Karen B. Smith-Aaron has been reelected to a third consecutive term as President of the Virgin Islands Horse Owners’ Association in their elections held at Ellis Thomas Downs, Sea Cow’s Bay, Tortola this evening December 9, 2014. Photo: VINO/File

President of the Virgin Islands Horse Owners’ Association Karen B. Smith-Aaron in an interview with Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) said that she is encouraging members of the public to come and be part of the Association’s Executive when its elections are held on Tuesday December 9, 2014. Photo: VINO/File

Vice President of the Association Lesmore Smith when reached said that he could not speak neither did he take calls when this news site tried again sometime later to reach him. Photo: VINO

The Association's Public Relations Officer Craig A. Lake deferred all questions to the Association's President when contacted. Photo: VINO/File

Horse owner Alex V. Lake of Family Affair Stables said that he will not be vying for any position on the committee since he has too much on his hands and would not have the time to attend to matters related thereto. Photo: VINO/File

The 2015 Virgin Islands Horse Owners’ Association Committee now comprise Smith-Aaron as President, Rosalind Leonard as Vice President, Melissa Young as Secretary, Andre ‘Shadow’ Dawson as Public Relations Officer, Karl Thomas as Racing Secretary and Roy A. Garraway and Edward E. Freeman as Security. Kyle Abraham has been elected as a member of the committee.

The positions of Treasurer and Assistant Treasurer are pending confirmation until the persons nominated to those positions accept them.

Contacted last evening by this news site, Smith-Aaron in a brief comment said, "The most I can actually say is that I will be working in the best interest of horse racing to carry it forward."

See previous article published on December 5, 2014:

‘Horse owners don’t come out to elections!’ – Karen B. Smith-Aaron

-Virgin Islands Horse Owners’ Association President Karen B. Smith-Aaron said horse owners are reluctant to take on the challenge therefore she is inviting persons who do not necessarily own horses to the committee

ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – President of the Virgin Islands Horse Owners’ Association Karen B. Smith-Aaron in an interview with Virgin Islands News Online (VINO) said that she is encouraging members of the public to come and be part of the Association’s Executive when its elections are held on Tuesday December 9, 2014.

Not wanting to disclose whether or not she would be seeking a third term as President, Smith-Aaron said that it would be good if other persons come and be a part of the body since there is the perception that it is the same people over and over.

“Whenever we have elections we hardly have anybody there. People don’t come out. If people think the same committee going back they are not going to come out,” she said during the interview today December 5, 2014.

“The problem we have had for the last three years is that the committee has been too slim. We don’t have anybody coming out. It would be only horse owners there and they don’t want the harassment,” said Smith-Aaron.

“What I am trying to do is encourage other people. We are looking for people from the public who are actually interested in serving on the committee. I don’t care whether I am President or even on the committee. The committee is too slim and it puts a lot of pressure on some people,” she said.

“I don’t want people to think that it is the same committee vying because the same committee isn’t enough. It is a voting thing and what we’re doing is encouraging people to serve. If you’re interested in serving come. Don’t worry about the same committee or another committee or whatever. We need people who are interested,” Smith-Aaron said.

Return of horse owners a major achievement

She said that one of the most notable achievements of the past year under her presidency was that many horse owners have come back to the sport. “So when before we were dependent on horses coming from St Thomas to run our races, we now have enough horses to run our own races,” she said.

“A lot of past horse owners are coming back with A class horses. They are pleased with how the track (Ellis Thomas Downs, Sea Cow’s Bay) is being run so they are actually coming back into the sport,” she said.

Vice-President of the Association Lesmore Smith when reached for a comment said that he could not speak neither did he take calls when this news site tried again sometime later to reach him.

Horse owner Alex V. Lake of Family Affair Stables said that he will not be vying for any position on the committee since he has too much on his hands and would not have the time to attend to matters related thereto.

Public Relations Officer of the Association Craig A. Lake directed all questions to the Association's President when this news site contacted him today for a comment on the upcoming elections.