Ontario Racing Welcomes New Transitional Board of Directors
NEWS
Ontario Racing, the new industry association for horse racing in Ontario, is pleased to announce a new board of directors.
While the Ontario Horse Racing Industry Association (OHRIA) has been acting in an advisory capacity to Ontario Racing, the following OHRIA directors now form the board of directors for Ontario Racing on an interim basis:
Sue Leslie, Ontario Racing President & Secretary (Chair of the Board)
President, Horseman's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA)
Bill O’Donnell
President, Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA)
Glenn Sikura
President, Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (CTHS)
Walter Parkinson
President, Standardbred Breeders Ontario Association (SBOA)
Jim Lawson
Chief Executive Officer, Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG)
Bruce Barbour
Executive Director of Racing Operations, Flamboro Raceway (Great Canadian Gaming)
Ted Clarke
General Manager, Grand River Raceway
Bob Broadstock
President, Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc. (QROOI)
As part of the transitional structure, a committee has been struck to create a new permanent governance structure that will be inclusive of industry interests and will be implemented in 2017. This governance committee will work collaboratively with external experts, including legal advisers, on creating a board structure, developing a code of conduct and creating bylaws.
As this transition moves forward, Ontario Racing expresses its appreciation for the hard work of Michael Keegan and John Snobelen. While both have resigned their positions as directors and are no longer connected to Ontario Racing, their service has laid the foundation for the success of the association.
Once constituted, the board of directors will elect a new board chair and provide a strong industry perspective in representing the overall interests of the horse racing industry. The new directors represent a wealth of horse racing industry experience and knowledge that will position the association well to successfully tackle the challenging issues facing the industry.
Commitment to Transparency
A common critique of the horseracing industry in Ontario is that there is a lack of transparency and openness regarding decision making and funding. Ontario Racing is committed to doing things differently. To that end, we are sharing and posting on our website the breakdown of the Horse Racing Partnership Program (HRPP) funding, which is transferred from the provincial government to tracks that conduct live racing in Ontario. This information, found below, forms the beginning of what will be regular disclosures. As we move forward, this information will be found on a new section of the OR website and regularly distributed through this mailing list.
AGCO Consultations
This fall, the AGCO will host a series of targeted in-person stakeholder roundtables, to further discuss proposals for reform and implementation details on a more in-depth basis. If you are interested in participating in a roundtable discussion please respond directly to connect@agco.ca by Monday October 11, 2016. Include your name, e-mail address or phone number, and industry affiliation (e.g. trainer- Standardbred, owner- Quarter Horse, breeder- Thoroughbred, driver, jockey, veterinarian, equine welfare representative, farrier). The AGCO will aim to accommodate all requests for participation at the roundtables and will aspire to ensure a variety of voices are represented.
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