I generally agree with Tom Gallo's recent Letter to the Editor regarding the Jockey Club Round Table Conference: as an industry, we desperately need to market to kids. Are we uncomfortable talking about marketing to children because gambling and lifestyle elements are so deeply woven into our sport?If that is our hesitation, history shows it is misplaced. Major entities–from the NFL to the PGA Tour–invest heavily in youth programming despite the national rise in sports wagering. The PGA's First Tee program and the NFL's Play 60 initiative demonstrate that leagues can promote their sport to the next generation responsibly. Racing can–and must–do the same.Where I disagree with Mr. Gallo is his assertion that Amplify Horse Racing only “targets individuals who already have an interest in horses, drawing from a limited pool.”Many current industry professionals-myself included–were horse-crazy kids first, and horse racing–crazy kids second. That is not an audience to ignore. More importantly, Amplify is already actively implementing the exact youth programming Mr. Gallo calls for.Just recently, Amplify partnered with the National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame for a summer camp at Saratoga. They hosted immersive tours of the Keeneland November Sale for national 4-H clubs and collaborated with Keeneland and CareerViewXR on a virtual learning module launching statewide in Kentucky and nationwide this fall. Amplify represents our industry at events like National Ag in the Classroom, the National Mentoring Summit, and high school career fairs across Lexington.To build something sustainable, Amplify started by bridging the gap for older students and early-career individuals through a first-of-its-kind mentorship program, knocking down traditional barriers to entry.Now, Amplify is expanding to reach even younger, broader audiences. They are launching an innovative, scalable high school curriculum integrated into classroom learning, which can be utilized across state lines and will be adapted to younger age groups. I saw its impact firsthand at Bryan Station High School, where students interacted with retired graded stakes winner United after learning the curriculum. As detailed in Thoroughbred Daily News, students pressed their faces against the windows in awe. Most were not horse racing fans before Amplify brought that horse to their schoolyard.However, delivering this level of engagement within our current infrastructure is difficult. When a summer program (read TDN article here) brought 170 elementary students for a field trip, five Visit Horse Country member farms stepped up to host them. Amplify helped successfully tailor entirely new content, but relying on individual farms to pivot their operational focus is not sustainable at scale.This is precisely why Amplify exists: to amplify current educational efforts while filling critical gaps in youth engagement. Amplify is building a shared national infrastructure for youth education in horse racing-just as the NFL and PGA built theirs.So, what is missing? What is the single bottleneck limiting Amplify's reach? Funding.To date, Amplify has been sustained primarily by a seed donation from a single generous Thoroughbred owner, supplemented by a few “proof-of-concept” donations. Non-profit grantors care strictly about youth development, not what Amplify does for horse racing. If racing wants a national youth organization as effective as First Tee, racing must fund it.As the Saratoga sales wrap up, tens of millions of dollars are invested in the next generation of equine stars. But who is going to invest in creating the next generation of fans, participants, and industry leaders?Here is an actionable solution: Donate to Amplify Horse Racing. On a lean budget, Amplify has proven the concept. Now, the industry must step up with sustained financial support to scale these programs nationwide.If you want to learn more or support our mission, please reach out to me, any Amplify Board member, or Executive Director Annise Montplaisir.–Hallie Hardy, Board Member & Volunteer, Amplify Horse RacingThe post Letter To The Editor: Why Are We Not Doing More to Support Amplify Horse Racing? appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.