The People Have Spoken

Published: May 6, 2014 08:57 am EDT

I think the people in harness racing have made a statement. We are passionate about our sport, proud of it and we want to promote it to a wider audience to attract new fans.

Pledges at this point are well over $100,000.00 to support the broadcast of our premier races on TV. People have voted with their own money with no politics involved.

Hopefully this will inspire our industry leaders to continue with a fund like this where the money can be used to promote harness racing. A small percentage from each race would build up quickly into a substantial war chest that could be used for meaningful promotions. There are people in our industry like Rob Key and others with expertise in the newest ideas in social media that we need to pursue.

I think this exercise was a show of support for Jeff Gural and his team for spearheading this effort to promote our major races to an expanded audience. Jeff has stated that they are going to continue to pursue sponsors in an effort to televise Breeders Crown races as well. If he can pull this off it would be tremendous. Sam McKee is in charge of the project so it is in good hands.

Thanks to everyone for their generous support and a special thank you to Joe McLead of Sugar Valley Farm who got the word out in the Ohio area and Myron Bell who worked the phones, spread the word and secured a tremendous amount of support. Thanks to Standardbred Canada for providing this forum and a special thank you to Jeff Porchak, SC's Web Director who puts all this together behind the scenes. He personally supports these causes and does a tremendous amount of work at the office and on his own personal time to keep things up to date. None of this is possible without him.


Please send pledge payments to:

Meadowlands Racetrack TV Fund
1 Racetrack Drive
East Rutherford, NJ 07073
Attn: Sam McKee


John Campbell
Jody Jamieson
Adriano Sorella
Bill O'Donnell
Casie Coleman
Murray Brown
Myron Bell
Jack Darling
Bob McIntosh
Kelly Hoerdt
All American Harnessbreds
Kendra & Al Casselman
Mac Nichol
Yannick Gingras
Jerry Glantz
Gastrotec
Mike Wilson
Dustin Jones
Bert Smith
Larry Todd ($1000)
Steve Calhoun
James Witherite
Mark Horner
Twinbrook Farm
Dave And Mary Lemon
Gerald Stay
M And L Of Delaware
Jason Settlemoir
Mark Weaver Family ($2000)
John Bax
Jordan Farkas
Jeff Rabinowitz
Sharon Cameron
Kevin Harvey
Ed Lohmeyer
Dr Patty Logan
Steven Head
Tony O’Sullivan & Staff ($1000)
Jonas & Christine Czernyson
Tom Dillon
Scott Dillon
Harness Racing Update
Ellen Taylor
John Bax
Nick Gallucci
Dr. John Hennessey
Tony Alagna
Marv Chantler
Nunzio & Santo Vena
Keith Waples
Karen Hauver
Daryl Bier & Charles Dombeck
Blair Corbeil
Simon Allard
Mike Keeling & Paula Wellwood
Foulk Stables
Mike Saftic
Brad Grant ($1000)
Univet
Paul Van Camp
Classy Lane Stables
Greg Luther ($1000)
Ursula Ayd
Sydney Weaver
Helene Gregory
Mark Harder
Paul MacDonell
Cam McKnight
Teena Friebert
Larry Karr
Rob Key
Gord Irwin
Jerry Duford & Joanne Wray
Dr. Glen Brown
Don & Brenda McNeil
Bill Weaver ($5000)
SBSW Syndicate/Hanover Shoe Farm ($5000)
Millstream Farm
Jim Walker
Bernard Tobin
Stu Mcintosh
Bill Varney & Grondin Campbell
Mark Steacy
Brittany Farm ($5000)
Greg Tarantino
Big D
John Fielding
Ray Johnston
Jim & Tracy Fielding
Scott Zeron
Indiana Standardbred Assn.
White Birch Farm ($3000)
Tim Tetrick
Linda Toscano
Corey Callahan
Steve Stewart
Sugar Valley Farm
Spring Haven Farm
Arlene Medow
Richard Young ($1000)
John Curtin
Tom & Kathleen Hicks
The Grand Circuit ($2500)
Tom Wright
Mrs. Dale Walters
Doug Millard
Lynne Magee
Harnesslink.com
Ideal Training Centre ($2000)
Ron And Gail McLellan ($1000)
USHWA ($1000)
Steve & Rebecca Titus
Ben Baillargeon
Stephen & Marilyn Gillard
Ed Mullinax ($3000)
VIP Stable
Dave Brown
Diamond Creek Farm ($5000)
David Miller
Mike Lachance
Midland Acres
Hickory Lane Farm
Marvin Katz
Mark Ford
Joe Holloway
Chris Ryder
Jimmy Takter
Ron Potter
Chris Page
Bruce Saunders
John Cancelliere
Al Libfeld
Bruce Trogdon
Brian Brown
Preferred Equine
Steve Jones
Lou Camara
Tom Cunningham
Jeff Snyder
Hector Clouthier
Wishing Stone Syndicate ($2000)
Ron Pierce
Dr. John Cummings
Dr. Barrey Danvers
3 Brothers Stable
Richard Gutnick
Ray Schnittker
Joie De Vie Farm
Bob Hechkoff
Steve Oldford
Tom & Kathleen Hicks
Eagle Soars Partners
Seth Rosenfeld

Comments

According to Sam McKee, wire transfer information is now available if anyone would prefer that over a cheque. Contact Sam at [email protected] or 201-460-4090 and he’ll in turn provide the information.

What a great thrill to see Joanne Wray and Jerry Duford supporting this worthy cause. They are tremendous supporters of the sport and have never wavered through the good times and bad. Best of Luck to all as this process makes an ever lasting image and becomes a reality for the future of harness racing. Doug Courtney, Grand Bend, Ont.

What a great response! Thank you Jack for your hard work and dedication as well as the names mentioned. I will send my cheque when I'm home from Florida next week.

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