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Thank you for visiting www.thoroughbredinfo.com, the premier online resource for information about the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry in the Western Region of the United States. We appreciate your support, and welcome your comments.
The History Of Thoroughbred Information Agency
Don Engel
Thoroughbred Information Agency (TIA) was founded in 1966 by the late California horseman Don Engel, a breeder who had purchased his first two broodmares in 1959. As with most creative pursuits, the inception of TIA began with a unique set of unpredictable circumstances.
While hauling a Thoroughbred mare one fateful day in 1966, Don stopped to fill his gas tank at a service station near Dixon, California, only to notice that his precious cargo — all 17 hands of her — had fallen down in a single stall of his two-horse trailer. Don panicked. How could he possibly get her back up to her feet without injuring herself, or him?
Suddenly, he remembered there was a Thoroughbred farm, Man Mar Ranch, nearby. Don drove there quickly, and was relieved when the farm owner, Manuel Jacinto, kindly helped him get the mare upright. Afterward, Manuel extended his courtesies to include a cup of coffee. As the two men chatted in the kitchen (something neither of them had envisioned they would be doing that day), Manuel mentioned he had just acquired a stallion named Slamruler, and casually asked if Don knew anyone who might help him advertise the new horse to California breeders.
A lightbulb went off above Don's head, and Thoroughbred Information Agency was born that very moment.
Thanks to Don's astute advertising efforts, Slamruler covered 66 mares — a very large book for the era — during his first breeding season at Man Mar Ranch. Other stallion owners took note of what Don was able to accomplish for the *Nasrullah sire, and soon they came calling too.
With his Thoroughbred Information Agency in full swing, Don initiated his "Confidential Report to Clients" in 1975. Twelve years later, that small publication evolved into "The TIA Newsletter," a popular resource which covered all Thoroughbred activities in the Western Region, with a specific focus on California, until 2007.
The History Of www.thoroughbredinfo.com
Established in 1997 by Don Engel as an online counterpart to "The TIA Newsletter," the www.thoroughbredinfo.com website has developed an excellent reputation as one of the internet's most popular sources for information about the Thoroughbred racing and breeding industry in the Western Region of the United States.
Every year, www.thoroughbredinfo.com welcomes more than five million hits from nearly 200,000 visitors, who access up-to-date news and statistics on more than 50 Thoroughbred stallions, farms and businesses located in California, New Mexico, Oregon, Washington and other states. The website also provides a friendly online community, in which horsemen and horsewomen share their thoughts and concerns about the important issues facing the industry.
In a region as vast as the Western states, www.thoroughbredinfo.com provides a vital service as an online home for Thoroughbred enthusiasts, as well as a low-cost venue for year-round advertising to an international audience.
The Future Of Thoroughbred Information Agency & www.thoroughbredinfo.com
Rudi and Lisa Groothedde
After a nearly 50-year run in the Thoroughbred business as a breeder, farm owner/manager, consultant, racehorse owner, sale agent and newsletter/website publisher, Don Engel announced his retirement in August 2008, shortly after his 83rd birthday. Picking up the reins from Don as the new owner of Thoroughbred Information Agency and www.thoroughbredinfo.com, beginning November 1, 2008, was Lisa Groothedde.
A graduate of Texas A&M University, Lisa is a lifelong equestrienne and national award-winning journalist for the Thoroughbred industry. During her tenure as editor of "The Texas Thoroughbred," this official publication of the Texas Thoroughbred Association (TTA) was honored by American Horse Publications as the country's Best State/Regional Publication and Best Association Magazine, in addition to receiving numerous other awards for editorial and design achievements. Among her other duties, Lisa also created and maintained TTA's official website.
Today, Lisa is a West Coast correspondent for "Thoroughbred Times" magazine and a regular contributor to "California Thoroughbred" magazine. As a member of the National Turf Writers and Broadcasters, she is also an Eclipse Award voter.
Lisa's husband, Rudi, has been the managing editor of "California Thoroughbred" since 2000. Through their Jacaranda Stable, the couple has advised clients on bloodstock purchases and sold a number of horses through the commercial market, including a stakes-siring full brother to the leading sire Songandaprayer.
Don Engel passed away in December 2010 at the age of 85, leaving behind a tremendous legacy in his beloved Thoroughbred industry. In his honor, Thoroughbred Information Agency continues to conduct the Don Engel California Freshman Sire Contest, an annual competition which Don originally created for his fellow Thoroughbred enthusiasts.
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