I am sure I will not be the only one watching the development of Horse Country, Inc., a non-profit organization set up to promote equine tourism in the Bluegrass. The concept is the development of a central agency to book farm tours, visits to equine clinics and trips to equine attractions. The idea is not just to generate tourist dollars but to support fans' access and emotional attachment to stars that have retired from the track and to educate visitors about Thoroughbreds and their behavior, personalities, care and history.
The interesting thing about Horse Country is that it is centered around the concept of the Thoroughbred as a story that deserves telling, and the organization has gone to the very best for instruction in how to tell it. Horse Country's mentor in this approach is no less than the Walt Disney Institute, which is providing its expertise to both the storytelling aspect and to advising how to set up positive customer experiences.
While Disney's involvement does lead to some concerns that the story to be told may become too oriented to the mass market, leaving out much depth that would appeal to the serious student of Thoroughbred history, it must also be acknowledged that failure to reach out to popular interest is one thing that has led to the decline of Thoroughbred racing from the position it once held as America's most popular spectator sport. And if popular interest is to be engaged, it makes sense to follow the approach of an organization known around the world for its ability to draw people into its stories and make those stories come alive.
The interesting thing about Horse Country is that it is centered around the concept of the Thoroughbred as a story that deserves telling, and the organization has gone to the very best for instruction in how to tell it. Horse Country's mentor in this approach is no less than the Walt Disney Institute, which is providing its expertise to both the storytelling aspect and to advising how to set up positive customer experiences.
While Disney's involvement does lead to some concerns that the story to be told may become too oriented to the mass market, leaving out much depth that would appeal to the serious student of Thoroughbred history, it must also be acknowledged that failure to reach out to popular interest is one thing that has led to the decline of Thoroughbred racing from the position it once held as America's most popular spectator sport. And if popular interest is to be engaged, it makes sense to follow the approach of an organization known around the world for its ability to draw people into its stories and make those stories come alive.
RSS Feed