Wednesday, June 23, 2010

“Horse racing returning to Kalispell” plus 3 more

“Horse racing returning to Kalispell” plus 3 more

Horse racing returning to Kalispell

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 02:56 PM PDT

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Horse racing returning to Kalispell

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 03:27 PM PDT

MISSOULA (AP) — Live horse racing will be held in Kalispell this summer for the first time in five years.

The Montana Board of Horse Racing approved a late application for races on Aug. 21-22 — the final two days of the Northwest Montana Fair.

The All-Breeds Turf Club of northwest Montana will lease the track at the Flathead County Fairgrounds to run the meet. Club member Janis Schoepf says volunteers and local fundraising will help make the meet work.

Missoula has a two-day meet scheduled Aug. 13-14 — its first since 2006.

Miles City held a race meet in May, Great Falls will offer six days of racing July 23-25 and July 30-Aug. 1, while Yellowstone Downs in Billings has eight race dates scheduled in late August and September.

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Horse racing returning to Northwest Montana Fair

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 03:50 PM PDT

For the first time since 2005 horse racing will return to the Northwest Montana Fair in Kalispell.

The Montana Board of Horse Racing unanimously approved it. The races aren't being put on by the fair. Instead a private group will lease the track and run the races. Organizers raised $35,000 dollars. Backers are excited to see the races return to the racing circuit.

Assistant Director Janis Schoepf says, "The goosebumps on my arms just popped up. It's just so cool to have this back, it's like, 'oh my gosh we've missed out on it!' And hopefully I have a horse in that first race. So I'm sure if I do, even though the crowd will be huge we expect, you'll probably hear me above the rest."

Races will take place on August 21st and 22nd, the last two days of the Northwest Montana Fair.

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Horse racing headed back to Kalispell this summer during Northwest Montana Fair

Posted: 23 Jun 2010 06:21 AM PDT

A long-shot bid to bring horse racing back to Kalispell in August has proven a winner.

The Montana Board of Horse Racing has approved by unanimous vote a late application to race on Aug. 21-22, the final two days of the Northwest Montana Fair.

That will come on the heels of a two-day meet in Missoula, set for Aug. 13-14 during the Western Montana Fair.

Kalispell last staged live parimutuel racing in 2005, Missoula in 2006.

"We would love to have Missoula back full time, and we'd love to have Kalispell back full time," said Al Carruthers of Butte, chairman of the state board of racing. "The board is hoping they will do well and have a good turnout and maybe next year will be better."

The All-Breeds Turf Club of northwest Montana will lease the track at the Flathead County Fairgrounds to run the meet. Club member Janis Schoepf, who trains at the fairgrounds track, said volunteers and local fundraising will make the 2010 races a go.

According to the Racing Journal, Schoepf and another Kalispell horsewoman, Deb Cunnington, have already secured $35,000 in sponsorships toward purses and operating expenses. They anticipate 10 races each day, with bottom purses of $1,200.

Schoepf told the Racing Journal that the American Quarter Horse Association is working on a John Deere Bonus Challenge Race in Kalispell.

The Kalispell meet adds one more stop on the Montana circuit, though two-day meets are problematic for trainers. Miles City held its annual meet in May. Great Falls will offer six days of racing July 23-25 and July 30-Aug. 1, weekends preceding and during the Montana State Fair.

Yellowstone Downs at Billings has eight dates planned in late August and September, after the MontanaFair on Aug. 13-21. In the aftermath of Sunday's devastating tornado, Yellowstone County officials vowed the fair and, presumably the race meet, will go on.

***

Economics, liability issues and competition for the gambling dollar have combined to cast a pall over racing nationwide. Race dates have been on the decline in Montana for years, and it seems the traditional August western Montana circuit - Kalispell, Missoula and Hamilton - will never be resurrected.

Still, the additions of the short meets in 2010 at Missoula, announced in February, and in Kalispell buck the trend. In both places, private entities have agreed to take over management of racing from counties, who see it as a money-draining proposition.

Eric Spector of Oneida Capital, the company running Montana Downs at Great Falls and Missoula, said in February that for every day of live racing expect to lose $25,000 to $28,000.

According to Carruthers, the key for continued expansion is to get the counties back on board.

"They used to put up some money and that really helped, because it brought a lot of people to the fairgrounds," he said. "This time it's a lot of individuals who are donating, in Kalispell and Missoula.

"We're hoping that the counties will see that it's a viable thing that will help their fairs and help the general horse racing in the state of Montana."

"Some of the local businesses are elated about the thought of racing coming back," Schoepf said. "It's just before school starts, and it really helps local businesses. You get a lot of people from Browning and Great Falls (for the races). Even the carnival has seen a decline" in the years after racing was suspended in Kalispell.

Reporter Kim Briggeman can be reached at 523-5266 or at kbriggeman@missoulian.com.

 

 

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