Report: Calgary Stampede Misses Horse Racing

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Published: May 12, 2011 04:29 pm EDT

Calgary Stampede Vice President and CFO Paul Harrison has gone on the record as saying that his organization lost a great net income generator once it ceased to offer horse racing

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According to a report by the Calgary Sun, in 2008, the last year of live racing at the Stampede, the organization had a net income of $10.3 million. In 2009 that figure was reduced to $2.4 million. In 2010 the figure continued to slide, as it limped in at $1.6 million.

“It (horse racing) was a net contributor of income to Stampede,” Harrison was quoted as saying. “That income is no longer available to us.”

(With files from the Calgary Sun)

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Sure wanted to get rid of it when they had it! I thought I was going dyslexic when I read the headline!

I might be dreaming, but I would love to see the prairie provinces come together as a group and revitalize the standardbred industry here. A think tank sort of. Saskatchewan and Manitoba perhaps need to work closer together to make it a circuit instead of 2 fragmented divisions and to try and bring back Assiniboia Downs, as well as build around West Meadows and Yorkton, and Alberta, I think, has to try and find a way to bring back Stampede Park into the mix with Alberta Downs and Northlands Park. Is it feasible, well I really don't know, but I think the industry needs to talk more and to float more ideas around.

True or False!
Comments by Stampede Park CFO and VP about their loss of a revenue generator seems in stark contrast to the years and years of the Stampede complaining about losses from horse racing, both Thoroughbred and Standardbred.. Now that it has chased Alberta horsemen to all corners of North America to find racing, and now that it appears that the new Alberta Race Track and Balzac is a no-go, Stampede steps up and say they miss racing revenues. Very simple solution.. get that revenue source back. Apply to HRA for dates, which HRA would not dare to refuse, and live racing will return to Stampede in a heart beat, much to the delight of Alberta racing fans. Alias I fear this is just another bit of Stampede creative accounting, and wanting to appear as the good guys in a Western saga.
Ron Sinclair.

Big egos do stupid things sometimes but Balzac was the kicker. HRA put the cart before the horse so to speak. The old boys club got their backs up and wanted to punish the horsemen. Imagine Calgary with no horses. Brilliant move, NOT. But they still have those bulls jumping up and down for the Stampede's once a year for a week.

Why was horse racing taken out of Calgary and is there a desire from anyone or any group to bring it back? I certainly enjoyed Stampede Park when I lived in Calgary

Well than why did you let it go in the first place. And to of all places LACOMBE Alberta?

In reply to by secretariat

Stampede Park said that it was COSTING money for horses to race there, they DIDN'T want racing. Have you actually been to Lacombe? Or for that matter seen the track? At least Bob Allen WANTS racing lets the horsemen park their motorhomes and campers there free hookups and is trying to make improvements

For us Americans, how hard would it be to put harness racing back there?

In reply to by Pacingguy

harness racing is missed all through alberta i do belive with the right people in charge racing could bring the people back and make a huge come back in calgary

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