The Indiana Horse Racing Commission today announced that Sarah McNaught, Doug Grimes and Steve Schaefer have been re-appointed to the Indiana Racing Commission, and that new members have been appointed to the

state's thoroughbred and quarter-horse breed development advisory committees.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels announced that McNaught will continue as the Commission’s chairman. Her term expires in September 2014.

The terms of Grimes and Schaefer expire in September 2013.

Governor Daniels also announced that Wendy Brown, Steve Stults and Paul Tinkle have been appointed to serve on Indiana’s Thoroughbred Breed Development Advisory Committee, which advises the Indiana Horse Racing Commission on its Thoroughbred Breed Development Program. The appointments are for four-year terms and begin January 1, 2011.

Brown, a lifelong horse enthusiast, has owned thoroughbred racehorses for 30 years and has participated in Indiana’s pari-mutuel racing program since its inception in 1995. She has also served as a director of the Indiana HBPA from 1996 – 2008.

Stults, a thoroughbred owner, is the director of the Indiana HBPA Benevolence Trust.

Tinkle has been involved in horse ownership for over 50 years. He bred multiple Grade I Stakes winner Jersey Girl. He is an ITOBA board member and the ITOBA Sales Manager.

The new appointees replace Jim Carmichael (deceased), Jim Elliott and Jim Hartman whose terms have expired.

Governor Daniels has also appointed Chris Duke, Michael Gross and Randy Thompson to serve on Indiana’s Quarter Horse Breed Development Advisory Committee, which advises the Indiana Horse Racing Commission on its Quarter Horse Breed Development Program. The appointments are for four-year terms and begin on January 1, 2011.

Duke has been involved in the horse business his entire life and is the newly elected President of the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana (QHRAI). He is the co-owner (with Vessells Stallion Farm, LLC) of the stallion Quick Action. The stallion’s offspring, One Quick First Down, recently won the Las Alamitos Two Million.

Gross is an attorney who acquired his first quarter-horse in 1965. He has been actively racing quarter-horses since 2000 and serves as the Treasurer for the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana.

Thompson, an owner and trainer who has been participating in pari-mutuel quarter-horse racing in Indiana since its inception in 1997, is the immediate past president of the Quarter Horse Racing Association of Indiana.

The new appointees replace Carol Ecker, DVM, Jim Noel and Shirley Tresner whose terms have expired.

(With files from the IHRC)