About KEEP
Earl Rogers

Earl Rogers

Earl, along with his brothers Bobby and Omer, own and operate their Bath County farm, where they have spent their lives harvesting crops, including hay and tobacco, and raising cattle and Tennessee Walking Horses. For Earl and his brothers, horses are a business. They sell yearlings annually. Earl's family is typical of breed enthusiasts across the state that contribute to Kentucky's economy, and are an important part of the equine industry that drives it to being the #1 agricultural cash crop in the state. Horses play a significant role in Earl's life, both on and off the farm. Away from the farm, Earl is President of the Kentucky Walking Horse Association (KWHA). For the past 31 years Earl has been the manager of the Owingsville Lions Club's four-day horse show. The show was started by the Rogers family in the 1940s and is held each July. The show is one of the largest in the state, bringing more than 5,000 people to the small town. Show participants bring a variety of horses to exhibit, including Saddlebreds, road horses and ponies, and Walking Horses. Exhibitors also boost the local economy by bringing in revenue to local businesses, including hotels, restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, feed stores and more.

Our Mission

To increase awareness of the benefits of Kentucky's horse economy and to promote jobs and economic opportunities for Kentuckians through the Commonwealth's world-class horse industry.

Goals

Educate the public and key state constituencies about the benefits the entire horse industry provides to all sectors of Kentucky's economy

  • Develop a state grassroots network involving Kentucky's horse economy in all 120 counties
  • Build a state coalition of diverse organizations supporting Kentucky's horse economy.

Encourage the development of a pro-jobs and economic opportunities agenda for the Kentucky horse economy to include:

  • Increased state advocacy and promotion of the Kentucky horse industry
  • Initiatives to stimulate jobs and economic growth through economic incentives and tax reform to solidify Kentucky's horse economy leadership to attract new horse industry interests to the state.
  • Expansion of existing state horse economy programs for all breeds such as the Kentucky Breeder's Incentive Program, to encourage ownership of Kentucky-bred horses
Key Initiatives
  • Distribution of fact-based Kentucky horse economy information.
  • Team 120: A broad-based grassroots network of horse economy participants in every Kentucky county.
  • A state advisory committee consisting of prominent horse industry representatives from all sectors of Kentucky's horse economy.
  • A state coalition of organizations with horse economy-related interests including state and local chambers of commerce, rotaries, businesses, labor and trade associations.
Charter Member Organizations

Chairman

Brereton Jones
Governor of Kentucky (1991-95)
Airdrie Stud

Vice-Chairman

Bill Casner
Chairman and Co-Founder
WinStar Farm

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