Mission of Georgia Equine Education Project
Ed Gadrix is President and Executive Director of GEEP. He is an equine attorney and founded the Equine Law Section of the State Bar of Georgia
GEEP’s mission is to promote Georgia’s equine industry from a commercial perspective. Horses have always been a partner with mankind in work and play. In today’s world, horses account for a multibillion dollar industry, while at the same time serving in a variety of activities, enjoyed by both the horses and their handlers. GEEP’s main concern is for the horses themselves. A more professional approach to their development as an industry assures better and safer training, medical care, experiences in the various activities and enjoyment. And so many other businesses benefit like veterinarians, equine suppliers, hay and feed farmers, breeding farmers, legal, accounting and insurance firms, hotels and restaurants, all types of vendors, and more. A well developed and promoted equine industry means business for Georgians, And it means jobs and revenue for our State to fund education and public services. In racing alone, it is a $2.2 billion industry in states like Florida where it create some 55,000 jobs. We want those jobs and revenue in Georgia to augment the HOPE scholarship fund, to go towards teachers’ salaries, to conduct research for the benefit of the horses at the Georgia Veterinary School. Thirty-eight states conduct horseracing. Georgia is situated in a the middle of a void of states that don’t. And Georgia can be a major leader in filling that void with some of America’s finest racing, whether it be thoroughbred, quarter horse, paint, harness, Arab or any other type of equine racing.