Battling For Their Livelihood

Published: April 21, 2011 03:13 pm EDT

On Saturday, April 16, roughly a dozen horsepeople and a standardbred named Daves Showboat did their part in protesting what they call the Great Canadian Gaming Corp.'s attempt to downsize the British Columbian harness racing industry

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Horsepeople want more race dates, which would ensure a longer season and give industry participants some stable footing.

“We need it as a viable industry so we can support ourselves. It’s our livelihoods,” Sandra Roberts was quoted as saying in an article by the Cloverdale Reporter. She went on to say, “We don’t accept their downsizing of the industry.”

Brent Hill, who has also been vocal for the bolstering of standardbred racing at Fraser Downs, was at the protest and spoke his mind.

“(The GCGC operated) Fraser Downs is unjust,” he said. “They’re saying they don’t want competition from the standardbreds for the thoroughbred horses, but at the same time they’re the ones who create the competition from online gambling, poker, sports betting, baseball, football, hockey.”

The report also explains that protesters want the public to know Fraser Downs is evicting horses by closing four barns until October.

(With files from the Cloverdale Reporter)

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