Well, here we go for the 36th and final time!! As I am sure most of you know, Directors of Standardbred Canada are only allowed to serve three consecutive three-year terms (and then must sit out a term before trying to come back to serve on the Board again if they desire). That is my status with Standardbred Canada and I will have also passed over the gavel to the new Chair at the end of January. I would like to thank you, the members, for your support, and also for your comments with regards to this column. I tried to relay Standardbred Canada business, provoke some thoughts from outside the box, add a little humor (probably very little) and give recognition to most milestones, whatever size they may have been.

I would like to thank all of the SC staff over the past nine years for all of their dedicated work. As we all know, horse racing has been declining for quite sometime now and it is the staff that is burdened with cutting costs and trying to generate new revenue. Right down from the two CEOs, the management team and all staff, thanks for your help!!!

Last but not least, I truly want to thank all of the Directors I have worked with over the past nine years. We didn’t always agree on every subject but each one of us was in the board room because of our passion for horse racing. People tend to forget that the Directors volunteer their time and a lot of Directors take holiday time from their “real world” jobs to attend the meetings. Some have to pay someone to look after their horses during that time too, which is an out-of-pocket sacrifice they happily make for a game they love.

Thanks everyone! I have many great friends all over North America because of STANDARDBRED RACING!!!

Congratulations to all of the O’Brien winners. Just to have a horse nominated must be such a thrill, but to carry that heavy bronze back to the table at the banquet is such a major accomplishment.

My last few congratulations go out to John MacDonald, who captured driving win number 2,000 at Rideau Carlton Raceway. And I have I always tried to mention career firsts – congratulations to Patrick Shepherd for recording his first two driving wins at Charlottetown Driving Park. Patrick, I think Robert should be YOUR brother now!!!

I hope everyone in the industry gets a chance to race their horse, produce the best foal they have ever produced, or buy that foal and own the best race horse ever. We all have to keep the dream alive!!! SEE YA!!!

A monthly newsletter from Standardbred Canada’s Chair of the Board of Directors.