To the Editor:
I am putting pen to paper in an effort to inform residents of Saskatchewan and particularly those of Yorkton how important the harness racing industry is to your economy.
Last spring I moved into Yorkton from Manitoba with eight horses and a fifth wheel camper trailer to train and race out of the Yorkton Exhibition grounds. I remained there until the end of the racing season. All feed, supplements, veterinary supplies and services, tack, fuel and repairs were purchased in Yorkton. My partner Valerie Emerson drove from Gladstone, MB to Yorkton every Thursday afternoon and returned to Manitoba Sunday evening. Every week she bought groceries and fueled up her car in Yorkton prior to leaving for home.
Every weekend without fail we had family and friends drive to Yorkton to watch the races and have a visit. I have two owners who reside in Saskatchewan and they religiously made the two hour drive to attend the races and cheer their horses on. They too brought people with whom they shared the experience. It was exciting to race in front of the large and enthusiastic crowds that came out to watch the races, make a wager and enjoy the steak suppers and the concession food and drinks. After the races and the horses had been retired for the night we gathered to enjoy a meal and refreshments this too all being purchased in Yorkton. Naturally the next day the women took advantage of the great shopping available there.
At the end of 2013, when the final accounting was done it showed that all the purse monies that were won and training fees paid in Yorkton were spent in Yorkton that, and a large sum more. That being said I would have returned for another racing season both for the love of the sport and the hope that in the future racing in Saskatchewan could prove lucrative.
I understand that there are only so many tax dollars to go around but I believe if the Saskatchewan government took a good look at the amount of revenue generated by Friday night harness racing in Yorkton and compared it to other recreational activities and entertainment that they fund, harness racing would be a long way from the bottom of the list.
I am competing this month in the Western Regional Drivers Challenge at Fraser Downs, representing the province of Saskatchewan. I give thanks to Yorkton Exhibition for their hard work in securing sponsorship so that harness racing continued in the province in 2013. I will do my utmost to make Saskatchewan proud but the real victory will be if harness racing is resuscitated in the province.
I implore those who have the power to do so to take another look at harness racing in your province. It will be a sad day indeed when the province of Saskatchewan is the only one in all of Canada not supporting this industry.
Richard Remillard, Gladstone MB.
