Saskatchewan Dates Announced; West Meadows To Race
The Saskatchewan Standardbred Horsemen's Association has announced that race dates have been finalized for 2011
. Racing will start in Yorkton on June 17 and go until Saturday, September 10, 2011. Harness racing will then switch over to the new West Meadows Raceway in Regina for four weeks on Sunday afternoons starting September 18th and go to October 9th with a Sunday afternoon post time of 1:00 pm.
"Although it wasn't the 8 days we had applied for and hoped for, it is a start," Jane Grainger, President of West Meadows Raceway, told Trot Insider. "It's been a long time coming and we can't wait to promote our product to Regina (home of the Saskatchewan Roughriders) and surrounding areas.
"There is a lot of interest from outside the province too. Horse racing enthusiasts as well as newcomers to the Standardbred industry are welcoming the news," continued Grainger. "So many have worked so hard so that racing could be brought back to the Regina area."
Marquis Downs in Saskatoon applied for eight harness race days and received funding for them, but chose to apply the funding toward their thoroughbred program.
SSHA also announced the launch of the Saskatchewan Sires Stakes which will be raced in September of 2012. Saskatchewan's richest race with a purse of $10,000.00 guaranteed will feature Saskatchewan-sired colts and fillies that are five years old and younger. More details will soon be released and also available on the SSHA website.
(with files from SSHA)
Congratulations to everyone
Congratulations to everyone involved...will definitely see you in the fall !
I am glad to see racing in
I am glad to see racing in Saskatchewan again this year. I too agree with the previous comments, that if a track applies for Standardbred money then that is where the money should be spent; not go towards Thoroughbred race dates. I suppose, though, that West Meadows Raceway should be glad that Saskatoon didn't race; if they would have, then West Meadows Raceway would have been left "up the river."
SSHA has contacted Minister
SSHA has contacted Minister Tim McMillan and Premier Brad Wall. The SSHA Board of Directors met with Tim in November and following this latest announcement immediately contacted both Tim and Brad to address our concerns. There were letters followed up by phone calls and several attempts have been made trying to appeal to them to do the right thing for our industry.
We will not give up but our attempts haven’t had much impact to this point. As Myles suggested what may help is for concerned members to also be contacting their MLAs and the Minister’s office to make their concerns known.
Here is what YOU can do! All
Here is what YOU can do! All of who have a stake in this of some form SHOULD do this.
Perhaps if our members contact their MLAs or Tim McMillan (Minister responsible for SLGA) directly it may help. Tim McMillan's number is (306) 787-7339 and email [email protected] or [email protected]
If you want to tell Marquis Downs Management what you think as well.
Rick Fior
Manager of Racing - Marquis Downs
[email protected]
(306) 683-8816 or (306) 222-6195 (cell)
In reply to Here is what YOU can do! All by Smylie
The ssha has done a great
The ssha has done a great job and it is nice we can add a new track since stoon isnt going to race. But i think horemen have to stick together to make a greater impact as manitoba and alberta horsemen also race here and on the flipside of the coin sask horsemen should be helping out manitoba also.we could post these emails on the ssha website for a little more exposure to all members and possibly prove that standardbreds wont just go away.
I believe we lost at least 4
I believe we lost at least 4 days of racing in Saskatchewan, compared to last year. It is good to see that Regina has race dates, however it is very disturbing to see Marquis Downs ignore the standardbreds this year and to get away with their actions on provincial funding.
I think the standardbred community has to become more vocal with the SLGA and come up with a plan to make harness racing more inviting to the public here in Saskatchewan. As a fairly new owner here in the province I feel like we in the standardbred industry have taken enough butt kickings.
It's time to let people involved in horse racing here know that we are not second class compared to the thoroughbreds We have a great sport, lets start promoting US. Yorkton and West Meadows-good racing and bring on the Sires Stakes program. Promote, promote, promote.
If this is correct that
If this is correct that Marquis Downs has applied harness funds to the thoroughbred program isn't it about time that the SSHA pressure the Brad Wall government and Sask Liquor & Gaming to actually correct what has been happening between the standardbred and thoroughbred industries?
Congrates to Jane/Glen &
Congrates to Jane/Glen & LeDrews for all the hard work put into this track. We will come to support and hope for more days in the future