The New Brunswick Horse Racing Industry Association (NBHRIA), which began in 2003 as an umbrella association to represent all segments of the horse racing industry in the province and remained active under the leadership of former Chair, Ross Galbraith, until it facilitated the creation of Horse Racing New Brunswick, is being relaunched to address a number of challenges facing the industry in the province.
The recently-named Chair of NBHRIA, Brent Briggs, said that, with only 10 pari-mutuel racing programs at one New Brunswick racetrack in 2017, a significant decline in the number of horses and owners the past few years and an almost non-existent horse breeding industry, harness racing in the province is in crisis mode and demanded immediate action.
“It is the intention of NBHRIA to resume its original mandate to represent the harness racing industry in New Brunswick,” Briggs said after meeting with Horsemen’s Association groups in Fredericton and Woodstock earlier this week. “We plan to be open, available and transparent.”
The membership of the Fredericton Horsemen's Association and the Woodstock Driving Club voted unanimously to rejoin NBHRIA at those meetings. The Woodstock Driving Club also voted to withdraw from the New Brunswick Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association, which had previously represented their group. The Fredericton Horsemen’s Association seceded from that group in May.
Briggs stated that the first plan of action for NBHRIA is to apply for pari-mutuel racing dates in Fredericton and Woodstock in 2018 and have already expressed its intentions to the Atlantic Provinces Harness Racing Commission.
“All of the live pari-mutuel racing dates were held in Saint John last year,” he said. “None were held in Fredericton or Woodstock and it is vital for a healthy, growing industry in the province to have participation at all racetracks.”
Briggs said the next meeting of NBHRIA will be held in early December and it will be appointing board members from all representatives of the horse racing industry in New Brunswick. Current members include Charles Miles (President of the Fredericton Horsemen’s Association) and Robert Kitchen (NBEX) from Fredericton and Andrew Sutherland, President of the Woodstock Driving Club.
“There will be representation from all areas of the province including Saint John and Moncton, horse breeders and any at-large interests,” he said.
NBHRIA seeks to develop and advance the horse racing industry while promoting it as a vital part of New Brunswick’s lifestyle, heritage, and agricultural economy.
(NBHRIA)