2010 Futurities in Michigan

Sustaining Payments for 2, 3 and 4 Year Olds

Due March 15, 2010

(Reprinted from January, 2010 President’s Message)

The actual and projected reductions in revenues also forced our Board to make some difficult recommendations in regards to 2010 Futurities.  Realize that these must be approved by the MDA but our Board recommended funding to only three Futurities in 2010.  The Michigan Breeder's, Wolverine, Spartan Futurities and Michigan Sire Stake will be funded for the 2010 program but the Coon, Fedele and Michigan Futurities will be raced for nomination and sustaining payments only.  We understand that there are no perfect answers to this scenario but the Board agreed to the plan and agreed to reanalyze starting fees in these races that will go without the benefit of State Funding.  There was also the recommendation to the MDA to eliminate all two heat racing with Futurities.  We are hopeful that this recommendation will be accepted and purses will be evenly split and contested for in all futurity events. 

To view or print the Futurity Sustaining Payment form and future payment schedule, please click the links below.

FUTFORM10.pdf

FUTPFORM10.pdf

Gubernatorial Candidate Forum

MHHA members are invited to attend the Gubernatorial Candidate Forum on March 19.  To view letter please Click Here

MHHA Scholarship Application Deadline April 15, 2010

MHHA Scholarships are based on merit and need; and are available to MHHA Active or Life members, their dependents, their ORC licensed employees (for the past three years) and their dependents. In the case of a deceased member, must have been member in good standing three years prior to death. Applicants are eligible for scholarship awards for a total of four years.  Recipients will be selected by the MHHA Scholarship Committee.

Funding for MHHA Scholarships comes from the MHHA Annual Art Auction, other fundraisers which were held at the annual meeting in January, and from memorial and other contributions made by members and friends.

Application deadline is April 15, 2010. All application forms and a transcript from the applicant's high school or college must be postmarked no later than 4/15/10 and mailed to the MHHA Scholarship Fund, MHHA, P.O. Box 349, Okemos, MI 48805.

To view or print the scholarship application please Click Here

Fowlerville Harness Horseman Party

To view ad please Click Here.

Board Position Open

There is a vacancy on the MHHA Board of Directors in the Breeder category.  Any active or life member in that category that is interested in filling the balance of that term is asked to call the MHHA office or attend the next board meeting.

Northville Downs

The MHHA Board of Directors passed a motion to continue with the 9 horse fields through the balance of the meet at Northville Downs.

Based on the fact that MHHA pays a significant portion of the On Track Accident Insurance, no horseman should pay the $10 training fee to Northville Downs.

Joanne Johns

We are saddened to report the passing of Joanne Johns (74) of Pinckney on March 8, 2010.  Joanne was the devoted of wife of Orbery Johns for 55 years; the mother of Rick and Roxane and grandmother of Sara, Ryan and Tyler.  She was a lifelong harness horseman in Michigan.  For many years she was a member of the USTA as well as the MHHA.

The family is being served by Shelters Funeral Home in Pinckney.  No formal obituary or service information has been released at this time; it will be posted here when received.

Rich Peters

We are deeply saddened to report the passing of Rich Peters (69) of Schoolcraft on March 5, 2010.

To view life story click here:  http://www.lifestorynet.com/memories/56785/

 Visitation will be held  Wednesday, Mar 10th 2010

             2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST and 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM

            Life Story Funeral Home®

            409 South Main

            Vicksburg, MI, 49097

            269-649-1697

            Map

            Web Site

The family is wearing blue jeans.  You can too!

Services

            Thursday, Mar 11th 2010

             4:30 PM EST

            Schoolcraft Middle School gymnasium

            747 East Clay Street

            Schoolcraft, MI

            A Blue Jean Jamboree!

We extend our deepest sympathies to Rich’s family and many friends; he will be deeply missed.

MGCB and Michigan State Police Investigation

The Michigan Harness Horsemen's Association fully supports the ongoing investigation by the Michigan State Police and the State of Michigan Gaming Control Board and our organization will fully cooperate with these authorities to complete their investigation. "The Gaming Control Board is in place to ensure the integrity of our 75 year old family industry" said MHHA President Brett Boyd "and we applaud their efforts to eliminate participants whose actions tarnish the reputations of thousands of hard working Michigan families that call Horse Racing their way of life." Horse Racing supports an estimated 12,000 jobs and is valued by many as a billion dollar Agricultural Industry for Michigan.

Race Date Reductions

The Michigan Gaming Control Board presented us with this powerpoint yesterday which mandates major cuts in live racing.  We are trying to avoid the eleven day reduction at Northville Downs.   We are working diligently to resolve this issue; this site will be updated later today at the conclusion of our board of directors meeting.  To view the MGCB powerpoint please Click Here.

Update: 5:00 p.m. Thursday, March 4:

The board has approved a plan of action to potentially reinstate all harness days cut by an anticipated Executive Order by the Gaming Control Board.  The Board held a Conference Call with the Mihbpa today to formulate an Industry wide resolution. Another Conference Call with the Mihbpa is scheduled for later this week and we are optimistic that a defined strategy will be in motion by Monday.

John McLeod

It is with much sadness that we report the recent passing of John McLeod (76) of Imlay City on February 24, 2010.  John Smith McLeod was born on March 21, 1933 in Glamis, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Archie Ross and Sarah Ester MacLeod. John grew up in Glamis, Ontario and Port Elgin, Windsor. He graduated from Marine City High School. John married Joan B. Justman on November 9, 1957 in Manistee, Michigan. John has spent 27 years in the Imlay City area. He worked for Michigan Boiler in Detroit and belonged to Local # 169. John retired at age 58 in 1991 to concentrate on training horses. He trained harness racing horses at all the local raceways. John is survived by his wife Joan McLeod of Imlay City. sons: John McLeod of Imlay City, and Jay William McLeod of Port Huron. daughter: Janet McLeod Folkins of Imlay City. grandchildren: Tracy Lyn McLeod, Katherine McLeod Folkins; step grandchildren: Andrew, and Krystal; Step-great-grandchild: Jeremy; brother: Robert ( Rochelle ) MacLeod of Algonac, MI.; sister: Mary ( Duane ) Gave of Marine City; sister-in-law: Kathleen ( Bob ) Crane of Muskegon. He is preceded in death by his parents Archie and Sarah MacLeod, brothers: Archie R. MacLeod, and Claire MacLeod and a sister: Margaret Spears.

A Memorial Service will be held 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 13, 2010 at Imlay City United Methodist Church. Pastor Kevin Harbin pastor of Imlay City United Methodist Church will officiate. Friends may call Muir Brothers Funeral Home, Imlay City where family will be available for visiting 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 13, 2010 at the church. Funeral arrangements made by Muir Brothers Funeral Home in Imlay City.

We extend our deepest sympathies to John’s family and many friends; he will be deeply missed.

Michigan Racing Power Point Presentation

Brett Boyd put together this power point presentation.  Feel free to download it to share with your legislators or if you’re speaking at a local service group, etc.  Click Here to View.

Sulky Insurance

The MHHA provides Sulky Insurance for its members.  All owners of the horse, the trainer and driver must be current members of the MHHA at the time of the accident in order for the insurance to be effective. 

In order to aid you in determining if your connections are current members of the MHHA for 2010 you can view our membership list by Clicking Here.  This list is current as of 3/1/10. 

Please note that this list is changing daily and is not a final determination of eligibility.  For more information, please call the MHHA office. This list will be updated at least every two weeks. 

Hazel Park Ballot Proposal Petition

As of today (2/19) we are urging horsemen NOT to sign the Racing to Save Michigan petition that is being circulated at Sports Creek Raceway and Hazel Park Harness Raceway.  MHHA has received a revenue sharing document from Dan Adkins which we are currently reviewing.

We will notify you if and when an agreement is reached.  If no agreement is reached we will have no alternative but to oppose this ballot proposal as written.

Racing Commissioner Announces 2010 Race Dates

Harness Dates

Sports Creek – 18 Dates

1/1/2010 – 2/7/2010

Racing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday

Northville Downs – 32 Dates

2/12/2010 – 4/24/2010

Racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Hazel Park – 62 Dates

4/30/2010 – 9/18/2010

Racing every Monday, Friday and Saturday

Northville Racing Corporation – 27 Dates

9/23/2010 – 11/20/2010

Racing every Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Sports Creek – 15 Dates

11/26/2010 – 12/31/2010

Racing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday

No Racing on Friday, 12/24/2010 or Saturday, 12/25/2010

Racing shall be conducted on Monday, 12/27/2010

Mixed Breed Dates

Mt. Pleasant – 23 Dates

5/15/2010 – 9/25/2010

Racing every Saturday

Racing will be conducted on Sunday 8/1, 8/22, 9/5 and 9/12/2010

No Racing on Saturday, 8/14/2010.

Thoroughbred Dates

Pinnacle Race Course – 84 Dates

6/4/2010 – 10/31/2010

From 6/4 – 6/27/2010 Racing every Friday, Saturday and Sunday

From 6/29 – 10/31/2010 Racing every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday

No Futurity Nominating Payments for Foals of 2009

MHHA has requested and received permission from the Michigan Department of Agriculture to forego accepting weanling futurity payments in 2009, while the program is being redesigned and new Ag. Regulations are written and approved.  In the event new regulations are not adopted, an optional retroactive nominating payment will be permitted.  Please monitor this website and the MHHA magazine for important updates.

Third Party Liability Insurance

Harness Horsemen International has agreed to allow individual MHHA members to purchase Third Party Liability insurance, the cost is $100 per policy year 6/1/09 – 6/1/2010.  Click Here to View or Print Application Form

House and Senate Districts

We are looking to update our membership list with members voting districts.  We need you to please let us know what voting district you live in.  Please follow this link to locate your House district www.house.mi.gov/find_a_rep.asp and follow this link to locate your Senate district www.senate.mi.gov and click on “Find Your Senator”.  When you get the information, please send it to Aaron Bennett at bennettfarmsinc@hughes.net or call 231-924-5989.  Please do your part to help us help you and get us your voting district number so we can update our records.

Proof of Negative Coggins Test Required to Race in Michigan

For all horsemen currently racing at a pari-mutuel track, Michigan law requires all horses must have had an official equine infectious anemia test with a negative result within the calendar year or the previous 30 days.   Results of a negative Coggins test must be documented on the horse’s electronic eligibilities prior to racing.  The test results can be posted on the electronic eligibilities at a pari-mutuel track or you may fax them to the MHHA office at 517-349-4983.

Please Note: Faxing the yellow copy of your Coggins test often results in illegible documents. We suggest making a darkened copy for faxing and that you call the recipient to be sure your fax was received and can be read.

Remember to Update Your EHV Vaccination Certifications

Remember that proof of EHV Vaccination is required prior to entering your horse to race at a pari-mutuel track in Michigan. Please check the expiration date on your EHV certificates to be sure they are current and on file with the ORC veterinarians prior to entry to avoid problems being drawn in to race or qualify. 

EHV certificates may be faxed to the attention of the ORC veterinarians at:

Northville: 248-349-9139

Attention U.S.T.A. Licensed Drivers & Trainers

Are You Aware You Already Have Some Insurance with Your U.S.T.A. Membership?

 Did You Know You Can Make it Even Better?

24 Hour Accident Insurance On and Off the Job with Accidental Death & Dismemberment

Revised April 1, 2009

The U.S.T.A provides $5,000 Accidental Death and Dismemberment and $25 Weekly Disability for a maximum of 26 weeks, after the 30 day elimination period. This is the Mandatory Plan of the 24 Hour Accident Insurance covering all U.S.T.A. licensed Drivers and Trainers (note: license must be current at the time the accident occurs).

For a few dollars per day, a Voluntary Policy can give you much higher limits as outlined below:

Option 1. $300 Weekly Disability* and $100,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment**

Annual Premium: $243.

Option 2. $500 Weekly Disability* and $250,000 Accidental Death & Dismemberment**

Annual Premium: $608.

*If, within 30 days of a covered accident, accidental bodily injury causes you to have a disability that is determined by a physician to be continuous and prevents you from performing all the substantial and material duties pertaining to your occupation, this coverage will pay a weekly benefit beginning on the 31^st day for up to 52 weeks.

** Reduction of Principal Sum (AD&D Benefit).

Age on Date of Accident                                                                            Amount of Benefit

                                                                                                                                 After Reduction

            70-74                                                                                                                       65%

            75-79                                                                                                                       45%

            80-84                                                                                                                       30%

Age 85 and older                                                                                                            15%

Additional benefits under the Voluntary Plan include: Coma, Paralysis and Seat Belt

Accidents can happen to anyone, anywhere, anytime. Please review this inexpensive coverage and evaluate what it might mean to you and your family if an accidental disability or death were to occur.

Click Here to Download Brochure and Enrollment Form

MHHA Legislative Action E-List.

To keep you informed of pending legislation critical to the industry and to quickly notify you of timely and specific action you can take to assist with legislators representing you in the Michigan House and Senate, an updated Legislative Alert e-mail list is being created. Sign up now for the E-List by sending an e-mail to: mhha@mhha-online.com . Please make the subject line of your e-mail "E-List" and include your name, the e-mail address you would like us to use to contact you and the name of the State Representative and Senator for the districts in which you reside. If not known, you may locate your State Representative by clicking here and your State Senator by clicking here and then on "Find your Senator".

The E-list will be generated only from requests to subscribe; please enroll now.

W-9 Form

Click here to download and print form W-9

. Locate The Cheapest Gas/Diesel Fuel

http://www.gaspricewatch.com/new/

INSTANT ACCESS CLASSIFIED ADS

SERVICES

Need Trainer:  For 3 year Old Houston Hanover mare for the fairs, 5 Year Old Shark St Partners for pari-mutuels.  Call John at 989-752-1220.

Equine Dentistry: Matt Currie call for references/reasonable rates. (231) 629-7365.

EQUIPMENT & VEHICLES

For Sale:  Track Leveler, 6” 3” Wide x 21’ 0” long, 5 cutting blades with drag shoe.  Can e-mail pictures.  $4,900.  Call 313-220-3011.

Gooseneck Trailer For Sale:  4 Horse Straight Load, no back doors, no title $800.  Call Paul at 734-878-9718.

For Sale:  4-Horse Hot Walker; heavy duty in excellent shape.  Asking $1,500.  Call Rick at 517-398-4417.

For Sale:  2004 Sundowner SunLite 727 Aluminum Horse Trailer, 3 horse slant, gooseneck, very low miles, excellent condition.  $13,500 OBO.  Call 810-376-8252 or e-mail carolm@avci.net.

We offer a large variety of custom-made equipment for all your farm needs. We can make most anything to your specifications. Pebble Creek Farm 989-634-9125, e-mail: pebblecreekfarms@gmail.com  Please visit us on the web: www.pebblecreekfarm.net/workshop.htm

New and Used Equipment:  Harness, Hopples, Blankets, etc.  1997 2-Horse Trailer.  Clean Blanket Repair Red, Black, Blue Burlaps.  Cheryl Cummings 810-265-1542 Montrose, Michigan.

HORSES FOR SALE/LEASE

Two Houston Hanover Yearlings:  Gelding for sale $500 each.  1.  Dam Precious L p, 3, 1:59.4h by Stretch Bret.  Full brother to Island Tiger p, 1:58.3 and Benefactor p, 3, 1:59.4.  Half brother to Fick-L-Fritz p, 1:54.4h holder of track record at Saginaw.  2.  Dam Papa’s Precious p, 3, 2:03.4; 2^nd dam Precious L.  Also two broodmares and weanling.  Jurgy Hanover mare (Photo Op) in foal to SJ Double Take and Annette’s Joy by Pied Piper with weanling.  Call Brenda at 231-821-2831.

Guns For Sale:  2 Fillies, 1 Colt, Yearling by Gunthatwonthewest, out of outstanding mares.  Bred to race anywhere.  Can be seen at Lewis Graber’s where they are being broke.  Contact Rick Copp at 517-439-9712 or by e-mail at rcdcgun@comcast.net.

Yearling Stud Colts:  Two for sale.  Tabor Lobell mare/Duke of York sire; Earl mare/CR Renegade sire.  Both mares for sale also.  Leave message 810-241-6308 or e-mail mejay57@aol.com.

WANTED TO BUY OR LEASE

Wanted:  Fancy high headed Standardbreds with lots of action.  Looking for classy horses with show potential.  Shaytown Blacksmith 517-726-0550, attention Phil.  No Sunday calls.

Buying and Selling all Types of Standardbreds:  Top dollar paid for buggy horses.  Call Karl Miller 574-642-0500 ext. 1.

M&M Horses:  Wanted – horses for Amish and buggy – pacers and trotters.  Will pay good price.  Give us a call: leave a message at (517) 639-4617 or (330) 231-5286. (8/25 for 5 mos)

Standardbred Horses: Highest cash paid for your buggy horse. Call (517) 522-5948 or (517) 206-1583.

STALLS, BOARDING & TURN-OUTS

Quality Horse Care/Board/Stall Rest/Turn Outs:  Daily rates available.  Electrobraid fencing for the safety of our horses.  Jeg’s Standardbreds Inc.  Jerry & Meg Earls 810-599-9137.  gjearls@aol.com.

Stalls for Rent:  Minutes from Northville Downs; ½ mile track on 96 acres.  $100 per month/stall.  Discounts available for large stables and prompt pay.  Call Mike at 248-240-1500.

Chestnut Acres LLC: Standardbred Horse Boarding, since 1979. Broodmares, Weanlings, Turn outs, Lay ups, Stall Rest. Good Care, Daily Rates. Linn & Tracee Hathaway: Concord, MI (517) 524-8539 Tracehaway@hotmail.com

Give your horse the golden opportunity: boarding, colt breaking and lay ups. All of your complete needs. Give your horse a break, I break them to ride also. Quality not quantity. Golden Opportunity Racing and Training Center, Hillsdale MI. Goldentc@frontiernet.net. (517) 437-2042 Toni (12/28 thru5/28)

Instant Access Classified Ad Information

Classified advertisements are paid advertisements published as submitted by the advertiser; MHHA does not endorse nor does it warrant any of the goods or services advertised herein.

Classified ads may be submitted by e-mail, fax (517-349-4983) or mail (MHHA, P O Box 349, Okemos, MI 48805). MHHA current members only will be permitted to place an ad by e-mail or fax, providing payment for the ad is received within 5 days from date of posting. Please enclose your check with ads submitted via regular mail.

Your ad will be posted here within 24 hours of verification and can start generating responses immediately! The cost for posting an ad is $20 for 30 words or less for the first month, with repeat (consecutive) months available at $10 per month. You may include your e-mail address and/or phone number in your ad, each counting as one word for purposes of calculating ad cost. All paid classified ads will also appear in the next published issue of our magazine, at no additional cost, unless the posting is cancelled by the 15th of the month prior to publication.

Post your ad now by sending an e-mail to: mhha@mhha-online.com

Please be sure to include your name, return e-mail address and phone number for verification purposes.