{"id":29276,"date":"2025-09-23T10:00:56","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T14:00:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=29276"},"modified":"2025-09-18T15:15:54","modified_gmt":"2025-09-18T19:15:54","slug":"maryland-horse-park-system-launches-new-website-to-showcase-equine-tourism-and-horse-industry-assets","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2025\/09\/23\/maryland-horse-park-system-launches-new-website-to-showcase-equine-tourism-and-horse-industry-assets\/","title":{"rendered":"Maryland Horse Park System Launches New Website to Showcase Equine Tourism and Horse Industry Assets"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3 dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: left\"><a href=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"29277\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2025\/09\/23\/maryland-horse-park-system-launches-new-website-to-showcase-equine-tourism-and-horse-industry-assets\/attachment\/mhps_imageforpressrelease\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?fit=2550%2C2351&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"2550,2351\" data-comments-opened=\"0\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"MHPS_ImageforPressRelease\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?fit=760%2C701&amp;ssl=1\" class=\"alignnone size-medium wp-image-29277\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?resize=300%2C277\" alt=\"\" width=\"300\" height=\"277\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?resize=300%2C277&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?resize=1024%2C944&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?resize=768%2C708&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?resize=1536%2C1416&amp;ssl=1 1536w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?resize=2048%2C1888&amp;ssl=1 2048w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/5\/2025\/09\/MHPS_ImageforPressRelease.jpg?w=2280 2280w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/a><\/h3>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Annapolis, MD (September 23, 2025)<\/strong> \u2013 In celebration of <strong>Maryland Horse Month<\/strong> starting October 1st, the <strong>Maryland Horse Industry Board<\/strong>, an advisory board under the <strong>Maryland Department of Agriculture<\/strong> promoting and regulating the Maryland horse industry, has announced the official launch of<a href=\"http:\/\/www.marylandhorsepark.org\"> MarylandHorsePark.org<\/a>. This new digital hub is designed to highlight Maryland\u2019s world-class equine venues, educational resources, and tourism opportunities. The website was made possible through a grant from the <strong>Maryland Department of Commerce Offices of Tourism &amp; Film<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><a href=\"http:\/\/marylandhorsepark.org\">MarylandHorsePark.org<\/a> serves as the first-ever centralized platform to tell the story of the Maryland Horse Park System, which unites four \u201cpillars\u201d of equestrian excellence including:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Fair Hill Special Events Zone <\/strong>\u2013 home of the annual Maryland 5 Star at Fair Hill, one of only two CCI5*-L eventing competitions in the United States as well as The Races at Fair Hill.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Prince George\u2019s Equestrian Center<\/strong> \u2013 a premier competition venue hosting national and international shows \u2013 Including the Washington International Horse Show, Capital Challenge Horse Show &amp; the Bill Picket Rodeo<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Maryland Horse Library &amp; Education Center <\/strong>\u2013 preserving equine history and providing educational programming.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\"><strong>Pimlico Race Course Redevelopment<\/strong> \u2013 the home of the Preakness Stakes and a centerpiece for urban equine tourism.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">\u201cMarylandHorsePark.org is more than a website\u2014it\u2019s an invitation,\u201d said <strong>Maryland Department of Agriculture Secretary Kevin Atticks<\/strong>. \u201cIt opens the barn doors to our state\u2019s equine assets, connecting visitors, families, and enthusiasts to experiences that strengthen tourism, preserve open space, and support our thriving horse ecosystem.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">With Maryland\u2019s horse industry valued at $2.9 billion annually and ranking among the state\u2019s top agricultural and tourism sectors, this new website will provide an accessible gateway for both Maryland residents and visitors. Features of the site include:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Planning trips to Maryland\u2019s signature horse venues and riding trails<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Finding a Horse Discovery Center, licensed stables and organizations<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Discovering equine events and attractions across the state<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Accessing educational materials about the industry\u2019s economic, environmental, and cultural impact<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" role=\"presentation\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">Staying informed about upcoming initiatives, including October Horse Month and the Preakness Festival Farm Tours<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">The website launch is part of a multi-year strategic plan supported by the Maryland Office of Tourism to position Maryland as a premier equestrian destination. It will serve as a vital marketing and educational tool, attracting travelers, supporting local businesses, and spotlighting the state\u2019s leadership in equine sports, heritage, and innovation.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">\u201cAs my predecessor, Ross Peddicord, always has said \u2018All of Maryland is Horse Park\u2019 and now we have a digital home to make this dream a reality after 20 years of discussions!\u201d said <strong>Anne Litz, Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">For more information and to explore Maryland\u2019s equine destinations, please visit <a href=\"http:\/\/www.marylandhorsepark.org\">www.MarylandHorsePark.org<\/a>. For more information about the Maryland Horse Industry Board, please contact MHIB Executive Director Anne Litz at <a href=\"mailto:anne.litz@maryland.gov\">anne.litz@maryland.gov<\/a> or 667-408-0407.<\/span><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\" style=\"text-align: center\"><span style=\"font-family: 'times new roman', times, serif;font-size: 12pt\">###<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Annapolis, MD (September 23, 2025) \u2013 In celebration of Maryland Horse Month starting October 1st, the Maryland Horse Industry Board, an advisory board under the Maryland Department of Agriculture promoting and regulating the Maryland horse industry, has announced the official launch of MarylandHorsePark.org. This new digital hub is designed to highlight Maryland\u2019s world-class equine venues,<a href=\"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2025\/09\/23\/maryland-horse-park-system-launches-new-website-to-showcase-equine-tourism-and-horse-industry-assets\/\">&nbsp;&nbsp;Read the Rest&#8230;<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":222,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-29276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-press-release"],"acf":[],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29276","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/222"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29276"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29276\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29278,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29276\/revisions\/29278"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29276"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29276"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29276"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}