WSHP Covered Arena & Associated Build-Out-Cle Elum

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PO Box 864 Eatonville,WA 98328 Phone:206-734-6904 February 27,2017 Senator Jim Honeyford Way and Means,Vice-Chair Capital Budget Committee 112 Irv Newhouse Building PO Box 40415 Olympia,WA 98504 Senator Judy Warnick Chair,Economic Development Committee 103 Irv Newhouse Building PO Box 40413 Olympia,WA 98504 Dear Senators: Washington Cutting Horse Association (WCHA)has a long history of providing high qµality cow cutting horse events.We urge you to support the Washington (WA)State Horse Par application for $2.0 million in capital funding support for a CoveredArena and Associated Build-Out submitted by the WA State Horse Park Authority. Our goal is to make WA State Horse Park the new home for our future monthly horsè shows.To do that,we will need a covered arena to protect the footing and accommodate our s ectators, judges and competitors during our competitions.In the past,we have attracted "Wo Id Champions"such as Matt Gaines,Greg Smith and Lindy Burch as well as local trainerà like Josh Sleeman (NCHA Hall of Famer)and Joe Jones Jr.(NCHA Zane Schulte Award recipient)go our shows.With this new arena we hope to invite this prestigious group of professionals gnd many others to the WA State Horse Park for quality cow cutting events. Centrally located in Cle Elum,the 112-acre Horse Park is a destination venue among horse facilities in our state and will easily attract competitors to our events.The Park's ability to draw people from outside the local area uniquely characterizes the Park's impact and already generates $3.4 million in total economic impact.The Covered Arena will allow the Pàrk to attract more horse disciplines,host larger shows and extend its operating season from five to nine months,significantly increasing the size and number of events held at the Park. Thank you for your consideration.We urge the State to fund this important project. Sincerely, Jane Roundtree Director,WCHA