My name is Andy Allen and you will find a description of my Amateur Radio activities on these pages. The HF station is located 12 miles north of Ocala in North Central Florida. We have a 5 acre farm with two horses, Bella and Angel.
Ocala is one of only five cities (four in the US and one in France) permitted under Chamber of Commerce guidelines to use the title, “Horse Capital of the World”, based on annual revenue produced by the horse industry. 44,000 jobs are sustained by breeding, training, and related support of the equine industry, which generates over $2.2 billion in annual revenue. Postime Farms and Ocala serve as host to one of the largest horse shows in the country: H.I.T.S or “Horses in the Sun”, a Dressage/Jumper event lasting about two months. It generates some 6 to 7 million dollars for the local Marion County economy each year. The show features classes for over 100 different breeds, including Tennessee Walker, Paso Fino, Morgan horse, Saddlebred, Draft horse and the American Quarter Horse. Other equine events in the area include mounted shooting by the Florida Outlaws, as well as endurance rides, barrel races, extreme cowboy events, jumper shows, trick shows, parades, draft pulls, rodeo events and more.
Ocala/Marion County is one of only four major thoroughbred centers in the world with 600 thoroughbred horse farms that have produced 45 national champions, 6 Kentucky Derby winners, 20 Breeders’ Cup champions and 6 Horses of the Year.
MORE EQUESTRIAN FACTS ABOUT OCALA/MARION COUNTY, FLORIDA:
- In 1943 Carl G. Rose developed the first thoroughbred horse farm in Florida.
- In 1978, Affirmed, a horse bred and trained in Marion County, won the Triple Crown.
- More than 100 different breeds are featured each year at “Horses in the Sun,” one of the largest horse shows in the U.S., held in Marion County, FL.
- More than 35,000 thoroughbreds reside in Ocala/Marion County, FL.
