Tuesday 6 November 2012

Rally For The Thoroughbreds At The Royal Agricultural Winter Fair


As many of you have read in my earlier blog, the horse racing industry is suffering the effects of the government, mainly Dalton McGuinty and his ingenious idea to take the slots out of the racetracks.  This Saturday, a rally is being held at the Royal Agriculture Winter Fair to help raise further awareness of this situation.  The rally will take place at 10am just out front of the main entrance between the Coliseum and the National Trade Centre.  All business professionals, horse owners, breeders, and general fans of horse racing are welcome, and encouraged to attend.  

For those who are unaware, McGuinty's decision results in a significant economic, social, and cultural blow to the horse racing industry.  The Ontario Horse Industry is a 2 billion dollar industry that created employment and wages for 60 thousand full-time and part-time employees, and also created 30 thousand jobs for green energy.  Not only is this decision putting employees out of a job, but the horses as well.  The future has forecast a mass slaughter of up to 13,000 Thoroughbreds, Standardbreds, and Quarter Horses by early next year if the industry were to completely collapse.  It is estimated that two-thirds of Ontario tracks will close, there will be fewer racing days, less money in in the prize pots, and therefore, less of a reason to own, breed, and maintain these horses.  

The ripple effect from this decision will be dramatically felt by the Horse Industry. Owning a horse for pleasure or show will no longer be financially feasible, for the average person in Ontario.  As it is, the cost of hay has tripled.  Many of the veterinarians and medical professionals will be forced to head down to the United States, where the horse racing industry still thrives.  As a result to the removal of gambling funds, many rural taxpayers will be asked to compensate for the 20% loss in municipal tax base. At this rate, it will not be long before those beautiful horse farms that we see when we are driving in the rural areas of Ontario are a distant memory.

So please, please, please, come down to the main gate at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair for 10 am on Saturday November 10, to show support for the Horse Industry, and show that we will not stand for this decision!

Thank you for reading.  Be sure to check out my other posts.


Sources:
Why We Should Fight for the Horse Racing Industry?


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