Page 18 - October 2007 The Game

18 The Game, October 2007
Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
HBPA Ontario Update
HBPAAdministrativeOffices:135Queen’sPlateDrive,Suite370,Toronto,ON,M9W6V1 phone:416-747-5252
Why is it that, in today’s environment most forms of media (racing and non racing) love to focus on the negative in our sport? It is rare to read about our industry when the facts and stories are positive and or optimistic.
The print media seems to be cluttered with racing stories as long as there is a negative connotation or there is a shred of scandal or even the faintest sniff of drugs in the air. We continue to read about suspension of horsemen for drug infractions and suspicious behaviour which creates the negative perception of our sport. To say that such coverage puts us behind the eight ball would be an understatement. How can we advocate our industry if we are perceived to be, or in fact are in the eyes of many, corrupt? Although the issue of perception and integrity causes a grave concern for us and to any business for that matter, we as an industry have not done a good job in ensuring that the perception out there does carry a positive connotation. Our successes as an industry are many, yet no one seems to know about them. Why? Because no one is writing about or communicating the information in an
Report from the Executive Director
Nationally (North America);
Consumer Research: Is horse racing doing poorly when we compare ourselves to other sporting activities? The following would indicate that we are doing well despite the negative obstacles we face on a constant basis. According to Sports poll data in 2006, horse racing currently ranks ninth out of 30 major sports, with an estimated fan base of 78 million Americans (18+). We rank behind such sports as the NFL, MLB and NBA, but we rank ahead of the PGA, Boxing, and the NHL.
Horse racing is fourth among 30 sports properties or leagues when measured in terms of fan base growth, increasing by 12.7 % from 1999 to 2006 and exceeding growth rates for the NFL, MLB, the NBA, NASCAR, the NHL and other major sports. (stats provided by NTRA)
With the constant uphill battle of negative media publicity that we face, we have obviously done something right which is resulting in such positioning in the sports marketplace among consumers.
Let’s make sure that we as an industry collectively communicate our successes and build on our future.
effective manner that reaches the most important person out there, the FAN.
Let’s look at the follow- ing accomplishments we have enjoyed which should lead to bringing back the confidence expected from the public:
Regionally:
Testing: In thorough-
bred racing in Ontario the
number of tests performed
between 2002 and 2005 is well over 20,000. The number of issued positives is 13. The % is less than .065%. Furthermore, none of the 13 positives are for Class 1 or Class 2 drugs. In 2006, we are proud to report that we had 0 positives of any kind in the thoroughbred industry in Ontario.
Horse Population: Results of the 2006 census of agriculture are in and the horse numbers are up a whopping 16.7% since the previous 2001 census and 28% in the past 10 years. Previous research by Wright and Cation in 1996 indicates that the census of agriculture underestimates
the actual number of horses in Ontario by a factor of approximately 3.9. This would translate to an increase in the number of horses in Ontario of approximately 54,000 horses over the past four years. Ontario’s horse population is estimated at 379,412. The top three counties with the highest horse population, in descending order are:
Wellington County- 27,530, Grey County-21,754, and Simcoe County- 19,516.
Further to horse population, but somehow interrelated is average number of starters per race at the track. If we look at Woodbine in 2007, our average number of starters per race is well above the North American average of under 8.0. This year alone, we have averaged 8.78 in April, 9.10 in May, 9.26 in June, 8.65 in July, and 8.75 in August. What do these numbers result in? A growth in handle which translates into more revenue, and higher purses.
Executive Director Nick Coukos
Fort Erie Awards Banquet
Fort Erie HBPA Office Closing
Health & Safety - First Aid/CPR
Fort Erie Children’s Christmas Party
Shedrow of the Month
The HBPA and WEG at Woodbine as well as the HBPA and Nordic Gaming at Fort Erie are proud to award “Shedrow of the Month” prizes for trainers and their staff whose stable area best exemplifies a clean and safe work environment during that month. Winners will receive a $200 cheque ($100 from HBPA and $100 from Nordic at Fort Erie and $100 from HBPA and $100 from Woodbine Entertainment Group at Woodbine).
Congratulations to Shedrow of the Month winner for August at Woodbine - Tino Attard & his crew.
Shedrow of the Month winner for September at Woodbine - Michael De Paulo & his crew.
Fort Erie’s Shedrow of the Month for August at Fort Erie was shared between - Tim Patterson and Gord Cowie of barn 5A & their crews.
Congratulations to all Shedrow of the Month winners for your ongoing efforts to maintain a safe and clean working environment.
The Fort Erie HBPA Backstretch Office will be closing for the season at 3pm on November 7, 2007.
After which all HBPA related inquiries can be directed to the Woodbine back- stretch office at 416-675-3802 or the HBPA Administrative Office at 416-747-5252.
The Fort Erie HBPA Annual Awards Banquet is scheduled for Thursday, October 25 at the Leisureplex in Fort Erie. Tickets are $25 and will go on sale at the HBPA Backstretch office beginning October 9.
The Banquet is a much anticipated events and tickets do sell fast, so drop by today.
For more information call the Fort Erie HBPA Backstretch Office at 905-871-3200, ext. 3249.
The Fort Erie HBPA will once again be hosting the Children’s Christmas Party on Sunday, November 18 at the Crystal Beach Community Centre. The party will begin at 12 noon and continue to 3pm with lots of fun and good eats for the children. There will also be a visit from Santa who will have a gift for all the children.
If you are planning to attend, please sign up at the Fort Erie HBPA Backstretch office before November 7.
Trainer Testing Completed for 2007
We still have not reached the required number of workers who are required to be certified in First Aid and CPR to qualify for the Ministry of Labour’s “Umbrella Policy”.
At least sixty more backstretch workers are needed in order to meet the minimum certified workers in the “umbrella policy”. If this number is not reached then ALL trainers on the backstretch will be REQUIRED by the Ministry to have two or more First Aid and CPR certified workers and a minimum of
one certified worker in the barn whenever workers are present. The Ministry has agreed to the “umbrella Policy” which allows a specific number of certified persons for the entire backstretch. However we are falling short of the required per- sons and are now seriously at risk of the “umbrella policy” being
revoked.
For more information on the Ministry of Labour’s First Aid
and CPR requirements OR to sign up to be trained for certification contact the HBPA Backstretch office at 416-675-3802.
All Trainer and Assistant Trainer test- ing for 2007 has now been completed. The testing dates for 2008 will be released in December.
For more information contact the HBPA Backstretch Office at Woodbine 416-675-3802 or Fort Erie 905-871-3200, ext. 3249.
Visit us on-line at www.hbpa.on.ca
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