Lexington, KY - The Kentucky Horse Park Commission has chosen Jamie Link, currently the deputy chief of staff for Gov. Steve Beshear, as the new executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park.
“The Kentucky Horse Park Commission is very excited about Jamie Link being our next executive director to guide the park forward into the future,” said Alston Kerr, chair of the commission, in a media release announcing the selection. “His experience in state government, public-private partnerships, along with his equine experience, will be great assets as we continue our growth, ensuring the park will be the preeminent equine and tourist facility in the world.”
Link has held a variety of management positions within state government since joining the Department of Parks in 1985 as a business manager. He also served as the chief executive officer for the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games in 2010 at the Kentucky Horse Park.
Link served as the deputy secretary for the Finance Cabinet and the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet and he was the deputy executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park in 2006.
“I am honored and extremely excited about becoming executive director of the Kentucky Horse Park,” Link said in a media release. “I am looking forward to getting to work and continuing the park’s legacy as the finest equestrian venue in the world.”
The Kentucky Horse Park hosted roughly 800,000 visitors and 18,400 competition horses in 200 special events and horse shows in 2013, and hosted more than 1 million visitors in 2010 when the Alltech FEI World Equestrian Games were held on its grounds.
A start date for Link has not yet been determined.