Maryland delegation impressed on trip to Spain

ANNAPOLIS, MD – A delegation of U.S. and Maryland horse and harness racing industry officials and professionals spent five days attending several important equestrian events in the Spanish Balearic Island of Menorca, located in the Mediterranean Sea, from May 25th to May 30th, 2022.

Anne Litz of The Maryland Horse Industry Board (MHIB); Cheryl Stambaugh of the Maryland Standardbred Fund; Lisa Watts of Rosecroft Raceway; dressage trainer Julie Anne Staiger; and Jack Burke of Winbak Farm, the largest east coast breeder of standardbred horses with farms from Maryland to Ontario, Canada, comprised the delegation led by Alejandra “Alex” Abella, equine industry consultant based in Annapolis, MD.

The delegation participated in the Second Annual International Menorca Horse Convention, with the Maryland horse industry professionals sharing important lessons on how the state’s varied industry united with the help of the Maryland Horse Industry Board.

The convention drew the unique historic and equestrian parallels between Maryland and Menorca, including a historic naval connection through Admiral Ferragut, of Menorcan descent, and the importance of harness racing in both the state and the island. The US equestrian delegation was featured front page of the Menorca newspaper the day after the Convention, as well as in several other news outlets.

Other important visits for the delegation included: the Hipodrom Municipal De Mao – Mahón, one of Menorca’s two harness racing tracks; the Escola Equestre Menorquina to learn about the Purebred Menorca Horse (PRMe); and the main harness racing and fifth edition of Hats and Horses, an Ascot-style social event held at the Torre del Ram Hippodrome.

The annual Hats and Horses event includes antique cars, live music, several harness races and betting, and demonstrations of several equestrian disciplines on the island. The U.S. delegation was again featured in Menorcan and other news outlets the day after the event.

The visit was sponsored and organized by Ariadna Vilalta, founder of Hats and Horses. Gemma Alcaraz of Menorca on Horseback/Son Bou Rutes a Cavall organized the non-harness equestrian events, and the Meliá Cala Galdana Hotel, a Meliá Hotels International beachfront property, hosted the delegation.

Photo on left are members of the U.S. delegation with the driver and connections of a winning harness horse, and Torre del Ram harness track owner, Biel Olivar. The Torre del Ram track was designed by Olivar’s sister and father in the 1970s, following the design of a U.S. track

On the right, Gemma Alcaraz of Son Bou Rutes a Cavall, doing the traditional “bot” airs above the ground on a Purebred Menorcan Horse.

Visit the Hats and Horses website (hatsandhorses.com) for more information on the annual Hats and Horses events or contact Alejandra ¨Alex¨ Abella for information on the U.S. delegation visit at (805)204-6961 or via email at mail@alejandraabella.com.