Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association


The Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association is a trade association of owners and trainers of race horses in the United States and Canada. Originally begun in 1940 as an organization to help horsemen in need, the HBPA now represents horsemen's interests in a wide range of issues, including representing horsemen in negotiations over regulations, prize purses, and revenues from on-track, off-track and simulcast wagering.
The association was co-founded by Leo O'Donnell, a thoroughbred trainer from Louisville, Kentucky, whose grandson, Bob Heleringer, was a member of the Kentucky House of Representatives from 1980 to 2002.