An OHHA District 2 membership meeting was held on Friday August 15, 2008 in Napanee, Ontario to discuss the future of horse racing in the Bellville/Quinte area.

A large crowd was in attendance and there was much discussion about the lack of progress on the new racetrack that is scheduled to be built on lands in the city of Belleville. Members voiced their frustration with the lack of progress and expressed some of the hardship that they have had to endure since racing ceased operating in the Quinte region approximately two years ago. OHHA indicated that they are doing everything that they can possibly do to move this project forward.

In a show of support, a motion was made and approved unanimously "for OHHA to continue to negotiate and represent the horsepeople in district 2 and to continue to work to move this project forward".

OHHA President Jim Whelan stated that "OHHA is committed to representing the people that race standardbred horses in Ontario and will continue to ensure that the horsepeople in the Bellville area have a voice and will be part of the decisions affecting the future of horse racing in this area."

President Whelan added "Ontario is the largest Standardbred racing jurisdiction in the world and is responsible for over 65,000 jobs and 2.6 billion dollars of economic impact annually. Horse racing is very important to the rural and agricultural sectors in Ontario as it is a very labour intensive industry and OHHA will continue to work to maintain and enhance the live horse racing industry in this province."

Formed in 1961, OHHA includes standardbred horse owners, trainers, drivers, caretakers and their families at racetracks across Ontario. It represents over 5400 members in negotiations of purses, racing conditions, and all matters affecting the industry as a whole; with the tracks, Standardbred Canada, the Ontario Racing Commission, and the provincial and federal governments.

(OHHA)