Horse racing in Canada is a very unique industry. We have many different sorts of participants; there are owners, trainers, grooms, breeders, and fans and then people who are some or all of those. There are so many generations of families involved. I know this first hand, as we are working on the fourth generation in our house. Truly, once horses get into your blood it’s usually a lifelong love.
In many families, Dad, Mom, and kids all are part of raising horses and racing horses. Horse racing is a very hands on way of life. Walk through any race paddock in Canada and you can see families working together, not only as a family business but as the only life they know. Our industry is a seven day a week, 24/7 way of life. There are no days off. There are no holidays. For some, there are no vacations. This isn’t a job for most. We live, breath and think horses. Everything in our lives revolves around taking care of our horses. Plans are made around the horses — from vacations, to meeting friends for dinner, kid’s graduations and weddings. The horses usually come first. There is such incredible dedication by our participants, a work ethic not seen in your everyday employment environment. This just reiterates time and time again the fact that we horse people are truly devoted to this sport we call our own.
Horse racing is very competitive by nature. But if any of our participants are in need, we are excellent at organizing fundraisers and raising money for those that are in need. There are dozens and dozens of stories of drivers donating driving percentage proceeds to one charity or another. Raising money for food banks and having golf tournaments for local horse adoption societies are a few of the generous actions often taken by our membership. Our racetracks — in many cases the centers of our rural communities — frequently host events to raise awareness and even financial support for the fights against multiple sclerosis or breast cancer, or to generate funds for the children’s burn unit at a nearby hospital. All of this in the name of helping others who are less fortunate then us.
I’m very proud to be part of the standardbred racing industry in Canada. Thanks to our involvement, my family and I have had the honour of meeting so many wonderful people from across the country that we now call friends.
So much has changed in our horse racing world in the last 30 days that it really doesn’t look like anything we know. Ontario horse people have been told that as of March 31, 2013 they will no longer be partners with the OLG and Ontario Government with the highly successful Slots at Racetracks program. New Brunswick has lost their funding a year earlier than they anticipated and Saskatchewan no longer has support from their government. What on earth is happening to our great industry?
Whatever you do, don’t stop fighting. We are here fighting alongside. And when people ask, tell them why it’s worth fighting for. Why we are worth fighting for. Tell them from your heart... and they will understand.