Threats to Horse Racing Subsidy Sends Industry People to Defend their "Turf"

Ontario Finance Minister Dwight Duncan sent a chill through the horse-racing industry early last week when he unexpectedly announced during a speech in Toronto the government is going to re-evaluate the $345-million-a-year “subsidy” the industry receives through the Ontario Lottery Gaming Corp. slots-at-racetracks program.

Racing industry officials balk at Duncan’s reference to the slots-at-racetracks program as a subsidy. Rather they see the program launched by the former government of Progressive Conservative Premier Mike Harris in 1999 as a successful revenue-sharing agreement that has helped to stabilize the racing industry and allow it to begin the process of re-inventing itself in the face of increasing competition from online gambling and casinos here in Ontario and across the border in the United States.Many breeders, trainers and race track employees clearly feel the same way. The slot revenue was brought in to help stabilize the horse-racing  industry through challenging years, now they’re talking about taking that money and putting it into the general revenue of the province to be spent on other things? It’s totally inappropriate to call it a subsidy.

Hundreds of people from across Ontario are expected at a protest this afternoon organized by Ontario's horse racing industry. At a news conference earlier today, the Ontario Harness Horse Association urged the government not to scrap their share of racetrack slot revenues, because their survival depends on that revenue. The cash-strapped government has signalled that it may withdraw the money as part of its efforts to balance the books. Race track operators and local horse farmers receive about $345 million a year, about 20 percent of the $1.7 billion Ontario slots generate annually.

OHHA general manager Brian Tropea says the increase in slot machines at casinos has taken consumers away from spending cash on horse racing. "If the government hadn't become our competitor, we would be able to look after ourselves quite well. The government put slot machines in our facilities, they expanded gaming in Ontario and negatively affected our traditional revenue streams."

The OLG revenue sharing program has offset the negative financial impact slots at racetracks would otherwise have on the racing industry’s bottom line. The ever increasing competition imposed by the slots and other expanded gaming would further erode the wagering dollar to the point that the industry’s survival would be at serious risk. The government is looking to reduce the horse racing industry’s revenue share at a time when they are looking to expand their own gaming operations in direct competition with horse racing. In addition, if the proposed changes to the Criminal Code are implemented, the provinces will be allowed to operate sports betting, once again in direct competition with the horse racing industry. By preserving the existing program, the government would continue to collect $1.3 billion dollars annually from the race horse industry while ensuring Ontario’s horse racing industry remains economically sound for those rural communities and the 60,000 families that rely on the race horse industry for employment.

Its a run for the money for Ontario Horsepeople and Horses! Its one for the money, two for the show, three to get ready now go OLG go . . .

Black Caviar Undefeated Queen Sprinter World Wide of Thoroughbred Racing as of 2012

Black Caviar Photo: Jenny Evans

Black Caviar was foaled on 18 August 2006, and is a mare who is an undefeated Australian Thoroughbred racehorse, considered to be the best sprinter in the world. She has been named the WTRR World Champion Sprinter in 2010. On 31 March 2011 Black Caviar was rated one of the top Thoroughbred racehorses in the world (with a 135 rating) for the first quarter of 2011 by Timeform. She is trained by leading Melbourne-based trainer Peter Moody. Black Caviar started her five year old season by winning her second Schillaci Stakes by 4 1/4 lengths. By winning this race, Black Caviar equalled Phar Lap's record of 14 straight wins. She won her 15th race in the Moir Stakes, with a 6 length margin. She maintained her unbeaten record with win number 16 in the Patinack Farm Classic by 2.8 lengths. The champion mare returned to racing by winning the 1200 metre Group 2 Australia Stakes at Moonee Valley on 27 January 2012 by 4.3 lengths in a time of 1.09.44 to remain undefeated over 17 starts. She then stepped up to 1400 metres for the first time on February 11 in the C.F. Orr Stakes at Caulfield, where she again won comfortably by 3.3 lengths.  

This YouTube video shows her most recent  win being her 18th win in the Orr Stakes.

Black Caviar's next race is yet to be determined, with the Lightning Stakes on February 18 and/or the Futurity Stakes on February 25 both possible. The Diamond Jubilee Stakes at Royal Ascot is a main target for the horse. Until next time, see you in the Winner circle!

A horse, A horse all my kingdom for a horse

Ancient Cave Drawing

Horses in ART

Since prehistory, horses have been a wild fascination of men and women, on every continent. They have been depicted in every art medium, from cave paintings and petroglyphs to film and sculpture. They have, and continue to evoke, the majesty of primal nature through their exuberance and grace. The history of art mirrors the changing relationship between horses and humans. The Horse has been an important companion for Man throughout the centuries and has been an integral part of man’s development from prehistoric times to today. Artistic portrayals and creations have covered a wide spectrum, including mythological, religious, story-telling, decorative, famous horses and events, warriors and battles, etc.; all of which have been past and present sources of artistic inspiration.

Horse of a Different Color by Jeff, Legg

Degas

Horses throng the history of art. The most ancient paintings that are known in the Chavet Cave in France, feature herds of horses.  Our artistic relationship with the horse has evolved alongside the animal's domestication.  Horses are poised between the energy of their wild inheritance, and the elegance of a tamed creature. The confidence of the riders is an image of civilisation. The taming of horses is one of art's oldest signifiers of beauty, yet their original wildness also feeds visions of raw power. A master of painting and sculpture was also available by the middle of the century – Edgar Degas. Degas began painting horse racing scenes when he was 27 and Classicism can be seen in lines reminiscence of Ingres. Degas was also a master at capturing movement and gesture in whatever medium he employed, be it sculpture, drawing, pastel, or painting. With the invention of photography, painters like Degas, while producing “fine” art of the highest quality, used the invention to their advantage, for study and knowledge. Even Degas’ early pencil studies show a mastery of line in his depiction of the horse that reflects the knowledge given to all through photography. In France the French Jockey Club was formed in 1833 and continued to grow and flourish throughout the century. and the Impressionistic Degas immortalized the racing scene with his painterly technique and fine discernment of horse movements.

 

Children as Activists for The Million Horse March

 

Horse Slaughter in Canada

In an effort to help Save America's Horses from slaughter, Equine Welfare Alliance in cooperation with Congressman Jim Moran and Prime Minister Alex Atamanenko, is conducting a Children's Letter Writing Campaign to Congress, the President of the United States and the Canadian Parliament.

We are asking that parents, teachers, riding schools, therapy centres, all engage their children in the civic process of affecting positive change through the petitioning of their governments. We have lesson plans written by the United Federation of Teachers Humane Committee, which parents and other adults may take to the schools for them to use. The Million Horse March – Children's Letter writing Campaign is modelled after Wild Horse Annie"s 1971 program which was instrumental in the passage of 1971 Wild Horse & Burro Protection Act. Join them on the Equine Welfare Alliance Children's Page http://www.equinewelfarealliance.org/
Our goal is the passage of Senate Bill 1176 and House Bill 2966 the American Slaughter Horse Slaughter Prevention act and Canadian Bill 322 An Act to amend the Health of Animals Act and the Meat Inspection Act (slaughter of horses for human consumption).

Final due date for submission of letters is March 20th, 2012 with presentation in DC on March 27th, 2012. Letters, poetry, drawing, etc which convey what horses mean to the children can be sent to the following address

Million Horse March - Children's Letter Writing Campaign
Attn: Jo-Claire Corcoran
301 Tazewell Avenue
Bluefield, VA 24605

The address for the Canadian Letters will be:
Million Horse March - Children's Letter Writing Campaign
ATTN: Chelsea Burton
Box 127
Chalk River, ON K0J 1J0

Cecilia and Advents Dancer