History

Tim Lutz was a starving art student when he gambled on a final and picked a winner.

The assignment? Produce a three-dimensional game board.

The outcome? A prototype of The Horse Race Game,
Lutz got more than an 'A' when he designed a hand-crafted wood game board set based on a favorite family pastime. He wagered on a long-shot that -- after its 2004 debut at Toy Fair--became a breakaway winner.

For years, family affairs had featured the fast action of the chance game, played with paper cutouts, cards, dice and nickels. Lutz's prototype immediately captured the imagination of his classmates with the its 'high fun quotient.' His teacher encouraged him to "do something" to bring the game to market.

Eventually, he would.

In the space between that first wooden game board and the richly detailed present board design, two things happened that would change the future of the interactive family game.

The first was that people kept borrowing the prototype.

Worried that the constant demand would destroy the game, Lutz decided to design replicas to give as Christmas gifts in 2000.

Once family and friends had their own copies, the buzz began. More people were playing the game, which left more people were wanting a game set of their own.

Enter Geoff Weirich, Lutz's work associate at Jarob Design and soon-to-be partner.

It didn't take Weirich long to determine that Lutz had designed a winner. He borrowed the game to play one night with friends, and the unanimous response was: "Where can I get this game?"

The pair teamed up to produce a limited edition of 1000 games for a test market.

It passed with flying colors.

The Horse Race Game was played at a corporate party in Grand Rapids one night, and the next day 24 games were sold. A couple in St. James City, Florida played the game with friends one night, and 17 copies sold the following week as a result. At the New York Toy Fair, buyers were playing in the booth and crowding the aisles.

"It's simple, exciting and moves fast. The game plays itself," says Lutz.
Lutz and Weirich are now poised to infiltrate the specialty toy, game and equestrian markets.

It brings them enormous satisfaction to share the good old-fashioned fun their families and friends have enjoyed playing The Horse Race Game.