B.C. Racing Postponement Program and More Updates

The HBPA and BCTOBA are offering two programs to get money immediately in the hands of owners to help with some of the costs of spring training. The associations realize the shutdown of training at Hastings Racecourse has been very costly to many owners during this worldwide health crisis.

To aid the owners they are offering advance funding on the Wintering Program and horses that are eligible will receive $1750.00 in advance of the $3500.00 available.

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Also to aid all of owners who are BC Residents a one time payment of $1000.00 is available to all horses that were in training and have to have shutdown for now. Horses receiving the Wintering Program are not eligible for both programs.

See the forms below in today’s newsletter. Cut and Paste them, fill them out and forward to Cristan Gossen at cristan@bctoba.com

Cristan will get you the money as soon as possible. More later on the how we are going to get you the funding.

2020 Racing Season Postponement Program

BRITISH COLUMBIA RESIDENTS ONLY

Application

Horse:

Trainer:

Owner(s):

Telephone:

E-mail:

Mailing Address:

I/We, owner(s) of the thoroughbred race horse named above, hereby apply/ies for the payment of $1,000 available under this program on a one-time only basis.

I/We confirm that my/our horse was in training and preparing to race during the Hastings Racecourse 2020 Season when the postponement of the 2020 Season was announced.

I/We understand that my/our horse is not eligible to receive any payments available under the 2020 Wintering Program.

My/our horse was in training at from the date of to the present.

I/We understand the $1,000 payment will be credited to my/our account at the Horseman’s Bookkeeper Office.

Date:

Signature of Owner

Please fill out this form and email to Cristan Gossen at cristan@bctoba.com

UPDATE TO CTHS HORA SALE

To Consignors and those people who bought horses in the CTHS Horses of Racing Age Sale. Please be notified that those horses qualify for the 2020 Racing Season Postponement Program. The racing association have decided that both the consignor and the purchaser are eligible for $500.00 each. Please contact Cristan Gossen and get a copy of the application form at cristan@bctoba.com , Fill out the form and return it to Cristan.

MEMO TO BC INDUSTRY MEMBERS

The COVID-19 worldwide health crisis has caused difficulties, misfortune, and hardship to not only our Racing Industry but all of Society in general.

Everyone and everything has been affected.

The BC and Vancouver State of Emergency(s) for health reasons has seen businesses, government agencies, restaurants, schools, parks etc all closed on a temporary basis and social distancing restrictions imposed on all of us.

The effect on horseracing has been the closure of the Fraser Downs and Hasting Racecourse Casinos as well as all of the TBC sites, the suspension of training and the postponement of the Hastings Racing Season.

While the Government and City restrictions are still currently in place there is reason for optimism given the recent comments from Dr Bonnie Henry, BC’s Chief Medical Health Officer and Prime Minister Trudeau saying that the restrictions are beginning to work and the numbers are indicating a flattening of the curve. Even though these health measures will likely remain in place at a minimum, for several more weeks. But, there appears to be a growing realization that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

To all of us involved in Racing this means once the restrictions are lessened or lifted we can return to the business of training and racing our horses. It is our expectation that Hastings will reopen for training in the not too distant future with the commencement of the Racing Season to follow.

While we need TBC and the Casinos to come on line to add monies to the Purse Account we do currently have sufficient funds on hand to run a shortened season even without those revenue sources.

There have been rumours circulating that GCGC is trying to end racing and take us all out of business.
These rumours are not true. We have been advised by Great Canadian that they remain committed to Racing and have assured us that they will work with us in reopening Hastings for training and establishing a starting date for the Racing Season at the earliest possible time once there is some relief from the health restrictions.

It will take courage, determination, and resolve on the part of all of us to get though these difficult times but we will succeed in the end.

With that success will come the resumption of training and Racing at Hastings Racecourse.

There will be regular updates in the days ahead.

Good Luck to all.

David Milburn (President HBPA)

Ole Nielsen (President BCTOBA)

Grant Watson (President CTHS)

Glen Todd (BCHRIMC)PDATE TO CTHS HORA SALE

BRITISH COLUMBIA HORSE RACING INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT COMMITTEE

The BCHRIMC have been meeting frequently over the past few weeks to discuss the Covid – 19 virus and its serious effect on racing in 2020.

We have the assurance from GCGC that the moment its declared safe the track will re-open to training.

On our teleconference call yesterday it was decided to add a new Task Force Committee to the committee until this deadly virus is behind us. The Task Force will be made up of persons from both the Standard Bred Association, the Thoroughbred Racing Associations and GCGC (Hastings Racecourse). More on the forming of that committee shortly.