Ken Lowe, of Shepherdstown

Kenneth Lowe, a Shepherdstown resident, businessman and liscensed horse owner at Charles Town Races and Slots, was elected president of the Charles Town HBPA, the Horesmen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, besting incumbent Raymond J. Funkhouser in an election on Nov. 24.

Lowe said he was honored and humbled to be elected. He aims to improve relations with the West Virginia State Legislature and management at Charles Town Races and Slots, a relationship he says was strained by Charles Town HBPA opposition to table games in 2007. The Charles Town HBPA has come out in favor of the 2009 Jefferson County table games referrendum.

“My main thing is to reunite the horsemen in this county to save racing at this track,” said Lowe in an interview with the Chronicle on Monday.

According to the HBPA mission statement, the HBPA is a trade association and lobby group of racing horse owners and trainers in the United States and Canada. In addition to providing insurance for its members, the group also represents horsemen in negotiations with race track management.

Lowe owns a number of businesses in the region, including the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, The Yellow Brick Bank and Three Onions restaurants.