DAN LUCAS, SCOOP VESSELS ELECTED TO AQHA RACING COUNCIL
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May 21, 2010 – The American Quarter Horse Association today announced the two newest members of the AQHA Racing Council: Dan Lucas and Frank “Scoop” Vessels III.

Dan Lucas and wife Michelle are the owners and operators of Lucas Racing, Inc. in New Market, Maryland. Lucas started his racing operation in 1975, and began running American Quarter Horses at Pompano Park in 1978. He is a past member of the AQHA Racing Council and has served on the boards of the Florida Quarter Horse Racing Association and the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association. Lucas Racing, Inc. earned the 2004 AQHA racing champion breeder award.

Vessels, the accomplished operator of Vessels Stallion Farm LLC in Bonsall, California, is a past member of the Racing Council and former AQHA Executive Committee member; he served his year as AQHA President beginning in 2004. Vessels Stallion Farm LLC was twice named AQHA racing champion breeder, in 1999 and 2006.

AQHA’s nine-member racing council is tasked with appointing or approving members of the Graded Stakes and Champions Selections Committees, reviewing and approving requests for financial assistance from affiliates and other organizations, affecting state and federal legislation to benefit the industry and forwarding Committee recommendations to the AQHA Executive Committee, among other duties. New council members are elected to three-year terms by members of the AQHA Racing Committee.

Sixty-six of 68 AQHA Racing Committee members returned completed ballots, each voting for two of 13 candidates; ballots were due May 20. Candidates are nominated by Committee members, and must themselves be Committee members to be eligible to serve on the Council.

The AQHA Racing Council now consists of: