A group of interested horsepeople attended the weekly meeting of the Ontario Racing Program’s Implementation and Monitoring (IM) Group to share their ideas and comments on efforts to improve the industry
.
Owner Robert Burgess is credited with contacting the IM Group about the possibility of attending one of its meetings with trainers Bob McIntosh and John Bax, as well as Grand River GM Dr. Ted Clarke.
Leveraging industry expertise was identified as an important component of the program early on. The value of the IM Group is its ability to connect with industry players and put ideas into reality within the framework of the Ontario Racing Program.
The range of topics discussed at the meeting included:
• the idea of reintroducing age allowances for two, three and four-year-olds at B tracks;
• preferential post positions for two-year-olds, and the circumstances where that might be applied;
• what is the right balance of opportunities for older horses versus younger horses, recognizing the make-up in the current horse supply versus efforts to encourage investment in Ontario horses; and
• ideas around how to use Georgian Downs to develop more intermediate-level horses with the intent of building up a simulcast undercard to the Premier level.
Programs to attract and maintain new owners were also cited as necessary to revitalize the industry.
“These are great opportunities to hear what horsepeople believe are necessary changes for racing,” said Mike Wilson, speaking on behalf of the IM Group. “As we talk to people on the phone, and as we travel to tracks and meet with other horsepeople, we air these suggestions to get a sense of the level of support and/or need. This is a provincial program aimed at improving the product for the customer, so we need to take that principle into account -- in other words, what is the impact of a given change on the industry as a whole?”
The IM Group meets with race secretaries on a bi-monthly basis and meets with its Industry Representative group each quarter. Meetings have been held with groups of trainers and drivers, and the IM Group is committed to ongoing communication through news releases, Facts on Track and its Facebook page. While it meets every week, the IM Group is committed to holding one meeting a month at one of the tracks and incorporating opportunities to have input from racetrack management and horsepeople. Visits were made to Georgian and The Raceway at Western Fair in December, and to Flamboro earlier this week. The IM Group will also continue to invite industry members to their weekly meetings.
The mandate of the IM Group is to implement and monitor the elements of the Ontario Racing Program and to ensure the program is flexible enough to change, where the need for change is demonstrated and determined to be warranted.
(ORC)
I am posting the following
I am posting the following comment, and will provide a copy to the committee by ordinary mail.
My first respone to the request for suggestion is one of apathy. I
doubt that I would be the only person with the same response. The
committee is made up of five members. I believe that four of the
members are working in the 'industry' but do not own or look after
race horses. The fifth member is a breeder, who owns some parts of
some horses. From my prospective this is a mistake.
If the committee is to represent the industry for those that are
taking risk, and or earning a living by taking care of horses for
people that are taking the risk, it must have members who fit these
two categories.
I make these points as a person who made comments to a member of the
committee prior to the creation of the committee. As well a person
who trains and keeps horses for me participated in a committee or
advisory group. This advisory group seems to have advised this current
group. In my view my comments and his comments were for the most
part ignored.
For those of you who are unaware of those comments they are;
1. Take all measures necessary to stop [attempt to] the loss of owners
in the province of ontario.
2. Structure the purses at the ontario racetracks so that the ontario
participants can atleast survive [currently there is no way that a
horse at a track other than WEG can pay for itself {sire stakes not
included}]
3. Review the marquis races at some tracks that do not improve the
handle at tracks.
4. Make changes to racing of trotting mares that protect them, much
larger allowances have to be made.
5. Allow allowance to protect Ontario owners who have US Bred horses.
6. Stop calling London, Georgian, Flamborough B tracks.
7. Raise the purses for maiden racing so as to provide a chance for
people who buy yearlings to atleast a chance to get some money back.
8. Attempt to ensure that the amount of broodmares in the province does
not fall to zero.
The industry in the Province of Ontario is funded by a large amount of
money from the slot parlours. One can look at this as income redistribution
or a socialistic experiment. Many parties, including those who have never
owned a horse, are attempting to protect their interests. They hope that
money will be apportioned to their specific niche. To date the experiment has
not worked and many participants are fighting to protect parts of racing
to the detriment of other parts.
In this light the statement from the committee acknowledges that a group of
individuals are to make a presentation to the committee. The group is said
to include, Bob Burgess, John Bax, Robert McIntosh and Ted Clarke. This group
includes 3 people who have had enormous success in the industry. They have
had wonderful horses and received the correct recognition for having same.
The last member of the group is the head of one of the Ontario Race Tracks.
Clearly this group of people have the right to say whatever they choose to
the committee. I however have an opinion that the horse racing industry has
for a long time allowed for people who have had success on the track to have
a larger voice in the industry.I do not wish to demean those that wish to
make a statement. I do wish to state that those comments are no more important
than those who cannot survive in the current circumstances. Further in the
case of Mr Burgess, he is involved on so many levels, it is impossible to
think that he is not in some way conflicted.
To conclude in order to truelly be a proper committee, the panel must truelly
reflect those that are actually at risk, or taking risk. Distibution of purses
should protect Ontario ownership, Ontario participants
Nicholas Malcolm