Wow! Another year has gone by so very fast. It was a year ago that I wrote my first Trot column as Chair of Standardbred Canada. After the Board of Directors meetings in January, I was elected again as Chair for the forthcoming year. Also on the Executive Committee this year are Doug McIntosh, Vice-Chair, Dr. Mitchell Downey, Chair of Breeders Committee, Richard Veilleux, Bob Roach and Dr. Maurice Stewart. It’s the same Executive as last year, and I would like to thank the Board for having the faith in our Executive to elect us all again this year. It’s also wonderful to note that this Executive has a representative from all the regions across Canada!
Standardbred Canada has had a busy year. The Taxation Committee, Chaired by Dr. Stewart, made a lot of progress with the taxation issues that standardbred horse owners face. As a result of their progress, Standardbred Canada has joined the Canadian Federation of Agriculture to help with Section 31 for taxation purposes. Hopefully the stronger voice and message with this even larger group will help to bolster the significance of our concerns in the eyes of the Federal Government.
The Board of Directors passed that there be no fee increases for 2012, and that we are to work towards a balanced budget.
Standardbred Canada is continuing with the cross-Canada Stake Sponsorship program, with over $35,000 going to staking in the provinces across the country.
The By-Law Committee, Chaired by Morag Watt, is in the process of doing a full review of Standardbred Canada’s bylaws and regulations.
Another exciting project that SC launched this year is the new Online Staking system, which will make it easy, fast, and affordable to enter your yearlings and horses for stakes both here in Canada and in the United States.
Don’t forget that SC offers many choices of insurance coverage to our members too. Visit our website to learn about emergency out-of-province insurance, life insurance protections, the horsemen’s liability program, and accident benefits for drivers, trainers and grooms. These are just some of the many benefits of being a Standardbred Canada member!