Perhaps it is fitting this decision comes on the day the Great Herve Fillion has passed away, though I certainly would never claim any type of equivalency. It's just funny how some things come together
There comes a time when one must face reality; after 3,308 posts (including this one) and over 992,000 views, it is time to say goodbye to VFTRG. Long-time readers shouldn’t be surprised by this news as the almost daily posting of articles has dropped off to a point where it could be a week or two between postings. I have been debating this moment for a while when today, the decision was made to say ‘enough’; the chronic pain (and varied illnesses) have worn me down to the point where a work of love has become a chore. When it is no longer fun, it is time to stop.
There comes a time when one must face reality; after 3,308 posts (including this one) and over 992,000 views, it is time to say goodbye to VFTRG. Long-time readers shouldn’t be surprised by this news as the almost daily posting of articles has dropped off to a point where it could be a week or two between postings. I have been debating this moment for a while when today, the decision was made to say ‘enough’; the chronic pain (and varied illnesses) have worn me down to the point where a work of love has become a chore. When it is no longer fun, it is time to stop.
Since my initial
blog entry on May 18, 2009, I’ve
tried to stand up for the person often ignored when it comes to harness racing,
the racing fan. I covered races,
specific horses, handicapped races (sorry about that), and perhaps most
importantly, discussed issues facing the industry as well as how it impacted
the racing fan.
I’ve discussed many issues during this eight year run, no
doubt multiple times. Quite honestly,
when you are dealing with an industry which at times seemingly digs its heels
into the ground, refusing to change, you can’t help but re-visit some of the
common themes of one’s blog. I
understand people and industries don’t want to change but if there is any long-term
hope for harness racing, the young Turks are going to have to push those who
refuse to change out of the way and make the tough choices. After all, the slot revenue isn't going to be there forever.
There has been a lot of good stuff written over this eight
years, so while I am no longer going to post to VFTRG, feel free to read some
of the old articles; just type a theme in the search box and see what treasures you come up with to read.
I am thankful for the friends I’ve made over the years and
hope to stay in touch with them. While
VFTRG is coming to an end, this is not good bye. I will still be involved with horse rescue
and help continue to promote racing under saddle when possible. Should the opportunity arise, I may come up
with an occasional article for other publications to publish.
Thank you for being a part of my life during the past eight
years. Hopefully, there is a lot of
great racing ahead and the industry makes some changes to make the game
more challenging to handicap and become more relevant to the millennials
and others so they take another look at harness racing and decide it is a ‘cool’
sport and gaming experience.
I'll see you in the grandstand.....
