Uprising Among Montreal Horsemen: Take Exception to Thoroughbred Horse Associations Ruling Against Racing at Thorncliffe, Daily Racing Form, 1917-07-14

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UPRISING AMONG MONTREAL HORSEMEN. Take Exception to Thoroughbred Horso Associations Ruling Against Racing at ThornclifFc. Montreal, Que., July 13. The ruling coming from Kentucky regarding racing at the Thorncliffe Park track, Toronto, which will hold its inaugural meeting July 21 to July 28, inclusive, caused an uprising among the horsemen now racing in Montreal. They take exception to the ruling of the Thoroughbred Horse Association and held an indignation meeting shortly before the opening of the racing yesterday afternoon. It was attended by every owner at the course, regardless of whether he was a member of the Thoroughbred Horse Association. The matter was discussed liberally by the horsemen and the following resolution was unanimously adopted, there not being a dissenting voice: "Resolved, that we, the members of the Horsemens Protective Association, recognize the fact that the Thorncliffe Racing and Breeding Association has been in existence for a number of years and have been granted a regular charter by the government, that we hereby look on it as a legitimate racing association and pledge our approval and unqualified support to the management of the Thorncliffe Racing and Breeding Association, and do not think it conflicts with our pledge made at Toronto on September 2S, 191C in any way." Threaten Disruption of Association, Many expressed the opinion that if the Thoroughbred Horse Association stuck to its ruling, recently sent out from Kentucky, that there would be a disruption of the association, as the members now here have made up their minds to race at Thorn-cliffe track regardless of any future rulings against them. They claim that the resolution passed a year ago was to protect the owners of Devonshire Park, which had gone to the expense of building a track at Windsor and were allowed to before there was any ruling made against them or the track. They also claim that Thorncliffe track was built at the time of the passing of the resolution at Toronto last autumn and that it is not a new track built since that resolution was passed. The result will be awaited with interest by the members of the Thoroughbred Horse Association, as they are ready to withdraw from the association. They held their meeting this morning, under the name of the Horsemens Protective Association,, taking the matter in their own hands. They claim they have made arrangements to ship to Toronto and, as racing comes to a close in Canada on August 1, the ruling is unfair. They also state that the ruling should have been made at an earlier date, as It would have been fairer to all concerned. Members of Association Forbidden to Race. President Charles II.. Berryman, of the Thoroughbred Horse Association, makes it quite plain that the officers aiid directors of that organization will expect its members racing in Canada to live up to their pledge, made September 28, 1910, at Toronto, which means that the meeting advertised for Thorncliffe will not have the associations sanction, which now is being sought through members of the Canadian committee. "When the Devonshire track was completed and a meeting was about to be held there last September, certain of the members of the Canadian Racing Associations objected, on the score that there were already too many tracks in the Province of Ontario and threatened to outlaw all horses that would race at Devonshire," said President Berry-man, who is now at- Lexington, Ky. "A meeting of 15S members of the Thoroughbred Horse Association was held at Toronto, and a resolution containing the following pledge was unanimously adopted; "The members of this association will not race over any track not already built in the Province of Ontario and licensed by the Ontaro government. "That pledge was accepted in good faitli by the Canadian Racing Associations and the action of the members was. indorsed by the directors of the Thoroughbred Horse Association, who have never had any idea other than that no circumstance could arise that would cause any member to violate it. "Now comes a request through certain of our members In Canada that support be given the Thorncliffe meeting, for no reason other than that the Canadian order-in -Avar-council will cause a cessation of racing in that country August 1. "Those members have been advised by telegraph as follows: It has not been shown that Thorncliffe was a race track licensed by the Ontario government at the time our pledge was given last. September. "We cannot sanction any action that will be construed to be in violation of that pledge, which was accepted in good faith by the Canadian Racing Associations. " Chairman Macfarlane, who is ill at his home in Montreal, has made it known to the members of the Canadian committee that, should sanction of the association be given, in violation of the pledge, he would resign his membership. It will not become necessary for Chairman Macfarlane to resign, but the resignation of any member who violates that pledge will be expected.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1910s/drf1917071401/drf1917071401_2_2
Local Identifier: drf1917071401_2_2
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800