Page 94 - January 2019

The 2010 FQHRA Board included Larry Taylor, Duayne Didericksen, Steve Fisch, Bill McKibben, Dan Lucas, Randy Henry, Will Fisch and David Muzio.
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He also acted as on-site general manager for the live race meet at Wyoming Downs Race Track in Evanston during the summers from 2007 through 2009.
“I loved running and operating the racetrack and being involved in all aspects of it,” he says “— not only the backside with the horsemen and the jockeys, but with the general public, the races going forward, the mutuels, the new innovations — all of that.”
A UNIQUE PERSPECTIVE
Having been a trainer and a jockey
as well as an owner, breeder, official and administrator, Duayne brings a plate full of knowledge to any table set to improve the status of Quarter Horse racing.
“We’ve served together on many committees,” says Debbie Schauf, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Quarter Horse Racing Association since 1996. “His firsthand knowledge about all segments of the industry has been very valuable as we’ve evolved over the years and formulated new policies and tried to do the best we can to promote racing.
“Since he spent many years as a regulator, he understands that side of the business, where most horsemen really don’t understand why we have to do some things that regulations require. Unlike the show industry where organizations make their own rules, we have to
operate under state and federal rules to protect the integrity of wagering.
“When he evolved into racetrack management, he also had that viewpoint
to share with horsemen who don’t always understand what a racetrack has to consider toward the bottom line besides providing an opportunity for horsemen to race at
that track.”
Sadly, Duayne and others’ knowledge and understanding of the racing industry and their dedication to promoting it wasn’t quite enough to convince voters to legalize historical horse racing in Idaho this past November. It was
a bitter pill for all involved in the effort, as Treasure Valley Racing was forced to withdraw from its Les Bois lease, sounding the death knell for horse racing in Idaho.
“Statewide, it’s going to be very devastating,” he says. “I don’t think people realize the enormity of it yet. Here in Boise alone, we impacted Ada County and this area with $50 million a year. Now, the Commission will be out of money because they won’t sell enough licenses or have enough handle to keep them going. They’ll have to pass the costs of the stewards and the photo finishes and the testing and all of that to the racetracks, and that’s another $4,000–5,000 per day expense. The fairs can’t handle that. And the worst part is that there won’t be enough racehorses left to sustain racing in Idaho.”
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breeder, official and administrator, Duayne (shown in 1987) brings a plate full of knowledge to any table set to improve the status of Quarter Horse racing.
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90 SPEEDHORSE, January 2019