PatRobertson.com -- CBN received approximately 200 letters from its friends concerning an article in The New York Times that Pat Robertson had a farm which bred and raced thoroughbred horses. Below is the text of the letter that Pat sent in response to these friends and supporters. In his letter, Pat indicated that he will be selling his thoroughbred racing and breeding stock between now and November in what he intends to be an orderly process.

The Letter:

I am replying to your letter concerning the ownership of horses.

As far as I can discern from history, every society that has owned horses has at one time or another had people who wished to compete their horses against one another. In some instances, it was by jumping, in others by pulling heavy loads, and in others by racing over fields or around tracks. In some cases, there was a combination of racing and jumping, many times in pursuit of wild animals.

When I was a youngster, we used to challenge one another to races over country roads or rolling pastures. Very frankly, none of this brought any sense of embarrassment to me because I felt then, and feel now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with contests of skill, either between human athletes or equine athletes.

As a Virginian, I am proud of the fact that the number one athlete born in Virginia was not a human being, but a horse named Secretariat whose 31 length win at Belmont was considered the greatest athletic event in history until Tiger Woods' extraordinary golf victory in the PGA Tour at Pebble Beach.

Farmers in Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Kentucky, Florida, Louisiana, Oklahoma, Texas, and California have enjoyed the challenge of attempting to breed horses that could run faster, jump higher, or show the grace and balance required for dressage. I am among that number who has bred Arabs, European warm bloods, and thoroughbreds. This is something that I not only enjoy, but I have a commercial breeding operation.

However, the Apostle Paul set the standard when he made clear that he was free to eat whatever was offered to him, but that "If meat causes my brother to offend, I will eat no meat while the earth stands."

I am sorry that my fondness for the performance of equine athletes has caused you an offense; therefore, for your sake and the sake of others like you, I have set in motion the necessary plans to dispose of all of my thoroughbred racing and breeding stock between now and the breeding sale in Kentucky in November.

Thank you for your inquiry, I remain…

Sincerely yours,
Pat Robertson