If you are thinking of a career working with horses, you may find a recent Oklahoma equine study of interest. Why? Because the study focused on the economic benefits and job opportunities available in the real-world of horses!
Time to give your data analysis skills a workout and get a glimpse of the horses and people at work in the Oklahoma equine industry.
The study was broken up into four main sections, the Racing Division, Recreation Division, Rodeo Division and the Support Industries.
The study found the ratio of jobs to race horses was approximately 50 jobs for every 100 race horses. These jobs included those at the track, the breeders, trainers and owners of race horses and race related associations. Those conducting the study counted roughly 14,100 racing division horses in the state in 2012.
Math Talk – Ratio: is the comparative value of two or more amounts. A ratio may be written as 3 : 4 (read as three to four) or as a fraction.
1. Using these statistics, how many racing division jobs were there in 2012 in Oklahoma?
The researchers found that the racing industry generates $34,700 of economic impact per horse. That sounds like a lot of money!
2. Calculate the total amount of money generated by the Oklahoma racing industry in 2012.
The Recreation Division counted horses from four categories. Here are their results:
- Commercial Horse businesses – 20,665 horses
- Private farm owners – 207,679 horses
- people who owned a horse but did not own a farm – 26,827 horses
- college programs – 350 horses
3. How many horses in total were in the Recreation Division? Write your answer in word form.
The researchers were curious about what activities recreational riders liked to do with their horses. They found that roughly 70% of the owners liked to participate in shows and competitions.
4. How many recreational horse owners showed their horses? Write your answer in word form.
The study also found that twenty-six percent of Recreational Horse Owners enjoyed participating in rodeo activities.
5. How many recreational horse owners participate in rodeo activities? Write your answer in word form.
Now, let’s look at how many jobs are created as a result of all this activity.
In the chart to the right, ‘Direct’ refers to the number of people working hands on with horses; people such as trainers, stable hands, vets and farriers. ‘Indirect & Induced’ refers to jobs in businesses that benefit from all the horse activity but are not themselves, working with horses; restaurants and hotels are examples of these.
6. How many jobs resulted directly from the Recreation Division? Write your answer in word form.
7. How many jobs are created indirectly as a result of all the activity generated by the Recreation Division? Write your answer in word form.
8. In the chart, how is the number of ‘Total Impact’ jobs calculated?
Oklahoma is home to the International Professional Rodeo Association circuit which finishes each season with the International Finals held in Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma is also home of the United States Team Roping Championships major Rodeo circuit.
The chart to the right provides information about rodeo participation. The first row shows the column headings, the second row shows ‘Event & Participant Count’ for the number of events and the average number of participants at those events.
9. Looking at the chart, how many annual events are there for professionals?
10. What is the average number of professional participants at these events?
11. What is the total number of professional participants at these events each year?
12. How many junior rodeo events are there each year in Oklahoma?
13. What are the total number of junior riders participating in rodeo events each year? Write your answer in word form.
The final division looked at in the study was ‘Support Industries’.
14. How many jobs are created as a result of the horse industry in Oklahoma in the support sectors?
Oklahoma is home to three racetracks, 11 major expo centers, 8 major equine hospitals and 11 colleges and universities offering equine studies programs. Sounds like a great state if you’re a horse lover!
1. Using these statistics, how many racing division jobs were there in 2012 in Oklahoma?
Answer: Step 1: 14100 ÷ 100 = 141.
Step 2: 141 x 50 = 7050. There were approximately 7,050 jobs in the racing industry in 2012 in Oklahoma.
2. Calculate the total amount of money generated by the Oklahoma racing industry in 2012.
Answer: 14,100 x 34,700 = 489,270,000. The racing industry generated $489,270,000 in 2012.
3. How many horses in total were in the Recreation Division? Give your answer in word form.
Answer: 20,665 + 207,679 + 26,827 + 350 = 255,521. There were two hundred and fifty-five thousand five hundred and twenty-one horses in the Recreation Division.
4. How many recreational horse owners showed their horses? Write your answer in word form.
Answer: 255,521 x .70 = 178864.7. One hundred and seventy-eight thousand eight hundred and sixty-five recreational horse owners competed in shows.
5. How many recreational horse owners participate in rodeo activities? Write your answer in word form.
Answer: 255,521 x .26 = 66435.46. Sixty-six thousand four hundred and thirty-six owners and their horses participate in rodeo activities.
6. How many jobs resulted directly from the Recreation Division? Write your answer in word form.
Answer: 1360 + 5010 + 0 + 1700 + 1070 = 9140. Nine thousand one hundred and forty jobs are a direct result of the horses and owners in the Recreation Division.
7. How many jobs are created indirectly as a result of all the activity generated by the Recreation Division? Write your answer in word form.
Answer: 1120 + 10,240 + 1,760 + 4,190 + 2,170 = 19,480. Nineteen thousand four hundred and eighty jobs were created indirectly as a result of all the activity generated by the Recreation Division.
8. In the chart, how is the number of ‘Total Impact’ jobs calculated?
Answer: The number of ‘Direct’ jobs is added to the number of ‘Indirect & Induced’ jobs for each Industry Component.
9. Looking at the chart, how many annual events are there for professionals?
Answer: 50 events
10. What is the average number of professional participants at these events?
Answer: 110 participants
11. What is the total number of professional participants at these events each year?
Answer: 50 x 110 = 5500. The total number of professional participants at these events each year is 5,500.
12. How many junior rodeo events are there each year in Oklahoma?
Answer: 550
13. What are the total number of junior riders participating in rodeo events each year?
Answer: 550 x 200 = 110,000. One hundred and ten thousand junior riders participate in rodeo events each year.
14. How many jobs are created as a result of the horse industry in Oklahoma in the support sectors?
Answer: 1,520 + 2,460 + 1,630 + 820 + 720 + 2,190 + 3,100 + 730 + 580 + 550 = 14,300. Fourteen thousand and 300 hundred support sector jobs are created as a result of the horse industry in Oklahoma.
Photos:
Trail Class by Deborah Stacey
Racetrack by Deborah Stacey
Backing Up by Deborah Stacey
U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Sports Program – Team roping by U.S. Army; CC BY 2.0
Sonoita Rodeo by Bill Morrow; CC BY 2.0
Thanks to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry for sharing the study.
