When It Rains, It Pours

After experiencing the cancellation of our Springfield State Fair races due to rain, it feels as though nothing is going right for Illinois horsemen. Those rains, coming at the most inopportune times, made many of us question our commitment to racing here. Without question, there has never been a more difficult time to be involved in Illinois harness racing. The current position of our entire industry is surely at a crossroad. While disagreements amongst ourselves have always existed, collectively, our current state of mind has never been more conflicted. There are people that say, “I'm mad as Hell and I'm not going to take this anymore.” Some believe that we should do everything in our power to disrupt the current status quo, even if it means sacrificing our future racing opportunities. Some believe that this “slow death” is not worth saving in its current form. The other opinion is that we need to stay in business here for as long as possible. It is said that even with this limited schedule, it is better than the alternative of leaving for another state or quitting the business. This faction of our membership wants to see this through, stay in business and hang on until our racinos are built.

Who is correct?

The truth is both opinions have validity. It really depends on the horsemen’s personal current situation. The IHHA, who represents all groups, is in an unenviable position. More so than ever, not everyone will be happy with the direction that the board takes. We represent owners, trainers, drivers, grooms and breeders. Each category of our membership sees things a little different. We are empowered with the responsibility of making potentially life changing decisions for many lives and we take this very, very seriously. The IHHA directors make all major decisions after thorough, in-depth debates, many of which do get heated. Those debates can get heated because the director’s care. They all love the game and want it to succeed. The 15 directors of the IHHA were voted onto the board by their peers. Keep in mind, there are many specific details that the IHHA board of directors are privy to but cannot be shared publicly. It doesn’t mean they are secrets; it simply means that discretion is sometimes needed when strategizing our positions. We want everyone to understand this. The board is listening to you and making these decisions on what is in the best interest of the entire industry, sometimes, unfortunately at the detriment of some of others. It’s important for us to remember, that we are all on the same team with the same goals. It’s obviously everyone’s right to disagree, but let’s do it without all of the vitriol and some mutual civility.