SBOA recently sent the following letter to Ontario breeders regarding changes to its membership policies and commenting on the general state of the industry:
Dear Breeder:
Please find enclosed your membership form for 2013. You will note we have made some changes. We are no longer offering the opportunity for joint SBOA membership with the Canadian Sportsman in order to streamline some of our processes. If you have previously paid for the Canadian Sportsman, you will continue to receive your subscription until it is due for renewal. At which point, you can continue to subscribe to the magazine by making direct arrangements with the publication. We are grateful for the opportunity to work with the Canadian Sportsman on this initiative and appreciate the magazine’s continued support of SBOA initiatives.
We have also changed the manner in which you need to register with the SBOA; you only need to register the listed breeder for any horses. For example, if you have a Farm name in which you register your horses in, you do not need to pay membership for every owner of the farm. As a result, you are only paying one membership fee rather than several in some cases. However, please list the owners or associated people with the stable or farm on the line provided for our records.
We know this year has been particularly hard for the breeders of this province. Please know that the directors of the SBOA continue to do everything possible to apply pressure and to get firm answers from our government. The SBOA has been and remains actively involved in the hopes that we will develop solutions that will allow for a viable and sustainable industry in the long term. Unfortunately, the devastation of the decision to end Slots at Racetracks program has hit the breeders hardest, first with the announcement at the start of the breeding season and then the lack of firm answers before yearling sales which saw record low yearling prices.
However, we do feel that headway is being made, albeit very slowly, and we are committed to continue fighting for an industry we are passionate about. We have been assured that there is intent by the government to have a viable racing program with maintenance of the current purse structure in the Ontario Sires Stakes program but cannot let up until all of the details have been worked out and finalized. We will continue to advocate for breeders in this province.
SBOA Banquet Jan. 19, 2013
With the holiday season quickly approaching, we hope that you will make plans to attend the annual SBOA banquet that will be taking place on Jan 19, 2013 at the Sheraton Toronto Airport Hotel and Conference Centre. It is a chance to honor the breeders of this year’s top 2 and 3 year-old Ontario sired horses.
Arrangements for tickets can be made by contacting Aimee Adams (aimee@sboa.com or by speaking with an SBOA director. And last but not least, on behalf of the SBOA, we would like to extend our sincere wishes for a Merry Christmas with the hope that as an industry, we will have a brighter outlook for 2013! We appreciate your continued support!
Sincerely
Anna Meyers President
