Harness Horse Racing

Posts Tagged ‘Open’

Standardbred Canada

ZOOM Challenge Voting Now Open Standardbred Canada If you groom Standardbreds, or work with someone who grooms, we want photos of grooms in action, caring for the horse – whether it be feeding, bathing, walking, harnessing, jogging, paddocking, interacting, etc. We're looking for unique and interesting …

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Standardbred Canada

Mother's Day Open House Today Standardbred Canada The farms will showcase their mares, foals and facilities, and educate visitors about Standardbred breeding and racing. This is the second consecutive year that the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association and Standardbred Canada's 'I Love Canadian … Campbellcroft horse breeder hosts open houseNorthumberland News all 2 news articles »

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Tioga Open Trot To Aruba Vacation Standardbred Canada Tioga Downs' hometown horse Aruba Vacation and Fern Paquet Jr. captured Saturday night's $16,000 Open Trot. Leaving from post position number three in a field of seven, Paquet put Aruba Vacation on the engine through early fractions of :27.2 and :57.1. and more »

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“Maryland Horsemen see a Horse Racing Renaissance” trumpets an article in the Washington Examiner regarding slots money ‘pouring’ in.  Yep, reading the headline you would think all the horsemen in Maryland are tickled pink.   That may be the case if you are a thoroughbred horseman; standardbred horsemen are a lot more guarded; especially when they don’t know the status of Rosecroft Raceway after this year.

As you may recall, last year casino gambling was approved for Prince George County, home of Rosecroft Raceway which is operated by casino operator Penn National Gaming (oh, they race horses too).  Rosecroft Raceway was purchased out of bankruptcy by PNG which is hoping to build a slot parlor there, making it known if they don’t get a casino at Rosecroft, they will likely pull the plug on racing there.  Unfortunately, the politically-connected are envisioning a casino opening at the National Harbor to be operated by MGM (there is a third bid as well) as if it is a foregone conclusion.  Of course, this will be a fair and open process, correct?

Don’t bet on it.  There are those who feel the process of selecting a casino operator is merely a process of going through the motions.  In fact, when the Executive Director of the Maryland Horse Industry Board is talking about the casino at National Harbor as a foregone conclusion, standardbred interests need to wonder how fair the vetting process is going to be.  After all, the Maryland Horse Industry Board is to represent the entire equine industry in the state from racing breeds to pleasure horses.  Unfortunately, standardbred representation on this board is somewhat lacking with only one of the eleven seats occupied by standardbred interests.    Technically, only one seat is assigned to thoroughbred interests but when a consultant who has worked on the Preakness Stakes and other Maryland Jockey Club projects is given a seat representing organized shows and competitions, you have to wonder where the boards objectivity starts and ends.  The last place this board wants to see a casino is at Rosecroft as it would mean divvying up the slot revenue with standardbred interests.

Purses at Rosecroft, while not phenomenal, aren’t that bad with purses between $3,000-$7,000.  Enough to keep the industry on life support.  True there is racing on the Eastern Shore at Ocean Downs, but there is no secret Ocean Downs has no desire to extend their racing season.  Purses also will be in the $2,800 to $7,000 level using the classified system, but racing three months a year does not make a stable industry.

While many would like the selection process to be merely a formality, standardbred interests in Maryland need to work with Penn National to make sure the process is fair and the projects are judged on their merits, not political connections.  Otherwise, Penn National will be walked over with the standardbred industry possibly getting trampled at the same time.

View full post on View From the Racetrack Grandstand

Standardbred Canada

Mother's Day Open House – For The Love Of The Horse Standardbred Canada The farms will showcase their mares, foals and facilities, and educate visitors about Standardbred breeding and racing. This is the second consecutive year that the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association and Standardbred Canada's 'I Love Canadian … Campbellcroft horse breeder hosts open houseNorthumberland News all 2 news articles »

View full post on standardbred horse – Google News

Campbellcroft horse breeder hosts open house Northumberland News Standardbred horse – a breed of horse used in harness racing. Thoroughbred horse – a breed of horse for jockey riding racing. Sulky – a lightweight cart with two wheels and a seat for the driver. CAMPBELLCROFT — During foaling season, it is not …

View full post on standardbred horse – Google News

I have been asked to print the following letter from Monica Thors, the producer of “I Am, a Harness Racing Horse”.  Since the letter brings up some important points, I have granted her the space.  Admittedly, it is a lengthy letter, but it is worth the read.  Here is her letter:

The
harness racing documentary film trailer Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness
Racing Horse” deeply appreciates the wonderful support from those of you
who posted the video on your harness racing websites. We want to thank you
sincerely for doing this for us.

And
we apologize again for sending this film trailer to you on the Monday at the
close of the Easter weekend rather than earlier in the weekend, which was our
original intention. However, everything that could go wrong did go wrong during
editing. We worked through sickness, exhaustion, problems with the editing
equipment, and problems with horses to get the video to you as soon as
possible. So we doubly appreciate your posting of the Happy Easter from “I
Am, A Harness Racing Horse.”

Your
support is not only appreciated, it is vitally necessary for continuing to
expand awareness and understanding of the message of the harness racing
documentary film “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse.” You are reinforcing
our efforts to rebuild the sport of harness racing and return it to a position
of prestige and profitability. You are helping harness racing to stand on its
own again.

So
a special “Thank You” to the harness racing and other websites that
published Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse”:

• Thanks again to Allan Schott and his harness racing
  blog View from the Racetrack Grandstand, who was the first to post Happy
  Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse,” http://viewfromthegrandstand.blogspot.com/2013/04/easter-monday-greetings-from-i-am.html.
  And thanks for his wonderful comment,”Based on this trailer, the
  industry should be very excited about this documentary and throw its
  support behind it.”
• Thank
  you also to John Curtin and Lenny Calderon for their interesting and daily
  updated website Harnesslink,
  who quoted us, “Easter is a time of renewal and growth, and renewal
  and growth are what we want to accomplish with the harness racing
  documentary film “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse.” https://www.harnesslink.com/www/Article.cgi?ID=104675
  
• Ed Evans at the National Harness Racing Network
  deserves many thanks for his consistent daily front page support on the
  NHRN website for all of the “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” film
  trailers. http://www.harnessracingnet.com/default.asp?
• Jannine Kraus and Jen Nagle at the Standardbred
  Retirement Foundation continued their postings on Facebook, commenting,
  “One more playful and fun trailer from Monica Thors for her
  forthcoming documentary film “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse.”
  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Standardbred-Retirement-Foundation-Adoptahorseorg/135624493378

  Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” includes
  information about the versatility of the Standardbred harness racing horse
  demonstrated at the September 2012 National Standardbred Horse Show at the
  Horse Park of New Jersey in Allentown, NJ, including dressage as one
  activity that can be performed by a Standardbred harness racing horse
  after retirement.

• Thanks to John Gallinger, Darryl Kaplan and Jeff
  Porchak at StandardbredCanada
  for noting that, “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” producer Monica
  Thors is focusing on renewing interest and participation in harness racing
  by former participants and bettors, while also engaging new participants
  from a wide public audience.” http://www.standardbredcanada.ca/news/4-1-13/easter-greetings-documentary-team.html

  The following comment was posted on the StandbredCanada
  website:
  “Monica and her team always give us a highly professional
  documentary! Well produced by everyday horseracing people who have their
  true emotions show through for all to see! They sure don’t look and act
  like fat cats! To the NAYSAYERS out there, watch and enjoy the real
  “NEIGHSAYERS.” Perhaps you’ll see the love and respect given to
  these 4-legged athletes by all who are fortunate enough to participate in
  this everyday occupation. This is part of our history, please don’t let it
  perish needlessly!”

• We
  also thank Christoph Schork at Equiflex Horseshoes for his posting on
  Facebook, “Equiflex USA is joining Monica Thors in wishing you all a
  Happy Easter. Equiflex continues to support Monica and harness
  racing.” In an earlier posting, Christoph commented, “Harness
  racing horses are using Equiflex horseshoes with great success. Equiflex
  is supporting harness racing, so please watch this video from Monica Thors
  about harness racing.” http://www.facebook.com/EquiflexHorseshoes
  
• Continuing
  thanks to Lee Alphen at the Christian Harness Horsemen’s Association for
  her ongoing support and promotion of “I Am, A Harness Racing
  Horse” and her wonderful comment, “While harness racing is a
  great sport, consider becoming more involved with harness horses. Monica’s
  video showcases some of the excitement around the sport. Monica and her
  “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” crew are doing a terrific job.
  Keep up the good work!” http://www.chha.net/

I
posted Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” on my website
http://www.MTphoto.com, where you can also find all of the
film trailers:

• The
  original preview film trailer “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i8UOElKdfN8
• Happy
  Holidays from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TKp4xsrEg24
• Merry
  Christmas from Harness Racing Horse Caribbean Paradise – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaVJfxDib7E
• Monica
  Thors Feline Division Wishes You a Merry Christmas – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gx_VgNZSVlw
• Happy
  Valentines 2013 to Everyone from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse”
  – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_gRFcAN86CE
• Happy
  St. Patrick’s Day from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EPlhOoKq4lY and
• Happy
  Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88xoI4EyEsY

I
also posted Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” on my
Facebook page and received these wonderful comments:

• Just
  now saw this, Monica. Well done. I loved it!
• Well
  done Monica. Those “Easter Bunnies” people are something else.
  The bunnies looked like they were having fun. A lot of work in this video
  and beautifully done, hope it goes viral for you.
• So
  enjoyed this, Monica, and find myself looking forward to holidays just to
  see what you’re going to do next.
• Wonderfully
  done. Hope you’re catching up on your rest.
• Your
  spirit is a true inspiration! Happy Easter!

We
also received email comments such as:

• That
  was a great video! I think the bunny hopping was my favorite part.
• I
  found the video informative and entertaining.
• This
  is such a great sport and they are such magnificent animals.
• Very
  entertaining. I loved the goat and will look forward to watching more of
  your videos.

My
strategy for reconnecting the public to harness racing is to create interest in
the harness racing horses themselves and associating them with enjoyable,
exciting feelings. The connection and association that people have to holidays
is normally family, entertainment, happiness, joy and similar positive feelings.
When harness racing horses are shown in environments reflecting similar
emotions, there is a connection between harness racing horses and positive,
enjoyable feelings and experiences.

Unfortunately,
some segments of the industry, particularly harness racing tracks, have made no
effort to post and promote any of the film trailers for the harness racing
documentary film “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse.” Should not the
harness racing tracks themselves have an interest in promoting educational
films and entertaining film trailers at their tracks so that people can
discover the many aspects of the harness racing horses they watch racing?

Is
there any harness racing track in the US that has a special place where
spectators and bettors can sit down and watch what goes on behind the scenes in
harness racing? If our answer is no, then I suggest that this should be the #1
priority for positive change at our harness racing tracks. This would allow the
spectators, bettors and those who are interested in participating find out more
about the many dimensions and characteristics of harness racing horses and
harness racing. Will this help build increasing attendance and participation?
In my opinion it will.

The
US public’s connection to harness racing has been largely lost today. When you
are out and about in grocery stores, banks, post offices – anywhere you might
go on your day-to-day business– have you ever taken the time to talk with
anyone in these places about harness racing? Have you ever asked anyone in a casual
conversation if they were interested in harness racing and what there was about
harness racing horses and the harness racing sport that caused them not to
participate as a spectator?

Are
you a member of the harness racing community who wonders why harness racing is
not marketed better? Here are some simple and easy things you can do: always
wear a shirt, or a blouse, or a sweater or a hat with a harness racing logo or
pin on it. Do your jackets, sweatshirts and tee-shirts have a harness racing
logo or pin on them? If everyone in harness racing, everywhere they went,
displayed a logo of a harness racing horse or wore a harness racing pin, it
would be powerful indirect marketing.

Do
you put a harness racing sticker on each and every envelope and package that
you send out every day? Do you understand how many millions of people would see
the word harness racing or see a harness racing horse every day if every member
of our harness racing community would do this?

I
do this on a daily basis. I also try every day to understand what harness
racing needs the most. Have you ever taken the time to talk with your neighbor
or an acquaintance or anybody that you know who is not in harness racing? If
not, wouldn’t now be a good time to start in view of the continuing decline in
public interest and participation in harness racing?

I
was not born in the United States, but I have always been moved by President
Kennedy’s statement, “Ask not what the country can do for you- ask what
you can do for your country.” Did you ever ask yourself what is it you can
do for harness racing, not what harness racing can do for me?

In
my opinion, Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” is a
complete and engaging presentation of harness racing and its many dimensions
and how a person can get involved in harness racing. I feel it is a useful tool
for harness racing as a whole to use for marketing harness racing horses and
harness racing.

In
my opinion, the troubles with our harness racing industry definitely lay in our
own attitudes of how to support each other in these difficult times. When some
of the largest harness racing websites in the US and Canada, which represent
our sport to the world, choose not to publish such a useful marketing piece for
harness racing as Happy Easter from “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse,” I
am forced to say that such a decision is a harmful mistake, inasmuch as
thousands of harness racing sport participants never had the opportunity to see
an informative and entertaining presentation of harness racing horses and their
own harness racing sport.

You
can also understand that I, as a producer who has worked very hard for over
four years to create an educational harness racing documentary film and as a
long-time harness racing participant, feel that the lack of support by these
large harness racing websites is symptomatic of why the sport of harness racing
is continuing to fall in popularity.

In
fact, as a harness racing sport participant, I would like to see on every major
harness racing website all of the harness racing films and videos that are
available for general viewing. It would be educational and useful information
for all participants in our sport and would assist all of us to better
understand both the challenges and the opportunities we face in our harness
racing sport. And is that not what we need at this time?

So
if you can somehow post these film trailers on your harness racing websites in
a section called “Harness Racing Films and Film Trailers. Enjoy, and Learn
About Harness Racing Horses and Harness Racing,” it would be greatly
appreciated. This section would be an information resource for viewers already
in harness racing and for prospective participants who want to learn more about
details of the harness racing sport and how to become involved in harness
racing.

And
if you choose not to create such a viewing resource, ask yourself how we can
market all the aspects of our sport and what goes on behind the scenes of
harness racing to existing and prospective participants? Or will we continue to
be perceived by many potential spectators, participants and bettors as just a
sport that whips horses around a track? Our sport deserves better.

My
apologies for mixing sincere thanks and genuine concern, but change is a
condition of survival, and we need to face up to it. As a deeply involved
participant in harness racing, I value your support where I have received it.
And I have honestly shared my concerns about what I see as the problems facing
us and how we can move forward to resolve many of them.

So,
for all of you who have supported “I Am, A Harness Racing Horse” and
its associated videos so generously, we pay our respects to you for the
important contributions you are making to help restore harness racing to the
level of respect and growth our sport merits.

And
for those of you who are simply enduring our harness racing sport’s decline, I
again ask you to think about your responsibilities to harness racing and ask
yourselves not what harness racing can do for you, but what you can do for
harness racing.
Sincerely,

Monica Thors

View full post on View From the Racetrack Grandstand

A Penny Earned Wins Vernon Open Trot Standardbred Canada With Chris Lems doing the driving, the determined four-year-old bay horse rallied on the outside from fourth at the half and closed from second in the final strides to nip the front-striding Grey Ice in an impressive 1:57.3 performance. It marked the … and more »

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Standardbred Canada

Mother's Day Open House Details Standardbred Canada This is a great opportunity for people who wouldn't normally have a chance to visit a horse farm to connect with the horses and the people in the standardbred industry. High Stakes Farm in Moffat, Seelster Farms in Lucan, St. Lads Farm in Ruscom and … and more »

View full post on standardbred horse – Google News

Standardbred Canada

Mother's Day Open House Details Announced Standardbred Canada This is a great opportunity for people who wouldn't normally have a chance to visit a horse farm to connect with the horses and the people in the standardbred industry. High Stakes Farm in Moffat, Seelster Farms in Lucan, St. Lads Farm in Ruscom and …

View full post on standardbred horse – Google News