n April 2001, the Mountaineer HBPA, was instrumental in passing legislation dedicating $500,000 per year from the purse fund to a Pension Plan.

At this time Mountaineer and Charles Town horsemen became one of only five other Racing States to provide a pension program for horsemen who dedicate their lives to racing horses.

As the Administrator of the program, the Mountaineer HBPA hired a third party administrator (United Bank of West Virginia) to administer the program.

The Retirement Program has been established as a governmental retirement program for backstretch personnel pursuant to West Virginia Code section 19-23-9 and as adopted by the West Virginia Racing Commission.  It is sponsored, maintained and administered for the public purpose of providing governmental retirement benefits to the eligible individuals described below. 

1. He or she is at least 21 years of age as of the first day of the Program Year;

2. He or she was not a participant in any other  racing Retirement Program during the current Program Year; and

3. He or she meets the requirements of (a) or (b) below.

1. is an Assistant Trainer or Backstretch Worker who has been issued an occupational permit by the West Virginia Racing Commission for the current Program Year and has earnings paid by a West Virginia employer in an amount not less than $10,000 from a West Virginia employer for work performed at Mountaineer Race Track and/or approved West Virginia training facilities and/or farms associated with racing at Mountaineer Race Track as evidenced by a Form W-2 and/or a Form 1099 for the current Program Year and/or evidenced by such information and/or documentation as the Administrator requires from time to time. 

2. is an Eligible Trainer for the applicable Program Year.  An eligible trainer is a trainer of thoroughbred race horses who has been issued a valid occupational permit by the West Virginia Racing Commission and who stables the horses that he or she trains at Mountaineer Race Track or at an approved West Virginia training facility and/or farm associated with racing at Mountaineer Race Track and who makes at least 75% of his or her total racing starts in any Program Year (including starts at any race track whether located within West Virginia or elsewhere) at Mountaineer Race Track, but not less than 25 starts at Mountaineer Race Track during the applicable Program Year.

Normal retirement age is a member’s 60th birthday.  A member may also retire when becoming fully vested. To become vested, five (5) consecutive Service Years are required to have a 100% nonforfeitable (vested) right to his/her Member’s Account.

Distribution of a Member’s vested benefits will be made to the Member as follows:

            Account balance not exceeding $5,000.

                        Lump sum payment

            Account balance exceeding $5,000, but less than $20,000

                        Lump sum payment;

Joint & Survivor Annuity (monthly benefit);

                        Single Life Annuity (monthly benefit); or

Monthly payments of $500 to be paid until such time as the member’s account balance is reduced to zero.                       

Account balance exceeding $20,000

Joint & Survivor Annuity (monthly benefit);

                        Single Life Annuity (monthly benefit); or

Monthly payments of $500 to be paid until such time as the member’s account balance is reduced to zero.

Members must sign up each year.  Sign up is from January 20 through April 20 each year for the previous program year.  Forms are available on our website or at the Mountaineer HBPA office.