After the Exhibition Association decided not to renew the contract with Horse Racing New Brunswick, this Saturday's race at the Saint John Exhibition might be the last harness race held in the province.
Since it first opened its doors in the Saint John region more than a century ago, the park has hosted horse racing events. The Exhibition Association says it's time for more events to take over the space.
In a statement to Global News, Judy Martin stated, "The Board of Directors has decided not to enter into another lease agreement with Horse Racing N.B."
"In order to better serve the larger Saint John community, the Board of Directors has chosen to position itself to be able to investigate alternatives that may have the potential to make better use of the lands and facilities.”
It will imply that horse racing enthusiasts in Saint John will have to leave town to continue competing. However, if a track isn't scheduled for the 2023 season, they'll have to find another somewhere to take their horses when their lease expires at the end of the year.
“I won’t leave until Dec. 31. They want us to leave before Dec. 31, but I’m not leaving until Dec. 31,” horse-racer Janice Hubbard said.
“They can’t take this away. There has to be a fight. Somebody has to fight them.”
Hubbard has a long history of horse racing, and her family has been associated with the track for a considerable amount of time. She invested tens of thousands in horses after relocating from Ontario, and she will now need to consider racing in a different province.
That's a different issue if they can't get along with Harness Racing New Brunswick. We put the money into these horses because we are the horsemen. I spent around $30,000 on each horse that I brought in from Ontario.
"For me, it's a business."
Citing the history of horse racing in the province, some aficionados of the sport have been critical of the decision throughout the week.
"The company has somewhat declined. The betting aspect isn't as prominent as it once was, but the popularity is still there. It didn't surprise me; instead, it saddened me.
Like him, many of the people who have taken pleasure in watching the races will remain fans, according to Bernard, and many others in the business will keep looking for different ways to race horses.
After contacting Horse Racing New Brunswick, Global News did not hear back by the deadline.