Page 19 - The Game November 2006
P. 19

Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
The Game, November 2006 19
HBPAAdministrativeOffices:135Queen’sPlateDrive,Suite370,Toronto,ON,M9W6V1 phone:416-747-5252
Important Information for Pension Plan Members
Ho Ho Ho Santa’s Coming!
The HBPA Annual Backstretch Children’s Christmas Parties are set for the end of November so be sure to mark your calendars.
This year’s Fort Erie Christmas Party will be held on Saturday, November 25 at the Crystal Ridge Community Center at 99 Ridgeway Rd, in Ridgeway. The fun will begin at 12 noon and continue until 3:00pm with Santa making a special visit with gifts for all the good girls and boys.
Tickets are available at the Fort Erie HBPA Backstretch Office until November 10. The office is open daily from 7am to 3pm.
This year’s Woodbine Christmas party is scheduled for Monday, November 27 and is once again an evening event from 5 pm to 8 pm at the Woodbine Backstretch Kitchen. The party will feature a traditional Christmas feast and refreshments. Santa will also be in attendance and will be handing out gifts to all the good girls and boys.
For those who wish to attend please sign up at the HBPA office before November 21 or call 416-675-3802 or 1-800-268-9967 ext. 2249.
Fort Erie HBPA Backstretch Office closes Nov 10
Shedrow of the Month
The HBPA at Woodbine and Woodbine Entertainment Group would like to congratulate the following shed row of the month winner who will receive a $100 reward.
The winning shedrow is based on the overall appearance of the barn and the surrounding area.
Shedrow of the month for October 2006 at Woodbine was Trainer Greg Cox and his crew.
Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings
Every Tuesday at 1pm HBPA Trailer Backstretch Woodbine Racetrack
HBPA Update
Report from the Executive Director
As we reach deep stretch in our live
2006 thoroughbred race season in
Ontario with Fort Erie now completed
and Woodbine at the 1/16th pole, our
planning now begins for 2007 racing in
the province. At Woodbine, 2007 will
position itself with 167 live racing dates
with an opening day kick off set for
Saturday March 31, 2007 and a closing
date set for Sunday December 9, 2007.
This racing season no doubt works very
well for our industry in many facets
including generating the employment opportunities available to our labour force. It ensures that all backstretch personal can continue to be “full time employees” in our industry. In order to accom- modate the March 31 start date with the goal of maintaining and even increasing field size, the back- stretch will open for ship-in on February 1, 2007. The sand ring will open for training on February 4 and the training track will open on February11. With a current December 10, 2006 closing day, that means that we will only be away from the track for seven weeks this winter. This ten and half month live cycle this winter can only benefit all thoroughbred horse- men in every practical aspect of our industry.
At Fort Erie, an agreement between the HBPA and Nordic Gaming has lead to an amendment to our current contract which deals specifically with live race dates over the next three years. Although our live race dates are now benchmarked at a minimum of 84 days for 2007, 2008, and 2009, the live race season will kick off on Kentucky Derby Day (the first Saturday in May) and end on or about the last Monday in October. This season length will ensure the same labour opportunities will be afforded to the
Fort Erie workforce as is the case at Woodbine. This amendment also brings some stability to an environment that has significant challenges ahead with the economic uncertainty in the region. Last month, the OLG announce the trimming of 104 management posi- tions at the two casinos in Niagara Falls. This obviously is not a positive sign for the gaming economy in the region. In this light, the HBPA has done well to at least minimize some of this guessing over the next three years.
On a completely different note, last month the HBPA newly elected Board held their executive election. The new President of the HBPA is Sue Leslie. Sue has been a trainer and owner for several years and is serving her second consecutive term with the HBPA. Without question, Sue brings the leadership we need to continue to serve our members in the most efficient and professional manner possible. Also elected to the executive were Bill Diamant as Vice President-Owners, and Nick Gonzalez as Vice-President-Trainers. Yours truly (Nick Coukos) retained his position as Secretary Treasurer.
At Woodbine, Woodbine Entertainment Group recently announced (October 19, 2006) the appointment of Jamie Martin as Senior Vice President, Racing. In this capacity Jamie will assume overall responsibility for both thoroughbred and standardbred racing operations. We look forward to working with Jamie and wish him much success for years to come.
The Annual Record of Employment (ROE) form for 2006 has been sent out to all HBPA Pension Plan members and is now due. This form must be completed and returned to the HBPA by February 1, 2007.
Under new pension regulations, individuals who do not submit or who have missed two or more yearly ROE submissions may be removed from the plan.
Completed ROE forms can be dropped of at the HBPA backstretch office or mailed to the HBPA administration Office. If you require any additional information you can contact the HBPA Woodbine Backstretch office at 416-675-3802 / 1-800-268-9967 Ext 2249 or the HBPA Fort Erie Backstretch
Office at 1-800-295-3770 Ext 3249/908-871-3200 Ext 3249.
Executive Director Nick Coukos
Lucky Cash Winners
Every Sunday throughout the month of August the HBPA and Fort Erie Racetrack were giving away a total of $3000 cash per week ($1000 each) for 3 lucky race fans. Everyone wearing an HBPA/Fort Erie t-shirt to the races each Sunday could enter a draw for the $1000 prize and was then eligible to win the grand prize of two tickets to this year’s Breeders’ Cup in Kentucky which was given away on August 27. Seen here from left to right on Sunday August 20 are: HBPA Director Michael Barkowski; Fort Erie Broadcaster/Handicapper Elissa Blowe; Winner Bob Barber from Fort Erie; Winner Mary Carpenter from St. Catharines; Winner Russ Griesanti from Buffalo; and Fort Erie’s Director of Communications, Daryl Wells Jr.
The HBPA Backstretch office at Fort Erie will be open Monday to Friday from 7am to 3pm until it closes for the season at 3pm on Friday November 10, 2006.
The Backstretch Office will re-open in Fort Erie on Monday, March 5, 2007.
The HBPA administration office in Toronto is open year round and can be reached by calling 416-747-5252
Visit us on-line at www.hbpa.on.ca
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