 
Around the Province
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Around the ProvinceHorse racing positively impacts all of British Columbia. Breeders, suppliers and farmers elsewhere benefit from the race courses in Vancouver, Surrey, North Saanich and in the Interior. There are TBC Teletheatres throughout the province. The history of B.C. thoroughbred racing dates back to 1848 in Victoria. Photos abound in archives of 19th century harness racing on the ice in the Okanagan, at Kin Racetrack in Vernon, at county fairs just about everywhere, at Hastings Park in Vancouver and within Beacon Hill Park in Victoria.
If the vision for Fraser Downs, Sandown Park, Rainbow Downs (Chilliwack) and the B.C. standardbred breeding industry becomes reality, we believe the horse population and professional talent will grow to a point where racing could once again take place in many communities, most likely during annual fairs and special festivals. The dramatic success of harness racing in Ontario since the advent of slot machines, has led to the highest possible standards of competition at the main tracks, Mohawk and Woodbine. Only the very best horses can make the grade, and only the best in the world for the important stakes races. The most substantial population of horses and horsemen race effectively and profitably at smaller tracks all over the province. This the model for us, a circuit which might also involve Alberta and California. We continue to work effectively with Hastings Racecourse and its owners, Woodbine Entertainment Group, and others within the province’s thoroughbred sector. We believe, for example, that efforts to develop more thoroughbred and quarter horse racing at Interior tracks might be enhanced if those operators considered also facilitating future harness racing. Sturdy harness horses can race 30 or 40 times a year or more, in all kinds of weather, compared to thoroughbred horses which rarely can run more than 10 times a year. TBC Teletheatres |
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Fraser Downs 17755 - 60th Avenue, Surrey, B.C. V3S 1V3 Canada |
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