If you were dropped into the desert with one last glass of water, how long would you take to drink it? If your answer involves “one satisfying gulp,” I’d suggest you re-evaluate your strategy. Canadian harness racing faces tough times ahead. However, despite the rumblings, the sport is not on its last legs or facing certain death. Harness racing in Canada was here long before all of us and should still be here when we pass.
But this sport, industry and institution, now more than ever, requires leadership. It requires leaders who are willing to put every preconceived notion they have aside, who will represent the overall cause and not small constituencies. It requires leaders who are truly willing to sacrifice some of what we have today for long term gain while recognizing that this sport has always thrived because of its strong grassroots connections.
Where governments land regarding their position on horse racing is an extremely important element of the equation, but it is not the only consideration going forward. The rest of the puzzle revolves around three simple but critical questions. Where are we? Where do we want to be? How do we get there?
In industry boardrooms, bright people who understand this sport should be involved in long and hard strategy sessions meaningfully dealing with these three questions. Broad opinions about how many race dates are “required,” how much purse money is “needed” or how many tracks “must” exist are of little value unless they are backed up by sound financial reasoning and real long-term planning.
In Ontario, between now and the end of March 2013, slot funding will still be flowing — that we know. What we don’t know is how this money will be harnessed to provide a future for the industry.
Tough questions must be posed. Should the race schedule be slowed? Should part of the purse pool be held back? Can we effectively evaluate which tracks can be supported? Leased? Purchased? Are there business models that could work for harness racing that haven’t yet been fully explored? With or without slots, these plans are needed now.
When the dust settles, the industry must be able to stand up and thrive. Anything short of that is a monumental failing.
It is time to dust ourselves off, and begin working toward a future that all of us can be proud of.
Darry Kaplan
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