OHRIA has represented the horse racing industry in Ontario for more than 18 years. Formed in 1994, OHRIA is a non-profit organization.
OHRIA currently represents 21 paying Member associations and tracks and the OHRIA Board consists of eight representatives, each of which represent one vote on the OHRIA Board:
Thoroughbred Horsemen (HBPA)
Standardbred Horsemen (COSA)
Quarter Horse Horsemen (QROOI)
Thoroughbred Breeders (CTHS)
Standardbred Breeders (SBOA)
Not-For Profit Race Tracks
For-Profit Race Tracks
Woodbine Entertainment Group
The member horsemen groups and breeder groups are represented by their elected group Presidents. The three Standardbred horsemen groups who are members of OHRIA, annually nominate and elect a Director to represent them on the OHRIA Board. The Not-for Profit racetracks who are members of OHRIA and the For-Profit Racetracks each nominate and elect a Director annually who represents them on the OHRIA Board.
A listing of all OHRIA’s members is listed below.
OHRIA is the organization that negotiated with the province in 1998 when the Mike Harris PC government approached the horse racing industry to install their slot machine in the racetracks. After two years of negotiation the Slots at Racetracks Program (SARP) was created. OHRIA negotiated with the Province to ensure a 20% share for the horseracing industry, half for horsemen and half for racetrack operators. At the time, it was up to the racetrack operators to decide if they wanted to participate in the SARP. The horsepeople who raced at the racetracks participating in the SARP then benefitted from the 10% of horsepeople’s share through the purses offered by each track.
OHRIA continually lobbied throughout the years to ensure that the 20% industry share of the SARP continued.
This year the industry has faced the cancellation of a successful program from which the industry has come to rely. The current government has cancelled SARP and OHRIA has tirelessly worked to ensure a future for horseracing and breeding in Ontario.
Once a final plan to replace SARP has been negotiated, it will once again be up to racetrack operators to decide if they want to participate in the program.
Thanks to the efforts of OHRIA, the horseracing and breeding industry has enjoyed the economic results of the SARP for the past 14 years and it is now up to OHRIA to continue to work for the industry during these continuing negotiations with government.
The following racetracks and organizations make up OHRIA’s 2012 membership. Click here for links to members and other industry websites are below.
Ajax Downs, Clinton Raceway, Central Ontario Standardbred Association (COSA), Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society – Ontario Division (CTHS), Flamboro Downs, Fort Erie Race Track, Georgian Downs, Grand River Raceway, Hanover Raceway, Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario (HBPA), Hiawatha Horse Park, Kawartha Downs, National Capital Region Harness Horse Association (NCRHHA), Northern Horsemen’s Association (NHA), Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc. (QROOI), Rideau Carlton Raceway, Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association (SBOA), Standardbred Canada, Sudbury Downs, Western Fair District, Woodbine Entertainment Group
Associations:
Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society
Central Ontario Standardbred Association
HBPA – Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association of Ontario
National Capital Region Harness Horse Association
Standardbred Breeders of Ontario Association
Quarter Racing Owners of Ontario Inc
Racetracks: