Thank you Horsemen for a successful 2019.  Have a safe, warm, and happy winter horsemen!  See you in the spring.

Monthly Awards for October:

• Top Groom – Kelly Robinson – Sponsored by Century Downs.
• Pony Person – Buckey Stockwell - Sponsored by Century Downs.
• Exercise Rider – Paige Mazurenko – Sponsored by Century Downs.
• Shedrow of the month – Darcy Hawkes Stable – Sponsored by Century Downs.

Congratulations to all of the winners!

Coming Events

• Horsemen’s appreciation lunch – Century Downs is holding an appreciation lunch for all all participants licensed by HRA for the 2019 Thoroughbred meet On Thursday October 24th 2nd level Home stretch room from 11:30 am until 1 pm.

Updates

• Trainer Rebate for WCB Premiums - It is a requirement for Trainers to carry WCB coverage for workers, so the board of the HBPA of Alberta has decided to offer a rebate to help offset this cost in 2019. The rebate is based on $5/start at Century Mile and Century Downs and is available to trainers who provide a clearance letter from WCB of their good standing with the WCB of Alberta.  Please come see Theresa Sealy for help with your clearance letter.
• Revised 2019 AB Bred Bonus payments to Owners - At the end of the Century Mile meet it became obvious that the entire amount of the $455,322 would not be used up in 2019.  Allowing for an estimate for payout at the current Century Downs meet, it was estimated that without a change to the criteria $125,000 would flow back to HRA to be used in 2020.  On September 26, 2019, The HBPA Board of Directors determined that it would be in the best interests of the membership to retroactively change the criteria qualifying for such Bonus to include horses racing for a claiming price of $7,000 with a minimum purse of $7,000.  HRA as well as the CTHS were advised accordingly and a 23% adjustment retroactive to April 28, 2019 was made by the Horsemen’s Bookkeeper to the individual accounts affected by the change with amounts credited on October 14, 2019.
• Dental, eye, and hearing subsidies from HBPA are available.  You must have held a HRA groom, exercise rider, assistant trainer, or gate crew license for a minimum of 90 days to be eligible.  Deadline for forms is October 25th, please pick up from Theresa Sealy.