Jamieson, A-Mac On OMAFRA Report

Published: November 1, 2012 08:11 pm EDT

Stating that it would be "foolhardy and misguided" to believe Ontario's standardbred industry would exist after three years of "right-sizing" proposed by the OMAFRA Panel Report, drivers Anthony MacDonald and Jody Jamieson have issued a joint public statement.

The press release from Jamieson and MacDonald appears below.


2012 has been a troubling year for those of us involved in horse racing in Ontario. We have all been waiting for the report from province's transition panel with a mixture of fear, anger and faint hope. Our industry and our livelihoods have been hanging in the balance ever since Liberals made horse racing enemy #1.

The panel concedes much of what we already know - the racehorse industry makes a critical contribution to Ontario's rural economy, it's worth saving and the industry is willing to work with government on a new partnership. Then the report moves on to present a model for a sustainable thoroughbred industry, while mapping out the demise - albeit a slower demise than the Liberals planned - for the standardbred industry. Believing that an Ontario standardbred industry will exist after three-years of "right-sizing" proposed by the transition panel is foolhardy and misguided.

We've been inundated with calls and concerns from people in the industry who are, like us, overwhelmed. People are trying hard to figure out how a sustainable horse racing industry balances with a 54 to 77 percent reduction in race dates and a 54 percent reduction in purses. Horses don't eat half as much when they race for half as much; trucks don't run on half-price fuel when hauling to races for half the purse. Veterinarians and farriers don't cut their fees for horses racing less often for less money.

Standardbred people need to come together and we need to take our message across this province. Ontario's standardbred industry needs to speak with one voice - and that voice needs to reflect the industry as a whole - our industry, the standardbred industry.

We have let other people do our talking and they have failed us, attempted to lead us to the gallows. We looked to our province for leadership and they have slammed the door, only offering us shelter under the growing roof of certain unemployment. We have failed ourselves by fragmenting our industry to the point where we no longer have a voice.

A voice is coming, it has to. We are far beyond our backs being against the wall. Solidarity is the only way back, how far back will be up to us.

I can tell you this, we will not be buying saddles and we cannot lay down any longer. This government with a resume of shady dealings and questionable financial decisions is our enemy but it is also everyone else in Ontario's enemy.

This industry has bartered with our silence long enough. We need to stand together for the first time in a very long time as one.

This is a call for unity.

Together we can show this province, this government and ourselves that we are not going to be squeezed out. All of our futures depend on all of us working together.

Jody Jamieson
Anthony MacDonald


On Tuesday, October 30, the long-anticipated OMAFRA Panel Report on the transition of the Ontario horse-racing industry from the slots-at-racetracks program was released to the horse-racing industry. To view and comment on the report, click the following link: OMAFRA Report Released.

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