Harness racing is on the ropes, this time in New Brunswick, Canada as Harness Racing New Brunswick is racing 37 days this year due to the provincial government cutting the $600,000 subsidy to harness racing. As mentioned in this CTV Atlantic report, whether there will be harness racing next year in the province is a question mark as it doesn't seem like the province is about to restore the cuts net year.
Horsemen in NB realize they need assistance from some source, ideally slot machines. The only problem is the casino in Muncton, NB has exclusivity until 2018.
This year the Atlantic Sires Stakes was cut from New Burnswick due to funding problems. Next year, that may be the least of the problems.
With the Ontario draft report suggesting the end of the Horse Improvement Program is coming, many breeders are going to be going out of business, soon. With the OnSS grassroots program supporting the off-spring of the run of the mill stallions, the reduction in value of the sires stakes program will mean the demand for these stallions and their foals will likely evaporate overnight. To survive in breeding in Ontario, blue blood pedigrees are the only ones which will be in demand.
David Briggs offers criticism of the draft proposal being circulated in Ontario.
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