Florida grants permission for pari-mutuel barrel racing
October 20, 2011,by John Pawlak, the U.S. Trotting Association
Columbus, OH — The Florida Division of Pari-Mutuel Wagering yesterday granted permission for pari-mutuel barrel racing at an unused Quarter Horse racing facility located about 25 miles west of the state capital of Tallahassee, despite objections from a number of organizations — including the National Barrel Horse Association.
The owners of the facility already hold a fallow Quarter Horse racing permit, and critics of the Division say pari-mutuel barrel racing is simply a ploy for the group to obtain the poker room license that goes along with pari-mutuel betting by state law.
The permit holder, Gretna North Florida Horsemen’s Association, has announced a 40-day barrel racing meet will open this coming Dec. 1, and also announced it would open a poker room 16 days later. Barrel racing would conclude this coming Jan. 15.
Florida’s Standardbred and Thoroughbred horsemen’s associations and the U.S. Trotting Association advised Florida regulators that the barrel racing permit was not in the best interest of horse racing because it offered a low-cost means of obtaining a lucrative poker room permit — without having to support horse racing.
The National Barrel Horse Association noted that there is no other place in the U.S. where pari-mutuel barrel racing is legal, and that a majority of its members are under 18 years of age.
- FSBOA questions barrel racing in the state (Monday, October 10, 2011)
The FSBOA wishes to inform its members of an attempt to use a quarter horse permit/license application to replace the Florida statute required for live quarter horse race days with a limited number of barrel racing rodeo events on which pari-mutuel wagering is planned.
- Florida Barrel Racing update (Saturday, October 15, 2011)
The Florida Standardbred Breeders and Owners Association suggests that its members and Standardbred racing patrons review a release from the National Barrel Horse Association’s Florida Chapter, who support the nearly 40,000 horsemen in opposition to the Gretna Barrel Racing and Cardroom initiative.
- Appeals court refuses to halt Florida barrel racing (Tuesday, December 13, 2011)
The Miami Herald is reporting on its website that betting on barrel racing can continue in the Florida Panhandle, at least until the next step in a legal challenge to the new form of pari-mutuel wagering is resolved.