Odds On Racing - Harness Racing

British Columbia Gets Busy

April 24, 2008

The BC Standardbred Association has announced that 70 racing industry leaders, government representatives, horse owners and trainers attended a presentation by racing industry consultants IER at Fraser Downs Monday.

On Tuesday, BC's Gaming Policy and Enforcement Branch representatives also met with IER to view the company's presentation. BC Standardbred Association president Jim Vinnell said both presentations were extremely well presented and received by all in attendance.

IER will be conducting a Size and Scope study of the horse racing industry in British Columbia. The standardbred industry is committing funds set aside from the BC Horse Racing Industry Business Plan to complete the study, and the standardbreds are hopeful that the thoroughbred industry will also be both a contributor and participant to the study.

The collection of data from stakeholder groups, industry participants and consumer groups is expected to take about eight weeks with the analysis and final report expected to be completed by October this year.

The presidents and directors of the BC Standardbred Association, BC Standardbred Breeders Society, Horseman's Benevolent & Protective Association BC and the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society BC were also in attendance for the presentation on Monday.

"In British Columbia we have an industry that we can be really proud of and an industry that should be profiled as being of great benefit to the economy of the province," said BC Standardbred Association executive director David Aldred. "I am sure that IER's knowledge of the horse racing industry and the company's ability to strategically analyze and report on factors critical to the racing industry's growth and success will be highly valued by those people who have occasion to inquire about the economic impact of the industry together with those people who participate in our industry in British Columbia."