Horse racing still stalled at gate

By LYNNETTE HINTZEThe Daily Inter Lake

The Flathead County commissioners on Monday declined to reconsider putting horse racing back in the lineup at the Northwest Montana Fair, despite a plea from All Breed Turf Club representative Ron Thibert.

"I think we're missing the boat by not having racing at the fairgrounds," Thibert said. "We have a bunch of race-horse people who'd like to race here. We have a 440-foot straightaway. We could promote it big time."

The commissioners voted in late 2005 to eliminate horse racing, citing a loss of roughly $10,000 per day of horse-racing entertainment. Money is still the key reason why the commissioners won't reconsider the event.

Commissioner Gary Hall said they are following the Fair Board's recommendation not to rekindle the horse-racing program.

"We as stewards of the taxpayers' money won't subsidize horse racing," Hall said. "If there is some way for the horse club to subsidize it, then and only then would we reconsider.

"Money is tight everywhere," Hall added.

Only three Montana counties continue to offer horse racing: Yellowstone at Billings, Cascade at Great Falls and Custer at Miles City. In its heyday there were more than two dozen race tracks in the state.

Fair Board Chairman Butch Woolard said he spoke to a fair official from Great Falls at a recent convention and learned that although horse racing at the Montana State Fair did better this year, it still lost $25,000. That fair showed an $85,000 loss from horse racing last year.

Thibert, who has been racing horses since 1965, said he believes Flathead County's calculations of how much money was lost on racing was skewed.

"According to an audit, the money was juggled around so there was no way to tell if horse racing made any money," Thibert said.

Commissioner Joe Brenneman said he disagreed with Thibert's interpretation of the audit report, but added that the county has addressed the issue of some money that wasn't tracked properly.

Thibert also asked the commissioners to consider appointing a representative from the horse-racing community to the Fair Board as it fills upcoming vacancies.

Features editor Lynnette Hintze may be reached at 758-4421 or by e-mail at lhintze@dailyinterlake.com