When BloodHorse Magazine moved its Lexington office recently, storage space in the new place was limited.
The editors found themselves with dozens of boxes of bound BloodHorse magazines dating back to 1940 and no place to put them. They were a duplicate set, and some of them were even bound in a green cloth valuable to collectors.
“These magazines contain a wealth of historical information, and the last thing we wanted to do was throw them into a dumpster,” said Eric Mitchell, bloodstock editor at BloodHorse. “One of our first calls was to Sean (Beirne) at the UofL Equine Industry Program, which BloodHorse has supported for years by offering internships to students, providing guest lecturers, and hiring graduates of the program.”
That’s why, one cold day in March, Beirne and equine administrative assistant Liz Young found themselves driving to Lexington in a rented truck. What they came back with is unique to UofL.
BloodHorse Magazine’s donation to the University of Louisville Equine Industry Program marks the first time the program has been the recipient of a book collection. While the equine program is a part of the College of Business, the donated volumes will be kept in Ekstrom Library on Belknap Campus.
The collection consists of a continuous run of BloodHorse Magazine from 1940 to 2018 bound in 332 volumes. It contains more than 4,100 issues, many bound in green cloth. Also donated were a selection of Goodwin’s Turf Guides that date back to the mid- to late-1800s.
“This donation gives researchers an enormous amount of thoroughbred racing history and breeding in one place,” said Beirne, director of the Equine Industry Program. “On behalf of our students, faculty members and researchers, I thank BloodHorse for trusting UofL with this invaluable collection.”
UofL’s Equine Industry Program offers an accredited business degree with an equine focus. Graduates can be found in all aspects of the industry, from training to broadcasting.
BloodHorse offers comprehensive and broad-ranging coverage of thoroughbred racing and breeding. The company’s website, www.bloodhorse.com, offers daily news, analysis, race entries and results.
“We were thrilled that UofL wanted the books and recognized their value,” Mitchell said. “It really does offer peace of mind that they have a home where they are appreciated and used.”
