, 2025 Ohio HBPA board of directors meeting. Motion passed with Director Estvanko abstaining.
Legislative Update
Lobbyist Kyle Miller from Pappas and Associates provided a legislative update including handouts which detailed the Ohio legislative calendar for the remainder of 2025.
Executive Director’s Report:
The executive director updated the board on the OHBPA’s HISA assessment fee lawsuit stating that all motions and responses in the suit had been submitted and the case was now in the judge’s hands.
President Poole moved and Director Puhl seconded a motion to enter executive session. Motion passed.
Extensive discussion was held regarding the 2026 proposed HISA Budget and assessment fees.
President Poole moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to exit executive session to break for lunch. Motion passed.
President Poole moved and Director Estvanko seconded a motion to enter executive session. Motion passed.
Extensive discussion was held regarding the current contract between the Ohio HBPA and Belterra Park as well as the possibility of Belterra Park opting out of HISA in 2026.
President Poole moved and Director Rone seconded a motion to exit executive session. Motion passed.
New Business:
Purses and Wagering
Handouts were provided to the board showing VLT results for all three thoroughbred tracks in Ohio for August 2025 as well as previous years VLT results for comparison purposes. Belterra Park showed a net win of $8,042,525 in August 2025 up over $500,000 from the $7,528,706 net win in August 2024 at the track. Thistledown had a net VLT win of $16,389,199 in August which was a gain of just over $800,000 from the prior August net win. Mahoning Valley had a net VLT win of $15,700,297 in August up nearly $1 million from the $14,717,031 net win at Mahoning Valley in August 2024.
Basler detailed that the total funds available for purses at Mahoning Valley Race Course through August 1, 2025 was $6,034,697 compared to $4,782,613 available for purses at the track the prior August 1. Belterra Park had a purse account balance of $638,254 through June 1, 2025 compared to a balance of $2,860,484 on the same date in 2024. Through August 1st, 2025 Thistledown will have total available purse monies of $5,309,658 once an over $300,000 correction is made to the purse reports for drug testing costs as compared to a total of $5,514,797 available for purses on August 1, 2024. The Thistledown number is somewhat misleading because of cancelled race days due to track condition in July there were only 51 race days through the end of July 2025 as compared to 59 race days through the end of July 2024.
Budget and Finance
The executive director informed the board that he had signed an engagement letter with national CPA firm GJC to conduct audits of the Ohio HBPA financial statement for 2023 and 2024 and the audit is scheduled to start later in September.
Discussion was held regarding a sponsorship request from the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters for $600 for their annual fund-raising dinner at the Breeders’ Cup in October at which the organization will be honoring Perry Ouzts, amongst others for his lifetime riding accomplishments. Director Estvanko moved and Director Cline seconded a motion that the Ohio HBPA sponsor the NTWB Dinner for $600 from the Industry Initiative Fund. Motion passed.
Discussion was held regarding the next board meeting date with the board setting Friday, November 7, 2025 as the next meeting date beginning at 11am at the Ohio HBPA main office in Grove City.
Adjournment:
President Poole moved and Director Poe seconded a motion to adjourn. Motion passed.