I would like to start this month’s column by thanking all of you across the country that were so kind as to send congratulations my way. For those of you who don't yet know, I have been offered the wonderful opportunity to fill the role of Director of Racing for Fraser Downs in Surrey, BC. I am eagerly looking forward to working with Chuck Keeling and his team at Great Canadian Gaming. (I almost feel like I am now related to Chris Roberts.)
Just after my last column was written, the dates were announced for the regional qualifying legs of our Canadian Driving Championship. The winner of the final will represent our country at the 2009 World Driving Championship. And who knew I would be playing a very exciting role in the process? By the time you read this, regional champions will have been crowned in Ontario, Quebec and the Atlantic provinces with only the western regional champion yet to be determined. (That leg takes place at Fraser Downs in December.) I look forward to seeing all the regional champions at Fraser Downs on March 21st, 2009, for the Canadian final. The winner will travel to Oslo, Norway in May 2009 to compete wearing Canadian colours.
SC Ontario Director Jim Lehman sat in on the Ontario Racing Commission information session on the whipping issue and reports that both sides were very active in explaining their position during the discussion. With any luck, the ORC will respond soon.
Ted Smith and his management team met several times in October and drafted a proposed 2009 operating budget for the full Board to approve in November. This is a complicated process for many reasons; for one, Standardbred Canada is a national association and takes on the large financial burden of frequent travel in trying to represent all members. But it’s not just what we do that’s laid out on the table at this time of year — it’s what we should be doing.
Some members think Standardbred Canada should be involved in promotion, some don't. Some believe we should be involved in national endeavours, some don't.
Some think Standardbred Canada should only be a record keeping body, some don't.
These are just a few of the questions the Board must rationalize and make some tough decisions about in November. Various committees (Audit & Governance, Executive and Breeders) will also meet at this time. I will provide you with all the updates in December.
I know I’m starting to sound like a broken record, but congratulations to Deweycheatumnhowe (Kentucky Futurity), Art Official (victories in Kentucky), Somebeachsomewhere (equalled world record in Lexington) and Shadow Play (Little Brown Jug winner). It looks like some people were right when they thought the Jug winner would come from the Maritimes!
And again we have some first-time achievements. Congratulations to Ryan Perrot with his first driving win at Charlottetown Driving Park aboard Allamerican Napa. Jim Robbie hit the wire first with Fulla Camotion at Woodstock. And Amber Lancaster has something to celebrate as well -- I wonder if 50 years from now the youthful daughter of Tim and Sandra Brown will be sitting around a camp-fire, telling her friends how her first training victory was in the Open Pace at Fraser Downs with Classy Character in 1:53.1? Congratulations to Amber and all the other first-time achievers in our great industry!
November is such an exciting month for horsemen, as most of the yearling sales are over -- new purchases are commencing their training and just beginning to reveal their potential.
Good luck to all!