Good evening fellow members of the NTWAB. I hope this note finds you all well and with 2019 off to a great start. Just a couple items of business in advance of the weekend.
First, keeping with the longstanding tradition, a spreadsheet showing the first-place Eclipse Award votes of each NTWAB member is attached to the newsletter email you received. Thanks to all who participated in this year’s voting. Some who did not vote have already reached out to me with reasons why and others are encouraged to do so. We’ll likely circle back soon with those who didn’t vote as well.
Second, I’ve been contacted by a few members regarding decorum in press boxes from coast to coast. Some of this relates to NTWAB members and some of it does not. Regardless, I’d encourage everyone to remember that the press box is a work area with a professional atmosphere. Please remember to exercise simple consideration and keep conversations to a bare minimum and/or take them to another location. The NTWAB is working with our sister organization, Turf Publicists of America, on this issue and others that include loud phone calls and non-working members of the media and/or guests with access to the press box or media centers.
Third, NTWAB VP Greg Hall and I will participate in a conference call with other members of the Eclipse Awards Steering Committee next week. If you have any suggestions, comments, complaints, compliments or other thoughts on the process, the dinner, Media Awards or anything else relevant to the NTWAB please pass them on to me at tlawky@gmail.com and Greg at gahall@gmail.com.
Finally, plans are in the works for our semi-annual meeting prior to the Kentucky Derby. The meeting, which will include some elections of board member positions, will most likely be the Wednesday prior to the Derby, May 1 in the Media Center at Churchill Downs. Looking way ahead, we’re also in the very early stages of planning for the 60th annual NTWAB Awards Dinner prior to the 2019 Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita. The event will most likely again be held the Wednesday prior to the Breeders’ Cup, Oct. 30, at a location to be determined. Stay tuned.
I’d like to wish you all a belated Happy New Year and best of luck covering the lead up to this year’s Triple Crown. Chat soon.
All the best,
Tom Law
NTWAB President
Feb. 7, 2019
