New Brunswick budget has horsemen packing their bags

Bo Ford

April 5, 2012

Chris Davies grew up following his father John around at Exhibition Park Raceway in Saint John, with a dream of one day operating his own stable on the tracks grounds.

Davies now has his own stable at EPR but he will have to make some tough decisions within the next couple of months.

Horsemen at EPR and Fredericton Raceway received devastating news last week when the government announced it would be pulling the $600,000 funding for harness racing in the province.

The cut will come March 31 of next year and most New Brunswickers say this is the beginning of the end for harness racing in province.

 “The purses are already low, and with the cut in funding, I don’t think I’ll be able to even break even,” said Davies.

This has forced the 23-year-old to consider the move across the boarder to Maine where he spent most of his summer last year.
“We tried it out down there last year, and we had not a bad year. It’s for sure in the cards this year now,” said Davies

Davies, the trainer of five, talked about the industry and how things don’t look very good.

“Well, it doesn’t look like Ontario is in too good of shape. Out west is pretty well done, and with New Brunswick on the down turn Nova Scotia will soon follow.”

With the recent announcement Davies said it doesn’t only affect New Brunswick horsemen but North America wide.

“P.E.I. and Nova Scotia will be affected when New Brunswick goes, because of the stakes program the younger horses won’t have as much money to race for.”

On the bigger side of things Davies said it will affect Maine and also Ontario.

“Lots of people from New Brunswick buy horses out of Maine and Ontario to race here, and soon that might not be a possibility.”

Davies had positive thoughts for the Island racing scene. He said P.E.I. would be the last place in Canada to stop racing.

“With the amount of money Old Home Week brings into P.E.I., it would be hard for them to cut funding and loose that income.”