Michigan Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association Have Lost Their Minds.

In 2010 the HBPA voted to give all their money to Pinnacle Race Course. Almost a Million dollars to fund their own meet. I know Jerry and Lisa Campbell were happy about that vote.

To finish their extremely long meet of 41 ( they had to buy back 39 days after the MGCB knocked the Thoroughbreds to just 3 ) days the money literally came from their purses. Hell they even forked out $33,000 to pay Pinnacle’s water bill to Huron Township.

Then they questioned the legalities of it all.

Well now in 2011 after Jerry Campbell not willing to tell anybody of his intentions for 2011 when it was already May. One of the MIHBPA board members had a brilliant idea!!!

Lets send off a letter to the MGCB withdrawing our support of PRC. They never ever had to give one of support so why they decided to send one withdrawing support is beyond me. Nevertheless it resulted in the MGCB telling Campbell either shit or get off the pot.

He got off the pot alright and after wiping his ass with his conditional license he threw it back into the MGCB’s face and in essence the MIHBPA’s as well.

Enter Brilliant Idea Number 2!!!

Lets take our Thoroughbreds and go to a half mile track at Mount Pleasant Meadows. But guess what unbeknown to certain board members who ran off by themselves to the MGCB, that it was only then they were informed that Walter Bay ( owner of MPM who requested the cancellation of the 2010 mixed breed meet because he was broke ) also had not met the conditions of his license for 2011. He was in more financial ruins then Campbell and I don’t know that Campbell has ever been literally in financial ruins. Although PRC drained quite a bit of what he has had. But considering the MIHBPA basically funded his race tracks meet last year, I’d say the poorest group of all is the MIHBPA.

Well after they questioned the legalities of them handing over their $$$ to pay Campbell’s bills for 2010. It was looked into by the AG and the MGCB director Richard Kalm then issued an order.

In its entirety.
Excerpt:

The act does not authorize distributions to pay for race meeting licensee obligations, race meeting licensee debt obligations, or racetrack operational expenses.

So after the meeting of the minds? They concocted a contract with Walter Bay. Problem is THEY WOULD HAVE TO USE MONEY FROM THE PURSE POOLS.

They ask questions, receive answers, object to giving money to PRC but turn around and want to be able to do the same with MPM????

I’m beginning to wonder if they hand out acid at these board meetings because it would seem some are on a BAD TRIP. Not only a bad trip but one they can’t seem to come out of. It just lingers on and on.

So Erik Pedersen, Deputy Director Division of Horse Racing, Audit & Gaming Technology ( I just love this last Gaming Technology part ) states in a letter to the MIHBPA. At present on the HBPA website.

MGCB ISSUES DECISION TO YESTERDAY’S ATTENDEES, rec’d at 4:19pm July 15, 2011:

“Gentlemen,

Based upon our discussion yesterday, there exist some outstanding matters that need resolution prior to any live racing at Mt. Pleasant Meadows.

Foremost, as discussed, the outstanding breakage needs to be paid and all aspects of the race meet application that require modification need to be amended, including details of capital improvements as discussed in our meeting.

The legality of the use of the purse pool to fund track operations was brought up last year by the HBPA and the MGCB was asked to look into the matter. In doing so, the advice from the Attorney General’s office was that purse pool funds could not be used for track operations, thus the purse pool order was issued earlier this year. Additionally, audits of the purse pool were conducted to further identify its usage.

Based upon review and internal discussion of the information from yesterday’s meeting and contracts recently provided between the associations and the track, the contracts denote that the purse pool remains to be used to fund operations through the use of assessments. Although this may have been prior practice by the tracks, it is by no way an “industry standard” and based upon advise from the Attorney General’s office we cannot find it to be a viable use of the purse pool funds. The track must find alternative methods to fund operations outside of deriving money from the purse pool, even if indirectly through a horsemen’s account. The MGCB is not opposed to the use of fees prior to a race, such as a starter fee, which are not derived from the purse pool.

Until the aforementioned information is addressed and we are provided contracts which adhere to the racing act and purse pool order, live racing cannot commerce at Mt. Pleasant Meadows.”

Thank You
Erik Pedersen, Deputy Director
Division of Horse Racing, Audit & Gaming Technology

______________________________

I don’t know why was this a surprise to anybody? I read and comprehended February’s Order. In fact it was crystal clear with the utmost of clarity. Some are just still out there tripping. One is even making posters for MPM and displaying it on MPM Facebook page exuberantly proclaiming ARE YOU READY FOR SOME RACING!

Well it’s a poster alright and depicts MPM perfectly. 6 horses on top of each other making a sharp quarter-mile turn of MPM’s half mile track. Man oh man.

Look I’m not making fun of anybody here I happen to know and like this gentlemen who created this. And I also know there are a hell of a lot of people taking a financial beating without a track in which to race the T.B.s at. But it’s time to come down from the delusions.

There are certain board members I think that want to write a condition book solely for the purpose of racing their own horses to win them. But I know one thing, wanting to still forge on to race at a track that only a few want to take part in is flat-out wrong. In fact I believe there are some misleading people purposely and it’s selfish.

After Erik Pedersen’s decision. This is now what’s being talked about on the HBPA site:

MT PLEASANT MEADOWS: Efforts are currently underway to address and comply with ALL request made in Erik Pedersen’s letter.

The MI-HBPA, GLQHA and MPM are amending contracts to meet requirements to permit entries to be taken Tues. and continue for plans for opening day Saturday July 23, 2011. A meeting is scheduled for Sat. to address the issues and the MGCB will be available as the process continues to answer any questions.

HBPA board met Sat. to approve amending the contract to meet the requirements established by the MGCB in the letter rec’d Fri.

The amendment will be presented to the MGCB for action no later than first thing Monday morning. 9:00pm 7/16

Information will be updated ASAP. Stay tuned, above @ 6am_7/16

___________________________________

Highlight ” The MGCB is not opposed to the use of fees prior to a race, such as a starter fee, which are not derived from the purse pool “.

Starter Fee’s? Oh yes all you trainers that are already racing at other tracks in other states who don’t have to pay a starter fee where your at. Please come to MPM where you’ll have to pay one. Or the Horsemen that are still stuck in Michigan because they are literally so broke they couldn’t afford to even ship out of State to other tracks, they will be just thrilled to pay a Starter fee to MPM to race their horses.

Let’s see that’s gas for shipping ( MPM only has 300 stalls ) back and for from wherever, pay for Bute, pay for Lasix, pay for somebody to run the horse all this after they pay the Starter Fee for the privilege of racing, even if they win what will they have gained?

I don’t apologize for Common Sense it’s been my biggest asset in life.

Again MPM ( half mile track with no width ) and out of the purses only the first 4 place finishers get paid. So the last two finishers you have just paid a Starters Fee, Gas, Meds, Groom to go back home with nothing.

Again THOSE ALREADY TO BROKE TO HAVE GONE TO OUT OF STATE TRACKS. But the MIHBPA have literally took hold of what I consider to be a jester of sarcasm by this Deputy Director Division of Horse Racing, Audit & Gaming Technology proclaiming they wouldn’t object that people pay out of their pockets to race.

Isn’t that what the horsemen did last year anyway Deputy Pedersen?

But the the HBPA did question the legality of paying a track’s bills. Well guess what MPM has them too. They requested to cancel last years meet and that request was honored. I guess the Quarter Horsemen were unwilling to pay Walter Bay’s bills for him. Instead they thought maybe the Thoroughbred Horsemen would this year.

Us playing their Savior? We can’t even save ourselves.

This whole damn thing is absurd. And those HBPA board members even considering this Starter Fee crap are completely insane. You want people who are broke to get broker.

IT IS CHEAPER NOT TO RACE AT ALL.

And even if you could ( return the starting fee by paying all finishers ) and I don’t know with what ability without taking money from where the gaming board has already stated you couldn’t take it from, the purse pools. The Horsemen will still be out the Gas for Shipping back and forth from wherever, Medication and Help. Now why in the hell would they want to PAY A STARTER FEE and get POORER than they already are?

Trainers get 10%, Jockey’s get 10%, that with the starter fee, shipping, meds and help if they WIN. What will they have truly gained?

Stop this friggin insanity already and call it a year. Because between the Harness Horsemen in this State along with the MGCB they are throwing every single roadblock at you they can throw and they are enjoying every last second of it. And if you don’t think so YOU ARE MORE THAN DELUSIONAL.

Jerry Campbell waited for the HBPA to force him into doing what I personally think he was going to do anyway. I mean what race track owner stops simulcasting for God’s sake?

How stupid can one be, followed by more stupidity. Let’s send a letter to the gaming board withdrawing our support of PRC. We never had to give them a letter of support to start with but lets send one withdrawing it. And yes I know the support was verbally given, but the letter withdrawing was senseless.

What you should be withdrawing is your consent for the use of the Thoroughbred Simulcasting Signal. That will take the smiles not only off the faces who rejoice in the predicament your in who literally survive off you and that signal. But it would force this stinking state of Michigan to address what they have done to Horse Racing here.

I would shut down EVERY race track here and without the ability to simulcast the Thoroughbred signals the Harness will be as dead as you. Then I would stand back to see whose left laughing.

And if Michigan continues to refuse to even consider legislation putting us on the same even playing field with Casinos like those that surround Michigan like Windsor Ont. , Indiana and only two signatures away from happening in Ohio & Illinois. I say screw them too.

After all Horse Racing isn’t important in their eyes for anything so in reality they really don’t need to keep gaining any revenue Horse Racing still generates through Live Racing or Simulcasting.

They have been saying it Loud and Clear for years with their continued ignoring of this Industry pleas for fairness. They won’t miss a dime from us and I say, FINE.

It was time long ago for the MIHBPA to start acting like sane responsible people with some purposeful direction to make the tough decisions needed to put us forward for the future instead of begging for crumbs and forever subcoming to those who want you dead to begin with.

When the MIHBPA want to start acting like some other HBPA chapters who unified, decided to take a stand and fight by whatever means necessary for better or worst. Then they will have gained the respect of worthy words. But as long as they want to continue to make mistake after mistake after mistake like frightened panicked children to forge ahead to idiotic venues that will gain no one anything but a few, then they will be addressed as such.

It’s understandable to hope, hope is a good thing it means you still have the desire. But when you post in words or posters on any site false hopes when you haven’t yet received the answer of whether it is indeed a fact yet. Then you make yourself a fool retracting the words.

Worst yet is fighting to get broker then you already are, I’d be fighting to get something for the future. And the only way you do that is you stop running your heads into walls. I’d make some decisions having others running theirs into some instead. But I’m me and you are you.

You still haven’t gotten mad enough and I don’t know that you ever will. And THAT will be the final death to the Horse Racing Industry in Michigan. The State started it but the lack of fight on the Horsemen’s part and the failure to go in the right direction will finish it.

They hand you out nothing but shit and you keep willing to take it. Blame yourselves.

Give it a rest already and do something really productive for a change. Get some guts to give yourself a future, at present put a stop to all the racing here because you’ve got nothing left to lose.

To still want to go to a no nothing half mile track no matter what with now the talk of a Starter Fee for horsemen who are already broke, is the direction to hell with no outcome for the future but the same.

And that is more than disheartening, that in itself doesn’t define hope but rather hopelessness.

~

Edited Sunday July 24

I was given some misinformation by a horsemen about how many horses could be loaded into the starting gate at MPM. I was told the max was 6. Obviously not true. Since MPM doesn’t have a legitimate website and this T.B. Groom who could care less about a quarter horse half mile track I wrote on what information I was given. They talked as if they knew this for fact.

Since my writing has always been based on 100% fact. I will never again make the mistake taking another person’s words as face value again. But I take full responsibility for not checking this information out myself.

I still regard MPM as a meet that should of never happened because it will be the HBPA that will be at the losing end financially when said and done for a few selfish people.