Standardbred broodmares in Ontario has decreased from 4,072 mares to 1,696 mares
By Thomasina Orr, University of Guelph Agricultural Communications Student, for Farms.com
Ontario’s’ Standardbred horse sector is hoping for a $12-million Horse Improvement Program grant to stabilize the flagging sector.
After the termination of the OLG Slots at Racetracks Program (SARP) which provided significant funding to the sector, Ontario’s racing industry has struggled to find a substitute.
Ontario has 14 racetracks that host Standardbred harness racing, making harness racing more prevalent in Ontario than any other province. More than 18,000 racing licenses are issued to individuals within the Ontario Standardbred racing community. But the expiry of the SARP agreement raises serious concerns about funding and the reality of keeping all 14 racetracks open. The SARP agreement divided slot revenue between the province, municipality, host track and race purses.
To help, the province offered aid packages to both Thoroughbred and Quarter Horse associations for $12 million and $6 million, respectively.
However, the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association has been awaiting an aid grant of its own.
Following deliberations in November, the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association asked for a program for Ontario Standardbreds to support Ontario bred-and-sired Standardbreds, and raise the value of race purses. Officials believe the overall stability of the Ontario harness racing industry would increase.
The Slots At Racetracks Program closure had harsh effects on Standardbred breeders. Many have been forced to reduce their breeding stock to account for the low selling prices of their offspring. In fact, the number of Standardbred broodmares in Ontario has decreased from 4,072 mares to just 1,696 mares in three years.
Ontario Standardbred breeder Ashley Bako realizes the risk of breeding more Standardbreds considering the current state of the industry. But she is optimistic about the assistance a $12- million grant could provide.
“Utilized correctly, an aid grant from the Ontario government could greatly increase the value of our product and this would have a huge impact on our success in the business, especially for small breeders like myself,” she says. “It’s hard to sell Ontario racehorses if the provincial racing program isn’t lucrative.”
A final decision about whether the Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association will receive financial aid from the Ontario government has not yet been announced. Deliberations continue despite government assurances that a decision would be reached mid-November.
Thomasina Orr grew up in St.Thomas, Ontario, but she currently resides in Guelph, completing her fourth year at the University of Guelph for a Bachelor’s degree in Bio Resource Equine Management. Thomasina has a particular interest in the horse racing industry as she began working with Thoroughbreds at the age of 13. The experiences and opportunities she has had through her career in Canada and working abroad have made her realize that horse racing is something she wants to be a part of. This article is part of Thomasina’s course work for the University of Guelph agricultural communications course, instructed by Prof. Owen Roberts.