2024 NSA season Wrap Up

 Dear NSA supporters, 

The book is closed on the 2024 season, and the trip home from Aiken gave time for reflection on the spectacular accomplishments we have experienced this year. 

For the first time in our history, we reached the 7-million-dollar mark for purses distributed to our horsemen, with a growth of over 1 million from our total in 2023. This is $800,000 more than our previous high total of $6.2 million in 2018 and a clear indication that we have bounced back well from the pandemic. 

There have been many contributing factors that have launched us on this promising path forward, most notably the individual success of our 27 race meets, along with solid support from our friends at NYRA and Churchill Downs, which hosted jump races at Saratoga, Colonial Downs and Belmont @ Aqueduct throughout the summer. Adding $150,000 Grade 1 races at the Virginia Gold Cup (Commonwealth Cup), Belmont @ Saratoga, (Beverly R. Steinman), the International Gold Cup (Will Allison), and the spectacular return of the Colonial Cup, all contributed to the massive growth, both financially and inspirationally. 

There was an upbeat feeling about the 2024 NSA season that was there from start to finish. We witnessed this firsthand at the race meets we attended on the circuit and heard from many people along the way who were vocal in their support. 

However, 2024 was not without its challenges. The severe drought this spring and summer along the east coast played havoc with turf and ground conditions. Some race meets had to make very difficult decisions that rendered outcomes very deleterious to the respective meets, but still acted in the best interest of the safety of the horses and riders. In keeping with the spirit of our sport, other race meets helped mitigate the loss of those meets by taking on additional races from the 

cancelled meets and adding them to their own card. This minimized the loss of opportunities to the horsemen, with the NSA providing the purse money to fund these added races. 

Our horsemen also had to alter their plans to deal with the drought conditions. Trainers carefully evaluated course conditions and ran horses that suited the ground and going, thus minimizing injury. I witnessed riders showing the same expertise and courage in easing off and pulling up as they display in winning races. 

We closed out the year with two phenomenal cards in South Carolina at Camden and Aiken, six days apart, which offered 13 races and more than $500,000 in purses. At the end of a long day of racing in Aiken, we celebrated with a spontaneously enthusiastic event that crowned and honored our champions. It was a great conclusion to a great year! This optimism will carry over into 2025 with the planned return of the Fair Hill Races on Memorial Day weekend, and enhanced NSA races at the point to points. Steeplechasing in America is indeed on an upward path. 

There are so many people to thank for our racing this year, from our owners, trainers and riders to our sponsors, race meet organizers, major track partners to our racing officials, NSA board members and our tremendous NSA staff. Everyone played a significant role in making this year successful and we are all fortunate to be able to work together to this end. 

I wish you and yours a most Happy Thanksgiving and the best of the Holidays. 

Thanks again, 

Al 

Alfred C. Griffin Jr., President