Page 20 - August/September 2007 The Game
P. 20

20 The Game, August/September 2007 Canada’s Thoroughbred Racing Newspaper
Diane Bradsen, Linda Robb & Jane Ruegger
A trip to Princeton
A Look at Racing in British Columbia
By Jim Reynolds
Last month, needing a break from the big smoke, I left the Fraser Valley for Similkameen country and the Wild Rose Farm of Bryan and Carol Anderson in the hills above Princeton, BC a small town about two hours drive up in the mountains northeast of Vancouver.
The Andersons are among the leading breeders in British Columbia and their Princeton ranch consists of 320 acres of rolling hillside meadow, where the year- lings they raise can run around and...well, be horses.
That night a fine barbecue was held for visiting horsemen with entertainment from BC’s best blue grass band, The Courageous Mountain Rangers. Early the next morning I wandered the property taking photos of horses, old wagons and mountainside flora such as Echinacea, Erigeron, Verbascum, and of course, Rosa woodsii (wild roses). Later a bit of fishing produced a fine trout before it was time to go to work.
I was after all, there to work. You see a race meet was held that day. Sunflower Downs’ annual Princeton Racing Days, a unique one-day affair at a small town racetrack. A day of sport and relaxation to which the whole town turns out and folks come from neighbouring towns like Kamloops and Merritt and Keremeos.
A welcome breather for the horsemen and women of Hastings Racecourse it’s attended by trainers, who bring a few of their string to ‘run in the bushes’, exercise riders who get to be jockeys for the day,
jockeys who get to be spectators, and even management who come to relax and see another side of racing.
Trainers shipped in from Washington and Idaho bringing with them about 40 horses and there was even an Arabian race on the card.
About 3,000 people filled the small fairgrounds pushing about $43,500 through the betting win- dows. Dignitaries included the Mayor of Princeton, Yale/Lilloett MLA Harry Lalli, and a few curious newspaper and television personalities from Vancouver.
But the real story of Princeton Days is about the volunteers. The people who make it work, who manned the entrance, and the parking lot, and the hotdog stand, and all the official and not so official jobs around a day of racing. And they were busy. As usual the grandstand was filled to capacity; the beer garden was standing room only, and there were long line-ups at the windows. And that’s where a new group of volunteers helped this year.
You see the pari-mutuel clerks have always been volunteers, and have done a good job, but they receive very little training, usually thrown into the fray with an hour of instruction with the demon machines. Last year Linda Robb, a mutual clerk from Hastings attended the meet to enjoy a busman’s holiday and see life from the other side of the wicket. Linda took a look at the long and some- times slow moving lineups and thought there might be a way to help. So this year
she approached a few of her fellow clerks at Hastings and put together a small group of friends who traveled to Princeton to help man the machines. It turned out to be a very good idea. According to Princeton Racing Days Association President John Bey the help was invaluable.
"They put in a tremendous effort," said John. "The handle was the best in the three years we’ve been running."
With Linda were her friends Diane Bradsen, Jane Ruegger, and Carol Normandin. The group was wined and dined afterward by John Bey who also picked up the tab for their motel that evening.
"We had a lot of fun doing it," said Linda, "it was a great break and we look forward to going up again next year."
Me too.
Another interesting story this month is that Allan McLean bought a stallion. Mr. McLean once stood Dark Hawk, the sire of Canada’s greatest racehorse GEORGE ROYAL. But that was in the 60’s and today Mr. McLean is back in the
The roses of Wild Rose Ranch
game with the determination to breed a ‘good’ horse. Mr. McLean is 87 years young.
The stallion is Second In Command a stakes winning son of Silver Deputy. The well-bred 7 year old will be syndicated and stand at Jack and Pat Bennett’s Road’s End Farm.
Congratulation To Three Hastings Couples
By Jackie Humber
Hastings Trainer, Adam Goodale, who is also assistant to Hall of Fame trainer, Harold Barroby, married his longtime girlfriend Dionne Ormrod on April 17 at The Newlands Golf And Country Club.
Track Superintendent, Drew Levere and his girlfriend , Sabrina Glaser wed on July 4 in Langley.
Veterinarian Joanne Weetman, who is responsible for dispensing all the lasix to Hastings horses became the wife of Jonathon McWhir on July 10 on the beautiful Southlands horse farm.
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Did You Know....
That on June 30, voters approved table games at Mountaineer Race Track,
in Chester West Virgina. Table games such as poker, black-jack and roulette can now be added to the already 3220 slots machines offered at the racetrack. West Virgina voters turned down a similar proposal for Charles Town Races on June 9.
Did You Know....
That a North American record $10,870,752 pick six pool was generated
on Monday, July 2 at Hollywood Park. 13 winning tickets worth $576,064 were cashed.
Did You Know....
That the California Horse Racing Board voted unanimously in early July
to grant a one-year waiver to Bay Meadows Race Course for the synthetic surface mandate which is to go into effect in January 2008. Bay Meadows Land Co. who owns the racetrack says they will likely proceed with developing the track property after the 2008 season.


































































































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