This morning, Trot Insider spoke with Lou Libeneau, the longtime and highly-respected standardbred owner that was recently elected president of the Standardbred Horse Owners Panel (SHOP)

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Libeneau replaces Marv Chantler as president of the organization. The SHOP board also appointed Dave Drew as its new Executive Director. Like Libeneau, Drew is a horse owner and was also a SHOP director.

At its last annual meeting which took place in fall, 2008, SHOP mentioned a few of its accomplishments, citing contributions made to ownership responsibility, increased integrity in the sport, safety issues regarding participants, and recommendations put forth to both the Ontario Racing Commission and the Horse Racing Industry Strategic Review.

"SHOP is dedicated to making all facets of horse ownership a viable enterprise," Libeneau told Trot Insider today. "One of the panel's main priorities is to work closely with the industry's decision-making bodies. There is a strong need in this industry to have owners represented and heard from, especially in regard to the issues of level playing fields and integrity of the sport."

According to Libeneau, one of the most crucial accomplishments SHOP has been a part of to date is the Horse Positive Rule (the owners' responsibility rule). The rule, which is listed as SB11.10.01 in the Ontario Racing Commission's 2008 Rules of Standardbred Racing (found on page 39), allows a horse with a Class 1, 2 or 3 or TCO2 positive test to be suspended from racing for up to 90 days.

When asked about recent news in the Ontario standardbred industry, particularly the election of Bill O'Donnell as president of the Ontario Harness Horse Association, Libeneau, a former OHHA director, offered a few words.

"SHOP's board would like to congratulate Bill O'Donnell regarding his election to the position of president of OHHA."

Libeneau stated that the move reflected a positive change and that SHOP would be willing to work with OHHA in the future.

"Bill is probably under a lot of pressure already because he has many pressing issues to deal with right off the bat."

Click here for more information about SHOP.