Wynne Addresses Ontario Horse Racing
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In her capacity as Ontario's Minister of Agriculture and Food, Kathleen Wynne issued a letter addressed to Ontario's horse racing industry late Monday afternoon.
Wynne's letter is printed below in its entirety.
The new Ontario government believes in a strong, sustainable future for the horse racing industry in this province. We have a plan, guided by the report of the Horse Racing Industry Transition Panel, for a way forward that will put the industry on a sustainable path –- and while we’ve already made a lot of progress, we know there is more work to be done.
We have committed up to $180 million to support the industry over the next three years as it adapts to a smaller and more sustainable model. Agreements for transition funding have been signed with 12 racetracks and there will be horse racing at 15 tracks right across the province this season. Details about those agreements are publicly available on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food website.
Last week, I was happy to announce that the government would support the Horse Improvement Program –- which will total up to $30 million in each of the next two years -– to give Ontario’s vibrant racehorse breeding industry the confidence that there is a future here for Ontario-bred racehorses.
The Horse Racing Transition Panel has spent hundreds of hours working with stakeholders. In their report, they recommended a new market-driven model that works for the industry and is good public policy. This model will include integrating horse racing with the modernization of the province’s gaming strategy, which will provide additional revenue sources for racetracks.
I have asked the Panel to consult with the industry over the summer and to present a detailed a plan for the future of horseracing in Ontario by October 2013 that would see the industry take ownership for its long term future success. Those consultations will begin on June 21, and I encourage everyone who has an interest to share their views.
I know how important the horse racing and breeding industries are to the culture and economy of communities across Ontario, and that is why our government will continue to work with the industry to ensure that it has a strong, sustainable future.
-- Kathleen Wynne, Minister of Agriculture and Food
Great comments on this
Great comments on this thread. It would seem that many of us horsepeople are well aware of the fact that horse racing needs a change---a big one. We also know that it can't be done in the blink of an eye. The SARP is what we came to depend on as our bettors flocked to the slots and other forms of gambling. The demographics of the horse racing audience is interesting. We are looking at two groups with disposable income who are looking to be entertained. They are, however, educated about how they spend that part of their income and want good value for their buck. Seniors (we used to be called babyboomers and then Yuppies) on a fixed income and generation X who want easy and quick gratification. We need to grab their attention right off the top and then keep it with an exciting and worthwhile form of entertainment. Advertising is neglible. Why aren't we reaching the younger generations on sportsnet, tsn, the internet? That's where they live. Newspaper and magazine ads are a waste of time and money. Most of them are completely ignorant of our industry so how the heck can we expect them to even consider coming out to the races? As my son says "Adapt or die".
After arriving at the
After arriving at the entrance of the track, what's the next step? Get a Program, so it seems to me the people who like to bet on the horses are not the least bit interested in playing the slots, perhaps, we should consider going about increasing the handle in a different way. With the advent of on-line gambling, I think with the co-operation of all parties involved and a major cable network sponsorship, I am sure that with the technology to-day there's a way to combat the casinos and gaming sites as long as the availibility of information and the convenience of placing a bet and collecting winnings is the same as being at the track. Except for us owners who want to watch our hopefuls race live; what could be more convenient for a punter to be able to bet and watch the race from the comfort of their home.
It seems a lot of people are
It seems a lot of people are attacking Ms. Lord for making some very accurate comments. All this talk is about how the agreement SAR agreement was working etc etc etc. I hate to be the one to open everyone's eyes here but the SAR agreement was not working. Oh yes it was putting money into the hands of the government coffers as well as the racing industry BUT it did nothing to revive interest in horse racing. All these screaming horsepeople need to take a look at the grandstand on any given night. How many people are there? How many people acutally care about horse racing? The answer is very few. I don't include myself in that camp as I do enjoy horseracing and have enjoyed it for 40 years. The problem is it's dying and horsepeople can blame the government all they want but it's mostly (maybe not all) your own fault. Look at the Meadowlands. It has more handle then any track that actually has slots. Ever ask yourself why? It's because they put out a good product that actually excites and interests people. Most of horse racing in Ontario has done nothing to make the game more appealing. The fact remains that so many people consider horseracing in Ontario boring and could care a less if it crashes and burns. The SARS agreement was just that, an agreement and agreements change all the time. Ms. Lord is absolutely correct when she says the governemnt has every right to make the changes they choose providing these are legal and yes I suppose that should be investigated. The whole idea about the governemtn supporting the car industry is a terrible analogy because the government knows that cars will always be in demand and therefore people will always buy them and eventually the industry will sustain itself once more and pay back the bailouts. The same cannot be said about horseracing. I want to see horseracing survive and I certainly don't want to see thousands of people lose their jobs. If the government wanted to remove SARS which as I said they have every right to do I wouldve suggested they did it in phases and give the industry time to adjust. Having said that it is up to the industry to provide a product people will want. It is not the resposbility of the government to sustain an industry the provides a product that is clearly not currently in large demand.
This issue is more than
This issue is more than Linear economics. Yes if you can't afford to stay in business-move on. However, the reason many people can't stay in business is that the decision to end it all was made in an instant and we are on a 3 to 4 year timeline with breeding.
The comparison to car companies is interesting. Whenever a plant is shut down here in Canada and moved to the USA due to costs etc, the world comes to an end. Why? Why not just import cars from Asia and shut down all our plants? That's what's happenning in racing. The big stables are all racing in the USA as well as here to hedge their bet. That means more money spent in the USA economy instead of here.
I won't pick on Ms. Lord, instead offer that whatever business she is in, I hope your product is never something the government is interested in stealing from you.
I am a businessman. I sold 10 horses this week, 7 moved to Quebec and 7 are going to the USA. It leaves me with a manageable number that will eventually go to the USA and then my breeding operation will cease and the people I employ will be the responsibility of the taxpayer. I guarantee you the people in our industry, regardless of how hard they work, are not prime candidates for retraining into an economy that is already boasting record unemployment.
The government hasnt figured it out yet but they will have a shortfall of a couple of billion from this move and they wont know why or will blame it on something else. No chance that they will balance their budget ever.
Everything can't be about Toronto or nobody will survive.
Georg Leber-ICR Racing
Ms. Lord is telling us that
Ms. Lord is telling us that we need to do more than post letters on SC and to our MPPs. We need to get off our duffs and become more militant. Premier Wynne has made a bit of headway but is it enough to keep us all going and to entice anyone who has left for greener pastures back? We are now waiting until October to find out what lies ahead. We needed to know before the breeding season. In fact, we needed to know before the 2012 breeding season. Mark Wales of the OFA stated it quite clearly----"Ontario’s horse racing industry and everything it touches is in crisis. We don’t need another report to tell us how to make the horse racing industry work – we need action before we lose our industry." The entire industry needs to stand by that statement and demand that these issues be addressed NOW! But that would mean all thoroughbred, quarter horse and standardbred people collaborating and joining forced.
Hey!!!! Mr. Ronald Montroy,
Hey!!!! Mr. Ronald Montroy, even though your eyes are wide-open, you cannot see and accept the fact that corruption exists, not only in goverment, but in every major industry in North America. That being said ,once again, goverments are allowed to "MAKE POLICY CHANGES" for the better of its people. And if a certain industry is not happy with these changes, well just too bad. Your industry, which, by the way, is very un-united, have been nagging and bragging for the past two years without any concrete show of unity, let alone, major demonstrations. Shame on you all for doing absolutely nothing but talk,talk and more talk,....for the past couple of years. Continue blaming the liberals, that's all you know how to do. Lets see what the concervatives will do, if elected, concerning the horse racing industry.
Me, Myself, and I, should be the logo of the horse racing industry of Ontario. Just to let you know, goverments are for all,and not for some. Even though your eyes are wide open, you cannot see, that their are other people/industries, living in Ontario, other than, the ME, MYSELF, and I group. Have a nice day!
While DL is just being
While DL is just being contentious, her comments actually support the racing industry by pointing out the stupidity and corruption involved in the cancellation of SARP. For one, more people are attracted to big league sports than to the minor leagues. It is the same in every sport. Weakening the quality of racing will not make it more attractive. People will bet more on a 40000 claimer than on a 4000 claimer. That should be obvious. Secondly, Phillips has admitted that Windsor Raceway lost its slots to protect Caesars Windsor. In other words, hundreds of track jobs and a revenue stream of 50 million dollars were lost to prevent casino layoffs in Duncan's home riding. This has the same stench as the gas plants. If SARP was an unacceptable arrangement, the slots should have been removed from every track in the province. Was the cancellation of SARP in the best interests of the province? No, and while it had the authority, the government did not have the right to wreak such hardship and destruction on so many of its citizens just to promote the interests of a politician and his hacks.
Well Ms. Lord thanks and
Well Ms. Lord thanks and welcome indeed to the 21st century with many of our
tracks offering purse money that resembles the 20th century.I think you
aught to take off your rose coloured glasses and change your blind bridle
for an open bridle.I think it's time you take a really long look around
you.
The last time I checked we were still a democratic gov't. not a socialist
gov't.You speak of this current gov't as though they can do whatever regardless
of our democratic process.You see Ms.Lord contrary to what you think, this
gov't and any others are to listen to voices of the people who ELECTED them
into office.
With respect to your closing comments to Mr.Steele I was unaware of the fact
that you possessed a crystal ball,there's no way you can assure anyone of
anything,this coming from your words,I can assure you that it will have a major negative impact on the mutual handle at these race tracks meaning woodbine&
mohawk.
Ms.Lord do you actually think that storming the streets week after week
is our only means of showing unity....WOW....you have a great deal to
learn.I have horses and they currently race at the B tracks,and if you were
to actually take time to watch,listen and talk to some the horse people as
you have put it you might see that people in this industry are passionate,
caring people and very resiliant.
Indeed SARP was a revenue sharing venture and a very profitable one for
our gov't.Now they want to scrap this and bring in casinos to replace a
successful program,using similar words.....we assure you....we think...
it's quite possible....etc. all nothing more than complete fabricatios
blended in with propiganda like ....the horse racing industry is SUBSIDIZED
by the gov.t.Ever wonder Ms.Lord if the casinos in this province are such
a great success why they don't boost their arguement for more casinos by
posting the profits they are making......Oh that's right there aren't
any their losing money so tell me again why spend more money on something
that's unproven and uncertain rather than expanding on a proven program.
Ithink Mr.Steele was merely pointing out breeding with respect to the
different types of tracks thoroughbreds race on and not the track conditions.
Tracks and track designs have through technology changed over the years.
Spiral grading of Windsor Raceway many years ago made it probably the
fastest 5'8 track around,all weather tracks,so whether my horses sires,dams
or great grandparents were great on the off tracks,better on 1'2 mile tracks,
great leavers or closers may not be relavent today.
Cudos to Darryl for his
Cudos to Darryl for his exceptional presentation. What Ms. Lord doesn't realize is that the $1.2 billion that was generated in profits from SAR benefited ALL Ontarians but now since the SAR program has been scrapped, where do you think that money is going to come from now. I'll tell you where..... it's coming via higher taxation. And Ms. Lord.... there is an old saying in the horse racing business. The old timers used to say that " the breeding will always kick in at the 3/4 pole." Any professional bettor will look at the breeding especially in thoroughbred racing before placing a bet. Horses bred for turf racing do not traditionally race as well on dirt and visa versa.
I have never had a problem
I have never had a problem with the sars program but the difference with me and the majority of people who posted on this forum over the years was i always took a realistic view of it and pointed out as budgets got tougher for governments to meet, the day could come where the slot money was taken away. Wether that is right or wrong we could debate that all day but it is now a reality.
What i always did have a problem with is, i pointed out on this forum consistently that the race game should not just greedily sit back and take their share of the profit with out putting some of it back in to re-building the gambling base. If that meant that the purses had to be a bit lower and tracks got a bit less profit so be it, because this was critical for the long term health of the industry.
Well guess what no one on here can name a single thing that the industry has done in the 15 years that they had the benefit of the sars program to re build the gambling base. Not a single thing that would make an ounce of difference long term, please don't mention guaranteed pic 4 pools. People who understand the math of gambling see right thru this as a useless promotion. Everybody foolishly sat back and naively believed the sars program was going to last forever the way it was. No one and i mean no one took re building the gambling base seriously. I did not see the horse men and women on this forum recognize the importance of it and i did not see track management recognize the importance of it either. There was zero commitment to the single biggest crisis facing this industry, a lack of gamblers.
It is not just the government to blame for the state the industry finds itself in today. Every one involved in this industry from top to bottom shares some of the blame. Next to none of you understood the importance of competing for the next generation of gamblers (maybe with the exception of SC's RDSP that was introduced a few yrs ago). You did not even understand the importance of retaining the customer base that you already had. You blindly allowed a large percentage of them to walk away to other forms of gambling never to come back.
The scary, sad part of this is, the tracks in the states have learned no lessons from what has happened in ontario and quebec. They to have turned a blind eye on the importance of competing for the next generation of gamblers thru a reduced and competitive take out rate. What will it take for this industry to wise up.
I wish to congratulate Mr
I wish to congratulate Mr MacArthur on setting out the actual situation.
Many posts have tried to express this but non as clear as this one.
To Ms Lord I say Shame on you. First, racing in Ontario has set the standard for a successful racing program all over the world and you dare to compare us unfavourably with Kentucky! Secondly, you do not understand the need of the Standardbred horsemen and women. You obviously have not considered the results of this decision to the business people who supply the horse community that you so lightly dismiss.
My comment to Ms Wynne regards to Timing. There is not much time left and the panel is dragging it's feet. These are not machines we deal with and WE CAN'T WAIT! Please light a fire under these men.
To Mr.Steele and
To Mr.Steele and Mr.MacArthur. Go right ahead, blame the liberal party of Ontario again! Bravo! Nothing but talk for the past two years. Talk,Talk, Talk. No major demonstration's on the streets of Ontario by the horse people of Ontario. Its shows the world how un-united the horse people of Ontario are. You should hire the students of Quebec (La Belle Province) to do the demonstration's for you all. You just don't seem to understand the point of view of the goverment. The goverment is not obliged to do business with the horse racing industry or any other industry in Ontario. Just like in Quebec, again, the goverment said "NO MORE" money towards the horse racing industry.
Mr.Steele mentioned,.."professionnel bettors" you mean, the professionnel bettor who knows, that on a sloppy track, that the mother and the father were mudders? The majority of the bettors (99%) are not interested in the breeding aspects, whatsoever. Gamblers are interested in many forms of gambling, such as: Casino's, horse racing, lottery tickets, sports betting etc, etc,.... If table casino's were to be opened in Toronto,(Woodbine/Mohawk) I can assure you that it will have a major negative impact on the mutual handle at these racetracks. That being said, goverment's have every right to make policy changes for all of its people, even for those people that drink tea.
In reply to To Mr.Steele and by diane355
Ms Lord your picking an
Ms Lord your picking an arguement with yourself no body is apportioning blame we are looking for a clear cut policy that doesnt change so we can plan peoples lives. 70,000 of them. By nature horsepeople are law abiding hard working people who just want to be treat like any other bussiness in the province. The facts have been laid out eliquently by people on this site SAR was a partnership that was ended with no satisfactory explanation. It was win win for all concerned the sooner we all realise our mistakes the easier it will be to resolve these issues. You do underestimate the knowledge of the 99.9% of gamblers They will never look a gift horse in the mouth. Take a look at the tracks that have casinos on site Gulfstream Park for instance record handles during the winter Why? They adapted and introduced new wagers that appealed to new racing fans. Govts are elected on mandates now if that mandate changes or is not fullfilled explanations have to be given . Gas Plants would be one instance E health another ambulance helicopters another ACOUNTABILITY I think is the word to use ....time to put the kettle on .......
Hey Ms Lord, welcome to the
Hey Ms Lord, welcome to the 21st century and open your CLOSED eyes to the scandals and criminal activities that is going on in the GOVERNMENT.Do you have any interest in owning a casino or partnership in one?????????. Would that be your reason to critisize the SAR so that you and partners could profit????? or do you like paying higher TAXES, because that is what is going to happen, the CASINOS have been losing MILLIONS of tax payers dollars for the last XXXX number of years. Have a good day.
Miss Lord, in response to
Miss Lord, in response to your comments to Peggy Powell I would say that things aren't always as they appear. It is very common in business for one faction to supplement another faction, and vice versa. Very few businesses are self-sustaining without the compliment of other businesses and industries working together in unison. The fact remains that the slots at racetracks has worked successfully in Ontario for over a decade. Yes, some tracks get larger live wagers, but the idea with the slots is that they would help to increase the purse structure at racetracks, and the racetracks would in turn provide a venue for the slots. When everything was going full steam ahead, this policy was very lucrative for the horsemen, the blacksmiths, the automobile and trailer industry, and the breeding industry. Not to mention the farmers, the feed companies, the gas stations, restaurants, and every other spinoff that could be mentioned. The reality is that this program worked, but the OLG (run by the government) decided they don't want to share anymore. Due to catastrophic decisions made by the McGuinty government (power plants, etc.), they figured they'd cut out the horse racing industry to help fix their blunders. There is more to it than that, but the bottom line is that you can chalk it all up to bad decision making on the government's part. I may not get this message published, but its true anyway. Why muzzle what's true ?
Shallow argument, Mr. Steele?
Shallow argument, Mr. Steele? Don't you ever compare the horse racing industry in Kentucky with that of Ontario. The major industry in Ontario is the automobile industry. If the thoroughbred industry in Kentucky is having problems,well then, welcome to the 21st century. You seem to ignore the fact that, the SAR program, was a partnership deal with the horse racing industry and the Ontario goverment. Times are changing Mr. Steele, wake-up and smell the coffee. The Ontario goverment decided to make changes, and they have every right to do so. Just like in Quebec(La Belle Province) the goverment decided to stop supporting the horse racing industry, that was once, a major racetrack in North America. And today, the horse racing industry in Quebec is privately owned, with no goverment support whatsoever!! The horse racing industry in Ontario, is still, very lucky to have the support of the Ontario goverment.
As for the comments of Mr. Gangle, concerning """CALIBRE HORSES"" at Woodbone/Mohawk, do you actually think that the bettor is concerned with the quality, or breeding of a race horse, when making a bet? I see no difference between betting on horses in Ontario or in Ohio, or wherever, a bet is a bet. That being said, .. if the Ontario goverment decides to make certain adjustments/changes concerning the SAR program, so be it. Decisions made by politicians cannot please everyone, welcome to the 21 century!!
In reply to Shallow argument, Mr. Steele? by diane355
Iam guessing your not a horse
Iam guessing your not a horse person with a statement like that.. no comparison was made between Kentucky and Ontario a fact was stated. Another fact if you want to breed to the best thoroughbred stallions you have to go to Kentucky so its hard to ignore Kentucky in any discussion about horse racing all the major players and sales are there.... fact. People come from around the world to do business there. As for a bettor not concerned with the quality of breeding ..... it is probably the first thing a professional bettor looks at ... the breeding its handicapping 101 A turf sire has a distinct advantage of its offspring winning on the turf than a dirt bred. Breeding actually determines the Calibre of horse you have. Its the indecision of the govt and the changes after the decision to scrap SAR program. Do you put your mares in foal if the deal that was announced is not in place when that foal is ready to race do you keep the people working with you or make the decision to let them go if the revenue is decreasing. Life changing decisions to be made in the 21st century. Sorry dont drink coffee tea is cheaper .....
In reply to Shallow argument, Mr. Steele? by diane355
Ms. Lord, Your postings on
Ms. Lord,
Your postings on this topic have left with the impression that you are quite passionate about this topic. I myself appreciate a person’s point of view on a topic when presented with passion as it leads me to believe that their response has been a considered one based on information they have at their disposal. I offer my perspective regarding the Slots at Racetrack Program and the Liberal party of Ontario for your potential consideration moving forward.
1) The SAR program directed $1.2 billion into the coffers of Ontario each year and the racing industry’s share of the revenue was around $350 million. The racing industry supported 50-60,000 full and part time jobs in the Province of Ontario and was responsible for $2 billion of Ontario’s economy. Historically several hundred million dollars has come into the Province each year from people looking to compete in a world class arena. Owners from around the world invested discretionary business and entertainment dollars here as did many companies marketing and selling to the industry, predominantly in areas that are rural in nature and keystones in Ontario’s Agri Business. Horse racing has been the number 2 Agri business in real dollars in Ontario for many years and is instrumental to the wellbeing of the general farming base here. Many Ontario cattle farmers speak to the “Mad cow” disease international Canadian beef ban in 2003 and will tell you that the ability to sell grains, corn, hay, straw etc. to the booming Horse racing industry here in Ontario was a lifeline. We are all in this together and no one stands alone.
2) The SAR program was a revenue sharing agreement between the Ontario government and industry. The government wanted slots and racing had demonstrated the ability to host gaming in a very safe and controlled environment. Ontario’s electorate wanted nothing to do with casinos and therefore racings real estate and customer base made an introduction of slots into Ontario a very easy sell to the public. Private/public partnerships are very common across the globe and when done correctly represent the best of both worlds. This program was never a subsidy. Independent numbers from 2010 attribute over $700 million directed to Federal, Provincial and Ontario’s Municipal governments from racing in ADDITION to the $1.2 Billion Ontario received from the SAR program…not a bad return on a $350 million annual investment.
The jobs associated with the program are predominantly found in rural communities where traditional…or perhaps “modern” employment opportunities are tough to come by. Residents of most rural communities pay the same taxes as the majority who live in predominantly urban areas. These urban areas receive a majority of our tax dollars when spent on…well everything. Transportation, roads, water, sewers, daycare, health, education, recreation, etc. Plus the jobs associated with these programs are also found there too. The dollars from the SAR program were invested back into Ontario’s economy…the rural economy where government dollars do not normally land, and then the taxes paid by those rural residents are predominantly spent in the cities. Are we going to suggest that any job associated with government spending is akin to receiving a subsidy? Not exactly what I would call a morale booster for those employed through government spending. To me this felt like a pretty good arrangement for everyone.
3) The reality is this change was/is an attempt to remove x dollars from one industry (racing) and redirect x+y to a different recipient (casino operators, investors, “others”). The people lobbying for this change are casino operators…predominantly American casino operators…period. They see Ontario as a very large market where they have limited presence. When you look at the success of the SAR program is it any wonder that “others” would want to share in the pie? Why didn’t these casino operators want to come to Ontario and take over the operation of existing casinos? Why did the dismantling of the SAR program need to happen prior to any impartial economic impact assessment? How is it possible that a casino in Windsor (Dwight Duncan’s riding by the way) that has been losing money for years is kept open, while the insanely profitable SAR program is scraped? The simple answer is that the SAR was far too good and efficient for a new entity to compete with…for the OLG’s “Modernisation plan” to work the SAR…or should I say the racing industry as a partner in it, had to go.
Duncan’s new employer McMillan LLP represents the interest of Great Canadian Gaming ( according to their website McMillan LLP has facilitated deals totaling $1.35 billion for GCG since 2005), one of Canada’s largest Casino operators (and operator of Flamboro Downs and Georgian Downs Standardbred racetracks in Ontario) and would undoubtedly be in favour of more casinos without the hassle of racing. However, we are all reminded by Dwight that he will not be an Ontario government lobbyist at McMillan LLP because that would be illegal…what? No for real…honest he won’t!
Finally, the principals at the head of the decision to scrap the Slots at Racetrack Program are all MIA. The aforementioned Dwight Duncan, McGuinty, and Godfrey at the behest of Premier Wynne, have all found the door. Godfrey’s dismissal alone is enough of a catalyst to suggest that the scraping of the SAR was a travesty bordering on criminal…my fingers are still crossed on that last point. When was the last time a Premier resigned? (and subsequently resigned his seat) followed then by the Finance Minister? The SAR decision was just one of many questionable decisions made over the last two terms by the Liberal government( Ornge, Gas Plants, E-health, what is still to come?) and similar to these bad/allegedly criminal scandals that have cost the taxpayers billions of dollars I would suggest that our government has not been truthful with this decision either. A criminal investigation may be around the corner for the liberal party and I for one would welcome it.
In reply to Ms. Lord, Your postings on by Darryl MacArthur
Darryl - Excellent reply to
Darryl - Excellent reply to Ms Lord but you missed out on another couple of blunders made by the Liberal gov that have adversely affected rural Ontario and indeed all of Ontario. That is the Green Energy Act and removal of local planning authority for the Industrial Wind Turbine programme from the Municipalities and the Gov subsidization of a foreign company to build them. This has caused massive increases in all Ontarions Electric costs, huge reductions in the value of rural real estate and, probably the worst effect which the Ontario Gov refuses to acknowledge, the horrendous health effects on people and all other creatures having to live near these unneeded monsters
In reply to Darryl - Excellent reply to by ppsphil
I have had many people
I have had many people contact me regarding my post today expressing their support for which I thank you. After reading my post again I regret that I did not include the following point...and it is going to be very `30,000 foot view‘ however it is much quicker that way so...We are now here and want to be, well quite frankly not here...so how do we get that done. Like any venture we need customers who want what we have. What we need to do is give them what they want which is a totally different way of doing what our industry has historically done. We all know that there are many hurdles to achieve this from the largest regulatory mountain to the smallest customer service detail...however they all mater. Intuitively we all know that our model needs an update...our biggest update as of late was the SAR program...and what an update it was. Our customers plus others who had never came to a track did in fact show up and they were getting what they wanted as were we in the racing game. That is no longer the case. I do have a ``however`` though, and in the world of marketing it is a mighty big one. We still have tens of thousands of people going to racetracks each and every day in Ontario. Yes I know they are in the majority slot players, however they are showing up with a determination to spend their dollars on some gaming…which is just what we have to sell…and we can do just that as long as we package it how it works best for them. In theory it is pretty simple I would say, what is not simple will be getting rid of the sacred cows that have entrenched themselves in horse racing for generations. These changes will be difficult, and uncomfortable, and some of them will fail miserably…yet some will succeed which will start the ball rolling in the right direction for our collective efforts and investments to build upon. We are looking at a blank piece of paper here and the first stroke of the pen is always the most difficult…we need to put that pen to work, today.
Best of luck to everyone in the 2013 racing season!
In reply to Ms. Lord, Your postings on by Darryl MacArthur
Darryl,it's getting old.Get
Darryl,it's getting old.Get over it.The government has chosen for what ever reason to end their agreement.
In reply to Ms. Lord, Your postings on by Darryl MacArthur
Darryl,the government has
Darryl,the government has chosen for what ever reason to end their agreement.Your industry signed the contract with the condition that the government could end the partnership as long as they gave one years notice.
The horse racing industry put all their money on a horse called "revenue sharing forever".They never thought it would come to a end.The industry saw no need in evolving the game.
Last night at Georgian Downs there was 4 races that the winner didn't even pay even money!One race the winner paid 20 cents!What are you selling? Come to the race track and put 20 dollars on a horse and win 2 bucks?
The youth don't like your present product.CHANGE it,implement some change.
Dianne, Aside from the fact
Dianne, Aside from the fact that WEg's purses have remained relatively the same, that is not the case with the other tracks. These purses have dropped 50% in the last 2 1/2 months and there is only half of the race dates there used to be. We are not living anywhere else in North America we are living in Southern Ontario . We are used to raceing our horses once a week and actually making a living at it. When slots went into our tracks and became a success everyone bennifited by it, As the purses rose so did the cost of keeping our horses, from the training bills, the feed bills ,the veterinary bills and blacksmith bills all the way down to the cost of bedding etc. Before slots it didn't cost at betwenn 2,000 to 5,000 dollars to train a horse each month, as it does now. It is not a matter of just paying the bills it is a matter of making a living. You can understand that half of the purses and half of the race dates equals unemployment and poverty. The day I can't pay my bills is the day I will move on. I just don't think that it is right that we are forced to do so. I feel great sympathy for the people who are about to lose their lively hood and the many horses who are about to be denied the opportunity to do what they were born to do.
Dear Diane, You are quite
Dear Diane, You are quite right....there are tracks in North America that do not offer the same purse money that WEG does but there are a few other factors that come into play. Firstly, not everyone has a Woodbine calibre horse. Secondly, the people in Ohio are not paying $5.50/gallon for fuel (gas is $3.89/gal.) or $24/bag for horse feed. The min. wage is $7.25/hr. The tax system is also different. Yes, there are costs associated with every business, but when the costs exceed income, NO business can survive. The bottom line is the Liberal gov't "pulled the rug out" from under us and made it virtually impossible for most horse racing and breeding operations to sustain themselves. Furthermore, we had a system that worked for everyone concerned, albeit not a perfect one but one that could have been refined to cut out the inefficiencies. New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio and a few other states copied our business model and those states now have a very successful and flourishing industry that benefit both the state and their rural economies. I am not advocating for a minute that all small tracks will or should survive in Ontario, however, for the ones that do, purse levels need to be realistic in relation to operating expenses and there needs to be a potential for profit, failing which, the racing industry will surely die. It's easy to say.... if you can't afford it, then move on. (a lot already have) But when you have hundreds of thousands of dollars invested in infrastructures, equipment and land with no light at the end of the tunnel, the end result is inevitable. It's time for the gov't to stop talking and take affirmative action NOW or we face certain demise.
Diane shallow arguement of
Diane shallow arguement of move on if you cant afford it. Based on that comment why are all the auto companies still in bussiness because the govt. helped them to the tune of billions same with the east coast fisheries. Take a look at the racing industry across america and the states that are doing well have a slots program modelled on Ontario. When Kentucky the Thoroughbred state is in trouble and the Govoner is asking for help to be on a level playing field does that not strike a chord. Your in a bussiness that is regulated the gaming laws are out of date we are litterally 15 years behind Europe. People will fight for what they have got so instead of packing in like you suggest maybe they will show resolve and strive for change to be as the Govonor of Kentucky says "Be on a level field"
Peggy, horse people are
Peggy, horse people are racing for much less money in tracks all over North America. I can name you more than 25 racetracks that offer only 25 percent of purse money compared to purses at Woodbine and Mohawk. For example, the purse's at Northfield park average about $2000.00(thousand) a race. The mutual handle at Northfield Park, is very high, for such a racetrack. That being said, the bottom line is the following,.... you're in a business, and there are costs in your business, if you cannot afford the cost, well then, you should move on.
I know one thing for sure and
I know one thing for sure and that is that by October at least half of the Standardbred industry will be lost. People can,t afford to race for the purses we have today and be able to feed, shoe, truck and take care of their animals and their families. If the government could some how convince the Veterenarians, feed companies, blacksmith, tack shops, truck salemen , farmers (all of rural Ontario) to reduce their prices by at least 50% then it may be possible to hang in BUT we know that this is not going to happen. If the Premier really wants to help she should reinstate SAR until a better plan is in place. It is the only way. Talk and promises are not going to cut it.