Thoroughbred Horsemen's Association
Posted: Jan. 14, 2023
The Pennsylvania Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association announced that its members have selected horse owner and breeder Robert Hutt to serve as the new President of the organization. The PTHA’s members also elected members to the association’s board of directors of the horsemen’s organizations for three-year terms.
Bob Hutt is President and Chief Executive Officer of Uptowncharlybrown Stud LLC, a Pennsylvania-based Thoroughbred breeder and management firm. Hutt has 37 years of experience as an owner and a breeder and is the lead sponsor of the PTHA’s Turning for Home, the association’s signature racehorse aftercare and placement program.
Hutt previously served on the Board of Directors of the Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation for five years. Working closely with the Pennsylvania Horse Breeders Association, Hutt proposed the recently created 2-year-old Pennsylvania-sired/Pennsylvania-bred Stallion Series, which had its inaugural year in 2022. Outside of horse racing, Hutt serves as President and CEO of Twenty-First Century Group LLC and is a producer of “Back To The Future, The Musical,” which will debut on Broadway this summer.
Hutt, a resident of Washington Crossing in Bucks County, replaces outgoing President Salvatore DeBunda, who has led the organization since 2011.
“I am honored and thrilled to represent the horsemen at Parx,” Hutt said. “As President of the PTHA, one of my top priorities is expanding our fan base and introducing a new generation to the thrill of live racing. From a horsemen’s perspective, I’m committed to ensuring that we have a level playing field for all owners and trainers. I will be an advocate for all horsemen, from the smallest trainer to the largest stables. Every trainer, regardless of size, deserves the same respect and an opportunity to earn a living in this industry.”
PTHA members also elected three new individuals to the Board of Directors, including owners John Fanelli and John Julia as well as trainer Robert “Butch” Reid, who previously served on the board from 2011 through 2019. The new members of the Board of Directors join seven existing members who were re-elected by the association: trainers Ed Coletti Jr., Kate DeMasi, Scott Lake, and John Servis, as well as horse owners Jack Armstrong, Charles Asensio, and Jeffrey Matty, who also serves as Executive Director of the PTHA.
Hutt said another priority for the coming year is to continue to educate elected officials about the importance of Pennsylvania’s horseracing and breeding sector to the state’s overall agriculture industry.
“Pennsylvania racing and breeding support 23,000 jobs in Pennsylvania’s agriculture and construction sectors, delivering an annual economic impact of $1.6 billion,” Hutt said. “Policymakers need to understand that racing and breeding are one of the major drivers of the state’s overall agricultural industry. As a state, we should be looking at opportunities to expand and grow that economic impact by investing in our industry.”