The Great Canadian Gaming Corporation shuttered Fraser Downs March 18 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that closure is leaving the horsemen feeling shut out.
After receiving a notice to be out by April 1st, the horsemen have started a petition asking to stay.
鈥淲e鈥檙e worried that our health concerns are not being met,鈥� Sandra Roberts told the Cloverdale Reporter.
Roberts, an owner/trainer at Fraser Downs for 20 years, said she feels GCGC isn鈥檛 addressing the horsemen鈥檚 welfare by asking them to vacate Fraser Downs by April Fool鈥檚 Day.
鈥淭he information they released wasn鈥檛 true,鈥� said Roberts. 鈥淭hey gave us an eviction letter 鈥� they called it a request to vacate 鈥� but when they said they were doing it to protect the health and well-being of everyone, they weren鈥檛 talking about the horses and the horsemen.鈥�
On March 18, GCGC wrote in a press release that closing down 鈥渨as necessary to protect the health and well-being of the company鈥檚 team members, the industry participants that race and train at the race tracks, and the support personnel for the industry.鈥�
鈥淥ur health and well-being would be served by letting us stay on the grounds.鈥�
She said about 100 horses and about 60 people are being affected by the notice.
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Roberts added that the only people in the stables are the ones providing everyday care for the horses. She said not even owners are allowed in to feed their horses apples.
鈥淣ot the public, or unnecessary people mingling in the barns, but just the minimal personnel to ensure the care of their horses.鈥�
She said there are never more than 12 people in a barn at any one time and they are open barns not enclosed barns.
鈥淲e come to the barn to do our chores and, when finished, go home,鈥� Roberts said. 鈥淲e are stabled in barns that are 275 feet long by 75 feet wide.鈥�
Roberts is confused as to why GCGC wants them to move out if GCGC really has the well-being of the horses and horsemen in mind.
鈥淲hy (force) us to leave and disperse out to new places, causing new exposures, at a time when very little options are out there?鈥�
Roberts wants GCGC to reconsider and she already has a petition with about 70 signatures on it.
鈥淭his is a time to consider the well-being of the entire community.鈥�
The petition asks GCGC to let the horsemen stay on the grounds for the indefinite future. It also says, 鈥淭he majority of horsemen have nowhere to go, as most training centres and farms have closed to the movement of people 鈥� and horses.鈥�
The petition also says it鈥檚 in the 鈥渂est interest for horses and their caregivers to stay put at Fraser Downs.鈥�
Horseman Brent Hill said there are probably 50 horses still in the stables. 鈥淪ome horses have already been moved, but many (horsemen) don鈥檛) have anywhere to (take the horses). They鈥檙e phoning places in Alberta, now. The big stables in 黑马磁力 are already all filled up. You can鈥檛 find availably for your horses.鈥�
Hill said he鈥檚 lucky as he has a place to stable his horse, but he added some of the horsemen are now talking about squatting.
鈥淭here isn鈥檛 enough space for all those horses to go anywhere in the Lower Mainland,鈥� he said. 鈥淪ome horses and horsemen have already started to spread out across the country. That鈥檚 not really the best way to stop the spread of the virus.鈥�
GCGC announced the closure of Hastings Racecourse in Vancouver and Flamboro Downs in Hamilton at the same time they announced the closure of Fraser Downs.
Matthew Anfinson, Great Canadian鈥檚 COO, said in that March 18 release, 鈥淭his was a difficult decision for the Company to make, especially considering a similar decision was made for Great Canadian鈥檚 gaming properties across the country just a few days ago.鈥�
Media contact Chuck Keeling, executive VP for stakeholder relations and responsible gaming, did not return calls by publication time.
editor@cloverdalereporter.com
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