Reports from Manitoba indicate that two long-standing stops on the Manitoba Great Western Harness Racing Circuit are dropping out of the picture -- at least for the time being.
According to a report in the Manitoba Co-operator, both Deloraine and Wawanesa will not hold live harness racing in 2014. Signing on as replacement locations are Morris, MB and Selkirk, MB -- each town less than an hour from Winnipeg.
“This isn’t new to lose towns. Years ago we used to race in Russell, Swan River, Carberry, Minnedosa and Pilot Mound at different times,” said Darryl Mason, co-Chair of the MGWHRC. “They come and go. There’s a few that drop off and more that come on.”
Two major factors were cited by Alvin Taft, secretary-treasurer of the Wawanesa Agricultural Society, for that location's decision to take a year off from hosting harness racing.
“We can’t seem to get the volunteers we need to help put the weekend on, and we never know until sometimes after the racing starts what money we’ll be getting from the government to support it,” said Taft.
Mason told The Co-operator that a verbal agreement for funding had been reached but that figure has yet to be officially announced. In 2013, the total provincial support for the MGWHRC was $400,000, down from $450,000 in 2012.
In 2013, other stops on the Circuit included Miami, Holland, Killarney, and Glenboro.
Officials with the Manitoba Great Western Harness Racing Circuit have provided Trot Insider with a rundown of the circuit’s 2014 race dates.
The list of race dates appears below.
Miami – July 5 & 6 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Glenboro – July 12 & 13 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Glenboro – July 19 & 20 – Post times: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Miami – July 26 & 27 – Post time: Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m.
Killarney – August 2 & 3 – Post time: Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m.
Killarney – August 9 & 10 – Post time: Saturday 5:00 p.m., Sunday 1:30 p.m.
Morris – August 16 & 17 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Morris – August 23 & 24 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Killarney – August 30 & 31 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Selkirk – September 6 & 7 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)
Miami – September 13 & 14 – Post time: 1:30 p.m. (both days)