NOVEMBER 2013 THE RIDER /31
Q.R.O.O.I: 11 Harwood Avenue South, Suite 202, Ajax, Ontario L1S 2B9 Telephone: (905) 426-7050 • Fax: (905) 426-7093 Email:
qrooiheadoffice@gmail.com
www.qrooi.com Congratulations to Greg Wat-
son who was re-elected for a three year term as a Director at the QROOI at its annual Election Busi- ness Meeting on Sunday October 20th 2013. A big congratulations to Don Salzsauler who was also elect-
PRESIDENT
Bob Broadstock 18101 Cedardale Road, Nestleton, Ontario L0B 1L0 (905) 986-0044 email:
bob_broadstock@hotmail.com
VICE-PRESIDENT
Erik Lehtinen RR #2, Uxbridge, ON L9P 1R2 (905) 852-5245
Greg Watson 785 Hwy 7A, Bethany, ON L0A 1A0 (705) 277-0248
Dr. Gayle Sommer Uxbridge, ON (647) 999-6554
QROOI News
ed as a Director for a three year term at the QROOI.
The QROOI 2013 Awards Banquet will be held on Saturday November 23, 2013 at the Ajax Convention Centre, 500 Beck Crescent in Ajax.
Province Launches Five-Year Plan for
Horse Racing Industry
Ontario Government Committed to Sustainable Future for Horse Racing
Ministry of Agriculture and Food News Release
ing the province’s horse racing industry is part of the Ontario government’s three-part eco- nomic plan to invest in people, invest in infrastructure and sup- port a dynamic and innovative business climate. Quick Facts Subject to Cabinet approval and review by the Standing Commit- tee on Government Agencies, Horse Racing Industry Transi- tion Panel member Elmer Buchanan will assume the role of chair of the ORC to lead the
Racing Commission (ORC) into two divisions — one that will continue its existing regulatory functions and a separate division that will distribute funding and work with the OLG on industry development to grow the racing fan base. Strengthening and support-
with Ontario Lottery and Gam- ing Corporation (OLG) modern- ization plan, which includes researching potential horse- themed lottery products and leveraging the corporation’s business, marketing and respon- sible gambling expertise within the horse racing industry Restructuring the Ontario
en the industry and support future growth by: Providing up to $400 million over five years to sustain a wide range of racing opportunities that are supported by strong business plans Integrating horse racing
year plan for a sustainable horse racing industry in the province based on the final Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel report. The plan will strength-
Ontario has released a five-
implementation of the five-year plan. Mr. Buchanan will replace retiring ORC chair Rod Seiling. The $400 million in funding will support world class racing through a wide range of activi- ties and programs, including branding and marketing, respon- sible gambling, the Horse Improvement Program, animal welfare and business planning. Funding will be tied to account- ability and transparency mea- sures and will provide a positive return on the investment of pub- lic funds. Racetracks will need to provide business cases to receive funding.
Quotes
the horse racing industry is to communities all across Ontario. That’s why our government has worked with industry and com- munity representatives to devel- op a five-year plan that will build on the great traditions of horse racing in this province and attract a new generation of fans to the sport.”
Premier and Minister of Agriculture and Food
with OLG’s modernization will help create a more sustainable industry going forward. OLG’s experience in business, market- ing and responsible gaming will provide additional benefits to the racing industry.”
Minister of Finance
is vital to rural communities across Ontario. By investing and supporting this five-year plan, our government is protecting rural jobs and helping to build a strong, sustainable industry.” Jeff Leal
Minister of Rural Affairs “The horse racing industry Charles Sousa “Integrating horse racing Kathleen Wynne “We know how important
Ticket costs will be $50.00 which includes HST. You can buy a table (ten seats per table) for a discount- ed price of $450! That’s $50 off if you book a full table! You can pur- chase your tickets at the QROOI Head Office or by credit card.
Please contact Monique at (905) 426-7050.
A group block of 20 hotel rooms for the banquet have been reserved at Ajax Hilton Inn, 500 Beck Cres- cent, Ajax. To book a room please
contact the Hilton at (905) 686- 9400. Get a discounted room by reserving under the "QROOI" group rate. This offer expires Wednesday October 23rd, 2013.
Ontario’s Government’s Plan is Not Enough
reduction in funding.” —Brian Tropea, Ontario Har- ness Horse Association
reduction in funding,” said Tro- pea. “The slots are still operat- ing at the racetracks. It’s just that the horse people aren’t sharing in that funding any- more.” Premier Kathleen Wynne
announced the plan at the Grand River Raceway in Elora, near Guelph, on Friday morn- ing.
changes to how horse racing is regulated, “will set the founda- tion for jobs for tomorrow,” Wynne said. “It will ensure a sustainable future for horse-rac- ing in Ontario.”
will not lead to growth in the industry, which enforced major cuts in racing for the 2013 sea- son. Racing at Flamboro Downs, for example was cut by almost half for 2013. Citing a report put out by
Fewer races, smaller prizes Tropea said the new plan
the province, and the jobs that are associated with racing are incredibly important.” The plan, which includes
I really felt strongly that having a sustainable horse racing industry is important to the province,” said Wynne, who also serves as the minister of agriculture, food and rural affairs. “It’s part of the culture of
“When I came into office,
That program, which ended in March, saw a percentage of rev- enue from slot machines at raceways go to purse money. “It represents a significant
funding promise pales in com- parison to the $345 million dol- lars a year the industry raked in through the Slots at Racetracks scheme. ‘It represents a significant
plan to infuse $400 million over five years into the horse racing industry won’t do enough to stem the decline of the sport across the province, says the president of the Ontario Har- ness Horse Association says. Brian Tropea said the
The Ontario government’s
over $100 million per year under the Slots at Racetracks program, said Tropea, noting that racetracks in the U.S. are adopting the same funding model that Ontario recently abandoned. “There’s two main things
that drive investment in horse racing: the amount of times you can race and the amount of prize money you can race for.”
the B.C.-based corporation that operates Hamilton’s Flamboro
sustained moving forward, they’re going to have to get people engaged in the betting. That means bringing in a new generation.” Great Canadian Gaming,
need to be rooted in the princi- ples of accountability, trans- parency, positive return on investment — because these are public dollars that are going to be invested — and their plan to build a consumer base,” said Cripps. “For horse racing to be
required to submit proposals to the government before they receive funding. The province will then evaluate the submis- sions using several criteria. “The biggest plans will
for funding under the new plan will depend on the business plans that the government receives, said Mark Cripps, a spokesperson for the ministries of Agriculture and Food, and Rural Affairs. Operators, he said, will be
Request for proposals Which tracks will qualify
the report says, purse monies for standardbred horse racing — which represents the bulk of the races in Ontario — will amount to about $70 million per year. That’s down from well
the province, he said the new changes would still result in fewer races and smaller cash prizes than existed before the province ended the Slots at Racetracks scheme, which would make it more difficult for Ontario to compete with racetracks in the United States. Starting in April, 2014,
in Ontario was put into question after the province ended the Slots at Racetracks program last March. That month, the province
spokesperson Sonja Mandic wrote in an email. Period of uncertainty The future of horse racing
unable to accommodate your interview request as we are currently in the process of reviewing the report and trying to get more information on the specifics from [the Ontario Racing
Commission],”
Downs and Innisfil’s Georgian Downs, said it would not com- ment on its plans for those race- tracks on Friday afternoon. “Unfortunately, we are
puzzle is the intergration with the OLG,” he said. “We need to work to generate more rev- enue for the industry to be com- petitive with the places in the U.S. that have adopted the same type of program that Ontario has just ended.” Damage already done, Tories say
reached funding agreements to save six racetracks for the 2013 season, but critics said the move wasn’t enough to secure the future of horse racing in Ontario. Tropea said the uncertain-
eagerly awaiting more informa- tion on the long-term restruc- turing, which, he said, will ulti- mately decide the future of the province’s horse racing indus- try.
Racing Commission will be split into two divisions — one responsible for regulating the industry and the other responsi- ble for funding decisions and working with the OLG to grow the sport’s fan base. Tropea said he’s still
additional changes to how the industry will be managed by the province. Wynne said horse racing in Ontario will be inte- grated into the OLG’s modern- ization plan in a bid to promote the sport to larger audience. She also said the Ontario
part of the provincial govern- ment’s reform of gambling in Ontario. The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation intro- duced its controversial “mod- ernization” plan, which will change where casinos are locat- ed across the province. The premier announced
ty caused sales of standardbred horses to “shrink 50 per cent this year over last year.” The new changes come as
vatives say the damage has already been done in rural Ontario, where farms have gone bankrupt and people have lost their jobs. The report says betting on
doesn’t recommend a full race calendar at Fort Erie’s track but endorses the current 30-day cal- endar at Ajax Downs. The Progressive Conser-
standard-bred racing alliance to operate a “world class racing circuit” with eight tracks — Hanover, Clinton, Grand River, Western Fair, Flamboro, Geor- gian, Mohawk and Woodbine. However,
it says it
province to inject up to $80 million per year over five years, starting next April, mainly to help cover purses and the costs of live racing. The panel also calls for a
based on a report from the three-person horse racing panel, which the Liberal government appointed after it announced the cancellation of the Slots at Racetracks program. The report urges the
The new changes are “The biggest part of the
René Hunderup P.O. Box 310, Station Main, King City, ON L7B 1A6 (905) 886-7886
Brian Farell C2130 - Hwy #7, RR #1, Sunderland, ON L0C 1H0 (705) 357-3214
Steve Hunter 231485 County Road 24, Grand Valley, Ontario L6X 2P5 • (519) 928-5209
horse racing has a long history and suggests the industry and Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corp. work together to maxi- mize the potential of tracks as gaming centres and add new gaming options where permit- ted.
— Elmer Buchanan, John Sno- belen and John Wilkinson — are all former Ontario cabinet ministers.
Standardbred Canada The three panel members Courtesy of
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