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- From: lawhcohen--- via Derby
- Date: Wed, 21 Oct 2020 18:33:27 -0700 (PDT)
- Subject:
Re: [Derby] harness racing dead set against Integrity Act (Terry Bjork)
Terry, et.al., Let's please not paint the standardbred ecosystem with the same broad brush. Although the USTA (Trotters not Tennis) has taken a negative position on the HISA, there are other voices that are other loud and respected harness voices in support of HISA. For example, the Hambletonian Society, which runs the biggest Open Staking organization in the sport, supports HISA. https://www.hambletonian.com/newsblog/2020/9/29/the-hambletonian-society-sta tement-on-the-horse-racing-integrity-and-safety-act The Hambletonian Society is headed by perhaps the most respected living voice in the sport, the great (retired) driver John Campbell, whose integrity was always beyond reproach. In my opinion, the Standardbreds were treated as second class citizens in the formulation of this legislation; their views and needs were not taken into account. My family has owned both Standardbreds and Thoroughbreds so I come at it from an even handed view. I note in the following article, that I just googled, that the Quarterhorse people NAARVA, also oppose HISA. So the powers that be ramming through legislation without doing full due diligence, with all affected parties, seems to be a pattern. http://www.harnesslink.com/News/NAARV-opposes-HISA-federal-legislation- Larry Harness, The Experience Message: 1 Date: Tue, 20 Oct 2020 18:41:32 -0600 From: Terry Bjork <tlbjork@xxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:tlbjork@xxxxxxxxxxx> > To: "derby@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:derby@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> " <derby@xxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:derby@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: [Derby] harness racing dead set against Integrity Act Message-ID: <CY4PR1401MB20850DEE96F66A696AD7528DA91C0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ook.com <mailto:CY4PR1401MB20850DEE96F66A696AD7528DA91C0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx od.outlook.com> > Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8; format=flowed Trouble in Horse Racing Safety and Integrity land. The US Trotting Association opposes the Act, primarily on medication grounds. I know harness racing opposing integrity will surprise people. USTA is dead set against joining into the new national Integrity Act framework, and supposedly the law gives them some sort of loophole out. And why not, the general public already thinks harness racing is squeaky clean, thus its massive handle. So what would a racing state with both breeds do in the world of the future? Maintain a whole regulatory structure just for standardbreds? Or say the hell with it and claw back that slots welfare purse money for better and higher uses? And now there's a big internal squabble in harness racing. Interesting reading. http://ustrottingnews.com/usta-opposes-horseracing-integrity-and-safety-act- of-2020-hisa/ http://ustrottingnews.com/usta-president-russell-williams-responds-to-jeff-g ural-on-his-letter-to-usta-directors-re-federal-legislation/ _______________________________________________ Derby mailing list Posting: Derby at lists.derbylist.com Sub/Unsub: http://lists.derbylist.com/listinfo.cgi/derby-derbylist.com