Off to the Races: Horse racing experiences a resurgence in Wyoming
Although one may more readily associate Wyoming with images of bucking broncs and hardy cowponies, there is an undeniable home for horse racing in Cowboy State culture.
Since 2013, the resurgence of horse racing in Wyoming has been fast growing and lucrative, fueled by a comprehensive statewide breeders’ incentive program, talented home-grown horseflesh and multi-faceted gaming opportunities.
Reviving an industry
“Wyoming has been racing horses for a long time,” says Brande Koltiska, pari-mutuel coordinator with the Wyoming Gaming Commission and Wyoming Bred Program Administrator.
Horse racing and pari-mutuel betting in the state was incredibly popular throughout the 1970s but waned in popularity over the decades until the passage of House Bill (HB) 25, Simulcasting of pari-mutuel events, by the 62nd Wyoming Legislature ignited a resurgence.
HB0025 permitted pari-mutuel wagering on events which have previously occurred using electronic gaming terminals, opening the door to economic opportunity and spurring the beginning of immense growth for Wyoming horse racing which continues to surge to this day.
Unlike other forms of gambling, pari-mutuel wagering bets are pooled and divided amongst the winning parties in proportion to their wagers, Brande explains.
Historic horse racing
The Wyoming Gaming Commission establishes a set number of live horse racing or pari-mutuel event days to take place at each racetrack each year, which continue to garner bets throughout the year in the form of historic horse racing (HHR) terminals and off-track betting.
“HHR was introduced to help restore the viability of Wyoming’s horse racing industry,” Brande explains. “Without it, I truly don’t believe the sport would be where it is today.”
She notes this form of betting has been a massive revenue boost to Wyoming’s economy through gaming revenue as well as increased horseman purses and incentives to breed, raise and race horses in Wyoming.
The revenue generated from tourism, breeding and gaming makes horse racing an indispensable industry to the Cowboy State, according to Brande.
“Horse racing is kind of Wyoming’s hidden secret,” she says. “It’s amazing for the state, especially the agricultural industry.”
Brande emphasizes the rise of HHR has created new jobs and increased tourism, while also contributing to the agricultural landscape as more people get involved in the racing industry.
Another major factor driving the popularity of horse racing in Wyoming is the Wyoming Breeder Award Program, more commonly known as the Wyoming Bred Program.
Overseen by Brande, the program offers incentives and big payouts to accredited Wyoming-born racehorses and has helped ignite an industry boom which shows few signs of slowing down.
Wyoming Bred Program
The Wyoming Bred Program seeks to promote improved breeding and development of the horse industry in the Cowboy State.
Accredited racehorses receive points for every event they compete in throughout the summer racing season, awarded on a descending scale based on placing.
Brande notes the majority of horses raced in Wyoming are Quarter Horses, followed by Thoroughbreds and a handful of Paints and Appaloosas.
Breeders, owners and eligible stallion owners receive a payout the following spring based on points collected throughout the previous summer’s racing season.
Brande says Wyoming boasts one of the most lucrative state-bred programs in the country, supporting local breeders and the state’s economy alike.
The program is an attraction for current residents to raise and enroll more horses, as well as for breeders from neighboring states to raise and run horses in Wyoming, generating more income and growth for the industry, cities and counties.
Brande emphasizes the program has grown every year since it was first established, with an impressive $2 million dollar jump in payouts from 2024-25.
In 2025, a total of 8,723.5 points were distributed among 430 participating horses, amounting to a more than $10 million payout. Over 300 people received checks from the 2025 season, according to Brande.
“Wyoming pays the highest return to our horsemen per capita in the country,” Brande says, emphasizing more money returned directly to breeders means more opportunity for investment in the industry.
A report compiled by the Select Committee on Gaming in 2025 notes 10 years ago, less than 10 percent of horses running races in Wyoming were home-bred, but today, this figure is over 50 percent and growing every year.
Bright future
Wyoming’s horse racing industry is bucking a nationwide trend by continuing to grow even as racetracks around the country close down.
In addition to tracks in Gillette, Evanston and Rock Springs, a new facility is currently under construction in Cheyenne and is expected to open this fall.
“The fact people want to come in and build racetracks when every other state is tearing them down shows just how important horse racing is to Wyoming,” Brande says.
Virginia Wakefield is a Thoroughbred breeder based in Cheyenne who participates in the Wyoming Bred Program and has witnessed the sport grow firsthand throughout the past decade.
Virginia says even as the sport falls out of favor in other states, the future of Wyoming horse racing is bright.
“Wyoming is seeing a huge influx of horses coming in to race, and of breeders and owners bringing their mares and stallions to Wyoming to be certified in the Wyoming Bred Program,” Virginia says.
“We’re getting more and more people involved,” Brande adds. “The owners are starting to go out and buy more mares or upgrade their program by buying better stock, therefore investing more in Wyoming.”
The Wyoming Gaming Commission has approved a total of 72 live race dates for the 2026 season, with live racing set to kick off on May 23 at Energy Downs in Gillette and scheduled to conclude on Nov. 1 at the Thunder Plains racetrack in Cheyenne.
For more information on the Wyoming Bred Program or Historic Horse Racing, visit gaming.wyo.gov/home.
Grace Skavdahl is the editor of the Wyoming Livestock Roundup. Send comments on this article to roundup@wylr.net.
