After spending my first 100 days as President and CEO of Standardbred Canada I have been thinking about the positive observations that I have seen across the country.
I remember my visits to Alberta and Prince Edward Island; having breakfast with Fred Gillis, the Executive Director of the Alberta Standardbred Horse Association, and later that same day engaging in a wonderful conversation with Shirley McClellan, CEO of Horse Racing Alberta, and Blair Corbeil, President of ASHA. Then there were the three incredible days that I had with Standardbred Canada Track Director Kent Oakes and all the outstanding people who work in the Prince Edward Island Horse Racing industry.
One of the many observations I have is the division between the “Haves” and the “Have-Nots” within our industry and correspondingly, the distinctions of why such divisions may occur from province to province.
Dwelling on the negative is easily done and can be a quick answer for the Have-Nots, however accentuating the positives of the “Haves” may be time consuming, but there is precious fruit to bear when culling why the “Haves” actually have…
Those that “Have”...
A Sense of Community –
They are always looking for ways to integrate the community into the sport and the sport into the community. The “Fun for Fans” race promotion at Century Downs is a prime example of where everyone wins (please see the Outlawburntpopcorn story on our website).
Reaching out to our community and putting a positive spin on our industry creates more traction, interest and excitement than one would think. By including and involving our seniors, children, volunteer firefighters, and local charity groups at racetrack events, we give back to our community, which in turn, gives back to our industry.
The “Haves” always include the local community in their promotions, including fundraising events, promoting the local 4H Club, providing family spaces like petting areas where people can go with their families as an outing and pet the animals and have a great experience at an affordable price.
Alberta and PEI do this very successfully and community leaders like Bill Andrew understand the importance of being a strong supporter by getting to know the local community groups.
Willing to Take Chances –
The “Haves” aren’t afraid to take chances and have the prevailing attitude that not everything is going to work but when something does they will continue to focus on it and make it even bigger and better.
They look for ways to promote the horse by allowing accessibility for our fans, young and old, to get up-close and personal with these beautiful animals by allowing them to touch the horse and capitalize on this experience by which the fan becomes affiliated with the animal, including; horse rides up against the fence line and being a part of the Winner’s Circle.
By allowing the customer access to the horses, it then becomes their horse for that day and that time.
Organizing Fan Appreciation Days, providing giveaways for fans, or allowing fans to bet on every horse in the field so that first-time customers are guaranteed a win; are creative and innovative ideas that can work very well with our customers.
Hosting a Family Day for families to spend the day at the track encourages every family member to be exposed to the horse and the sport in an attractive, affordable and enjoyable experience.
The “Haves” target different demographics by creating promotions that involve children’s clubs, stags and stag-ettes, and promoting the overall experience that only the racetrack can offer.
The “Haves” look at what our sport has to offer and focuses on the strengths of our resources and uses it to their advantage. Like using the starting gate as a promotional tool. Anyone that rides in it finds it a phenomenal experience. They also provide tours of the backstretch, paddock area, and let the customer visit the local track announcer booth to have an experience they would otherwise never have.
This isn’t about blowing your brains out on a budget. It’s about networking and partnering with the local community and if you are fortunate enough to find a sponsor that is willing to provide prizing, like 6 free pizzas per se. The “Haves” will find a way to make an event out of it.
It’s about creating a great experience at an affordable price.
All-For-One -
The “Haves” know that this is a tough industry and have encountered difficult times, but they also know that all industry stakeholders need to park their ego at the door and realize that one faction of the industry is no more important than the other, and that we are all in this together.
They believe in core values like integrity, transparency, respect, and communication.
The “Haves” take the time to discuss issues and garner the support that they need to move forward. They promote their stakeholders and buy-in to the overall thought of reaching goals as a team and an industry.
They create venues and forums to allow each stakeholder an opportunity to share ideas, discuss what is working and what is not working, and how each other can support one another.
Glass Half Full -
The Haves have a positive outlook. They have a glass half-full attitude.
They know the work is not easy and the challenge is big, but they also know that the hard work, energy, passion and love of the sport can make all the difference in the world.
The “Haves” know that they have to create and write their own story. And when it’s done they know there is still more work to do by shouting their story from the rooftop and then starting all over again.
The “Haves” don’t stop just because something didn’t work. They pick themselves up, dust themselves off and start all over again. They know that the entertainment they offer is more than just a place to bet. It is a meeting place for community, family and friends.
The “Haves” create leaders who have a positive mindset and stay positive and focussed on the end goal where harness racing is the story. They know the value of identifying and promoting the human-side of the story alongside the horse.
Relationship-Building -
A big factor of the “Haves” success is their ability to engage government leaders by inviting them to events to witness the hard work that the industry is doing and the entertainment value that is being created.
Our government leaders are human too. They like to have fun and are a core part of the fabric of our community. And they love to see the community working together and achieving results.
The “Haves” work with our government officials by inviting them to the backstretch to let them see “real people” doing real jobs and creating real meaning to the community.
They let government know what economic benefits are created by the local horse industry by keeping in touch with government partners
The “Haves” provide an economic report card or Fact Sheet to government so that whenever an official is asked what horse racing has done for the community they can answer confidently and support our industry.
The “Haves” establish contacts with government (Communication Department, Chief of Staff, etc.) to ensure government is aware of the achievements rather than dwelling on the negative. Conversely, the “Haves” have the fortitude to apprise government in advance of any negative story that might cause embarrassment to the government.
They use social media effectively and post stories to provide coverage of the politicians participating in our industry.
The “Haves” ensure government officials are invited to the racetrack to celebrate our successes. The surprise visit of our Prime Minister and four MPs during Old Home Week in PEI this past summer, and the recent press conference that Alberta Horse Racing hosted announcing a job creation program are excellent examples of how the “Haves” include government leaders into our sport.
These are just some of the observations that I have noted while working with our partners in the industry during my first 100 days, and this month’s article was inspired and is dedicated to all the hard working, results oriented leaders in Alberta, Prince Edward Island, and all points in between and beyond.
I welcome your input and comments at [email protected].
