The Charles Town HBPA is a non-profit organization made up of :

1 President
5 licensed owners
5 licensed owner/trainers or trainers only
3 owner alternates
2 owner/trainers or trainers only alternates

Governed by the West Virginia State Racing Commission, the Rules of Racing and by CTHBPA's Bylaws

The board is elected every three years- in May with the appointment of two committees (1) the nominating committee (2) the election committee. These committee names are presented, by the president, and approved by the board. The first meeting of the nominating committee is in June, followed with a meeting in July and August. In September a general membership meeting is called by the nominating committee and presided over by the chairperson, to present their slate and accept nominations from the floor. Within 48 hours their eligibility is confirmed and letters mailed notifying them that they have been nominated including an excerpt of the CTHBPA's Bylaws pertaining to nominations, and an affidavit that must be signed and notarized to accept or decline their nomination.

The Board of Directors is made up of volunteers - voted by the body of horsemen to represent them. There are committees made up of horse owners and or trainers. These committees are approved by either the Board of Directors or the body of horsemen actively racing at Charles Town and eligible to vote

[link to:] Committees are proposed either by the President or committees that are established according to the CTHBPA's Bylaws.

. . . Results of the Elections 11/22/2006 . . .

Raymond J. Funkhouser, President
CONTACT or call 304.725.1535

Randy owns and operates O'Sullivan Farms. After graduating from Stanford University, he served as Vice President of the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association, served on the CharlesTown HBPA Board of Directors (1984-1990 and 2003-2005), was elected Charles Town HBPA President (1990-1997), founded the Charles Town Race Track Chaplaincy (1998) and became CTHBPA President again in 2006. Randy has owned, bred or trained horses for thirty-five years. His favorites are Confucius Say, Earth
Power and Julie B.

Policy Statement

Thanks to the CTHBPA, purses and new owners have increased to record levels, medical and benevolence benefits to horsemen have risen substantially, a pension plan for backstretch personnel has been successfully implemented and CTHBPA assets have appreciated considerably. My goals to improve racing at CharlesTown will be:

• Continue to develop a positive, symbiotic relationship between PNGI and horsemen that is respectful and mutually productive to both parties.
  
• Review and renew the horsemen's contract and stall application with PNGI
.

• Obtaining adequate stall space and insure safe racing surface for all horses.
  
• Create legislation that will restore the financial inequities imposed on horsemen's purses due to the excess video.
  
• Lottery tax (2001) and the worker's compensation tax (2005).
  
• Work with horsemen and breeders to find legislative solutions to mutual problems such as the under-funded 10-10-10.
  
• Fund and the under-funded WV Accredited Race Fund.
  
• Negotiate in good faith with PNGI to resolve problems horsemen have with the table games bill and other issues.

Kenneth Lowe


A lifelong resident of Jefferson County. Born in 1948 in Charles Town, graduated from Shepherdstown High School & Shepherd University. Ken's track work experience included six years at Mutuels, attending New York Jockey Club School for Racing Officials, Patrol JudgeNaterford Park and a Racing Official for several years at CharlesTown and Shenandoah Downs. Since 2005, he has licensed and/or raced thoroughbreds as an owner in West Viginia, Kentucky, NewYork, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware,Virginia and Maryland. Also, Ken is a local small business owner. and represents Charles Town owners/trainers and working with the breeding industry, jockeys, agents and other important support staff who play a vital role-continuing thoroughbred racing in West Virginia, especially Eastern Panhandle.

E. Elaine Hagy


Previously served 2003-2006 on the HBPA Board as representative and 1^st Vice-President. Elaine and her husband have been racing horses at Charles Town Races for the past 35 years. They have a small farm in Harpers Ferry, WV where they stand two stallions and raise their foals. Elaine attends meetings with the WV Racing Commission, the Board of Stewards and with the management of Charles Town Races. Specifically, being helpful with special events for the horsemen and horsewomen. While serving as Chairperson on the Welfare Benefits Trust Committee she tries to accommodate all while promoting the need to have management pay all loosing mounts.

Harold Shotwell


Harold has been working with horses for over 40 years with over 45 years experience in working with people and running his own construction companies. Sixteen years as a Director of Workers Compensation Self-Insurance Group, Bank of Loudoun (5 years), Jefferson National Bank (5 years),
Heavy Construction (6 years) and CTHBPA (3 years).

He believes the words "Just Cause with Due Process" should be in the stall contract to avoid stalls being taken away for any or no reason. Harold insists on more racing days, not less. The horsemen should have preference over others who don't race here on a regular basis. Horses finishing 7-10^th place be
compensated for running by receiving one percent of the purse. Saying, we need to take care of "Our Horsemen".

Sharon Johnson


With a background in business & accounting and a full time horse person, Sharon takes care of the financial aspects of her husband's construction company. She & her husband purchased their first thoroughbred in 1967 and have owned, bred and raced horses for many years. Together they own and operate the Charles Town Equine Center, The Tack Shack, have rental barns in CharlesTown as well as their Wind N' Springs Farm in Berryville,VA. Sharon supports a strong, united HBPA that will represent ALL the horsemen as a whole. She continues to be dedicated and open minded by helping resolve issues that will benefit the horsemen.

Larry Miller


Larry and his wife, Dixie, own a farm in South Morgan County, forty-five minutes from
the track. They currently have four mates, three yearlings and weanlings and three
on the track. Together they have been breeding mares and racing for thirty-five years.

Larry addresses some of the goals he hopes to fullfil during his tenure:

1. Table games: We must be fairly compensated and there is nothing injected in the bill to jeopardize any aspect of racing.
2. 10-10-10 Program: We need to work with the Breeders Association, Racing Commission and be well
represented when the Legislative Session begins in January, to keep this program alive.
3. Racing Surface: Several tracks are installing the all-weather synthetic surface and some of them are required to meet a state law deadline. They report that it is safer for our riders, horses and reduces costly
cancellations tremendously.
4. Live Racing Attendance: I have several feasible ideas how we can improve our dwindling attendance.

I will work hard on the issues in the best interest for all horsemen.

James W. Casey


Jim is a 1951 graduate of the College of William & Mary. His graduate work was at both the University of Virginia and the University of Maryland then a tour of duty for 2 years in the Army with the Second Armored Division in Germany. Jim was a coach and Director of Athletics at James Wood High School
in Winchester,VA for 33 years. Jim and his late wife, Eleanor, have bred and raced horses for over 40 years and a a trainer's license for the past 20. With his his three children they own and operate Taylor
Mountain Farm. During years he has been a member of the PA Board of Directors for 9 years and knows it is very important when and if table games comes to Charles Town that the horsemen get a fair share of the revenue.

Tina Malgarini Mawing


Tina was born and raised in Seattle,Washington, graduating from the University of Washington with a Bachelor of Science degree. She & husband, Anthony, have called Charles Town their home since 2000. Tina worked for many years as a Surgical Intensive Care Nurse while maintaining a small stable of thoroughbreds including a trainer's license for over 20 years, working her way up through the ranks from hot walker and stall mucker to exercise rider. Racing in many jurisdictions, including 10 years in California and abroad in Singapore & Malaysia. She is confident that she will make a positive contribution to the HBPA with new and positive changes that will benefit our horsemen.

Tim Grams
photo unavailable

I am 43 years old, and have been involved in the thoroughbred business for about 18 years. My wife Judy and I operate a small breeding operation in the Charles Town area and have about 25 horses in training at Charles Town Races. I have enjoyed working with the present HBPA Board for the past 3 years and I would like the opportunity to help and serve the horsemen at the Charles Town Races in the upcoming years.

[N. Eddie Household - resigned]

John Stahlin


During the past three years John served as an alternate on the CTHBPA Board of Directors, he saved the horsemen hundreds of thousands of dollars in purses by discovering accounting mistakes and getting them corrected. John has been instrumental in developing a purse structure that does not fluctuate wildly depending on the season and other short-term variables. In addition, he has been able to save stalls for some trainers who had been given eviction notices and to keep some stalls for trainers whose stall allotments were cut too severely. John is a WV breeder and believes that there should be more WV bred restricted races. John says:

"We need to negotiate increased racing days to protect ourselves from being priced out of our own market by skyrocketing purses if the gaming income continues to increase. We also need to act immediately to force the track to build another barn."

"By contractual agreement, PNGI was to supply 1,388 stalls, but the actual number of stalls currently available is 1,342. We also need continued vigilance to protect ourselves from harmful legislations and to pursue carefully worded legislation in conjunction with the West Virginia Thoroughbred Breeders Association to make more WV bred restricted races available without sacrificing too many races or too much purse money for horsemen who don't have WV breds."