ALEXANDRIA, LA–MARCH 25, 2026–The Louisiana Quarter Horse Breeders Association (LQHBA) held its regular Board of Directors meeting on Tuesday, March 24, at Evangeline Downs, where nominees for the 2026 regional board of directors were announced.

The following individuals have been nominated to serve three-year terms beginning April 18, 2026.

• Central District: Karen Darling Falgoust, Donald Aymond
• Southeast District: Jerry L. Deville Jr.
• South Central District: Jerome Bellard
• Southwest District: Bobbi Randle, Gyth Rigdon

Voting will be conducted in person at the 2026 LQHBA Annual Awards Banquet and General Membership Meeting. Voting will open at 2:00 p.m. and close at 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 18. A valid photo ID (valid driver’s license) is required to vote, with no exceptions. Mail-in ballots will not be permitted.

In accordance with LQHBA bylaws (Article IV, Section D), all nominees have been reviewed and deemed eligible for election to the board.

Central District

Karen Darting Falgoust is the owner and operator of Darting Farms, LLC, in Opelousas, Louisiana. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette (ULL) and spent more than 20 years at Opelousas Catholic, where she taught accounting, business law, management, marketing, general business, Louisiana history, and civics.

Her involvement in the Louisiana Quarter Horse Association (LQHBA) began at a young age. It included organizing the parade, coordinating court selections, writing scripts to introduce court members, and inviting past court participants and local figures to take part in the event.

After retiring from education in 2019, Karen transitioned full-time into the horse industry at Darting Farms, where she raises and trains racehorses. Through this work, she has developed a firsthand understanding of both the rewards and the challenges involved in producing quality Quarter Horses. She recognizes the dedication, resilience, and passion required, along with the inevitable highs and lows that breeders face.

As Louisiana’s horse industry stands as the third-leading industry in the state, she is keenly aware of the pressures confronting smaller breeders—particularly in recent years, as many have struggled to remain competitive. She believes small breeders have been overlooked, leading some to scale back operations or exit the industry altogether.

Karen is seeking re-election to the Board of Directors and is asking for support at the upcoming spring annual meeting. She advocates for stronger representation of small breeders and encourages greater member participation in meetings. She remains accessible to fellow members and welcomes concerns or discussion from the community.

Joining her on the Central District ballot is Donald Aymond, a longtime horseman with more than four decades of involvement in the Quarter Horse business. Based in Alexandria, Aymond has owned, trained, and raced horses while also participating in breeding and stallion operations.

After graduating from Louisiana Tech in 1980 with a degree in engineering, Aymond entered his family’s plumbing business, where he has remained ever since. His involvement in the racing industry dates back to 1974 when he purchased his first race-bred horse. He has since been a licensed owner and trainer with the Louisiana Racing Commission.

Aymond has been a member of the LQHBA for approximately 45 years and has been involved in nearly every aspect of the Quarter Horse industry. His experience includes owning stallions and mares, as well as racing multiple horses over the years.

Throughout his career, he has been, and continues to be, involved in several partnerships with respected leaders in the industry. He has maintained an open-minded approach in both his business and his industry involvement.

Aymond believes in listening to concerns, ideas, and suggestions from all members of the industry, regardless of their size or standing. He remains accessible and values open communication, emphasizing that every voice matters.

He is also actively involved with two of his young nephews in the horse business and is committed to strengthening the association for future generations, as well as for all current members.

His years in the industry have provided him with a well-rounded understanding of its many perspectives. Aymond is guided by his Christian faith and relies on prayer in facing life’s challenges.

Southeast District

Jerry L. Deville is a resident of Livingston Parish and has owned and operated J & J Siding for nearly 30 years. Through decades of business leadership, he has developed extensive experience in operations, financial oversight, and long-term strategic planning.

Raised attending Quarter Horse races with his family, Deville has remained deeply involved in the industry for the past decade. He is committed to protecting the integrity of the industry, supporting Louisiana horsemen and breeders, and strengthening fair, transparent policies that allow the sport to grow and thrive.

If elected, Deville will serve as a strong voice for accountability, progress, and the long-term success of Quarter Horse racing in Louisiana.

South Central District

Jerome Bellard has been nominated to represent the South Central District again. He serves as Farm Manager at Cox Stallion Station in Kaplan, Louisiana, where he oversees stallion care, breeding operations, and overall farm management for one of the nation’s leading Quarter Horse programs.

With more than a decade of experience managing elite breeding operations, including a prior tenure at Hart Farms, Bellard is recognized for his hands-on expertise, operational leadership, and strong relationships with breeders and industry professionals. His candidacy supports balanced regional representation across Louisiana’s diverse breeding and racing operations.

Southwest District

Bobbi Randle, a current board member from Vinton, seeks to continue her service representing the Southwest District. With 25 years of experience at Delta Downs Racetrack Casino Hotel, she has worked across multiple roles.

Starting her career at Delta Downs on the backside, with the following licences: exercise rider, groom, pony person, assistant trainer, and trainer, she currently holds the title of Executive Assistant to Steve Kuypers, Vice President/General Manager.

Alongside her husband, Darrell Randle, she operates a breeding program focused on Louisiana stallions and remains deeply invested in the state’s breeders program. Her continued involvement reflects both industry experience and ongoing commitment to regional representation.

Joining Randle on the ballot is Gyth Rigdon, a Louisiana native whose career spans Quarter Horse racing, national country music, and large-scale entrepreneurship. Raised on his family’s racehorse farm in Singer, Louisiana, he was immersed in the racing industry from an early age under the guidance of his father.

Today, Gyth co-owns and manages Rigdon Racing Stables alongside his father and brother, operating a program that encompasses racing, breeding, and the development of elite performance horses across the Louisiana circuit.

In 2012, he relocated to Nashville to pursue music full-time, building a coast-to-coast touring career. In 2019, he earned national recognition as the runner-up on Season 16 of NBC’s The Voice, solidifying his presence on a national stage.

Parallel to his music and racing career, Gyth has built a diversified business portfolio. He founded Rigdon Development in 2020, focusing on land acquisition, development, and strategic real estate investments. In 2022, he co-founded Exit Bayou Realty with his wife, Bayleigh, growing the brokerage to nearly 40 agents serving across Louisiana.

Blending creative vision and disciplined strategy, Gyth operates with a long-term mindset rooted in calculated risk-taking. Whether in the winner’s circle, on stage, or in the boardroom, he is focused on building sustainable ventures, strengthening Louisiana industries, and creating lasting impact.

Under LQHBA guidelines, members have (15) days from March 25, 2026, to submit any objections regarding nominee qualifications. Objections must be filed with the LQHBA office via mail, fax, or email to mcoats@LQHBA.com prior to the close of the review period, after which all nominations will be considered final.

BYLAWS SECTION 4.3 E

1. The Notice of the Annual Meeting shall contain a notice that members of the Board of Directors will be elected by the members who are in good standing.
2. Nomination of a Member for election to the Board of Directors shall be made, in writing, by any Member, with actual receipt in the Corporation’s office not later than sixty (60) days prior to the annual membership meeting and election of directors. Members may self-nominate themselves for election to the board of directors which self-nomination must otherwise be in accordance with these By-Laws.
3. Upon receipt of a nomination of a member for election to the Board of Directors, the Executive Director of the Association or his designee shall make an initial determination of the nominee’s qualifications to serve as a member of the Association’s Board of Directors.
4. Upon the initial determination of a nominee’s eligibility, notice of the names and addresses of record of each nominee shall be provided by USPS mail, fax, or email to the Association’s board of directors who shall have seven (7) days from the date of the notice of the initial determination within which to object to the qualifications of a nominee, which objection must then be reported to the full board of directors for acceptance or rejection.
5. If no objection is made to the initial determination of a nominee’s eligibility by a member of the board of directors; or, if the objection was rejected by a majority vote of the board of directors, then and in either event, notice of the names and addresses of record of each nominee shall be provided by USPS mail, fax, email, posting on the Corporation’s website or any other manner of communication reasonably calculated to provide notice of the nomination to the members of the Association. The notice of the initial determination of a nominee’s eligibility shall state that the membership shall have fifteen (15) days from the date of the notice of initial determination within which to object to the qualifications of a nominee, in default of which the nominee’s qualification shall become final.