The  OBJECT of the Society shall be to encourage and ensure co-operative effort in all matters pertaining to the production and improvement of the Standardbred Horse in the Province of Alberta, and to co-operate with the Associations and Societies of other Provinces in the Dominion of Canada and States of the United States of America/or other Associations in other Countries..
The Alberta Standardbred Horse Association (ASHA) was formed to represent and protect the best interests of Standardbred industry participants and bring about a closer, more understanding relationship among members, racetracks, racing associations, governing bodies and the public.
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NEWS AND UPDATES RELEVANT
​TO ALBERTA HARNESS RACING

Stakes Eligible Lists

BEV SEARS MEMORIAL 2021 (16 eligible)
​ED TRACEY MEMORIAL 2021 (23 eligible)
Below is the revised Stakes Payments schedule.
​No payments are due for Alberta until MAY 15th

Notice From Horse Racing Alberta

From the HRA Face Book Page
Horse Racing Alberta Century Mile Licensing Office
The office will be open Thursday, April 1 from 10 a.m. - noon
Completed license application forms will be accepted in person with CASH ONLY.​

Notice From Horse Racing Alberta

From the HRA Face Book Page
The Alberta horse racing COVID-19 Response Planning Working Group met this afternoon to discuss ongoing efforts to resume racing.
Positive meetings between horsemen’s organizations and provincial government and Alberta Health representatives have occurred in the last week. The message from industry representatives is that we are confident that by continuing to implement COVID-19 safety measures we can safely return to live horse racing in Alberta. We are committed to working closely with government and public health officials to ensure the guidelines put in place meet their requirements.
Any news regarding a re-opening strategy for Century Downs Racetrack and Casino will be shared immediately. Spring training continues at Century Mile Racetrack and Casino and The Track on 2. Rocky Mountain Turf Club will open for spring training on Sunday, April 4.
The next conference call is scheduled for Wednesday, April 7.

ATTENTION! - NEW DIRECTIVE FROM HRA

Horse Racing Alberta has issued new Directive 184-2021 regarding ship ins.(Click to view) 
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Directive 184-2021

CONGRATULATIONS
TO THE NEW MEMBERS OF
THE ASHA BOARD OF DIRECTORS & BREEDERS COMMITTEE

THANK YOU to everyone who was able to participate in the virtual AGM. It had its challenges, but we got it done, rather late in the evening...! The numbers attending indicated one of the best attended AGM's in quite some time, if not THE best attended, and your input (and patience) was greatly appreciated.  Also greatly appreciated were the volunteers who assisted Colleen at the barn collecting votes from the small bubble there. 

The new president, Don McDougall thanked the outgoing members of the Board and Breeders Committee, but special thanks to Bill Andrew for his many years serving the Board.
​
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The Volunteers ♥

The  2021 ASHA Board of Directors

The  2021 ASHA Breeders Committee
President -Don McDougall - (2021 - 2023)

Vice-President - Jackson Wittup -  (2021-2022, 1 year term)

Secretary Treasurer - John Hind (2019/2022)

Breeders Chairman - Harold Haining (2019/2022)

Owners Chairman - Randy Smith- (2021 - 2023)

Driver/Trainer Chairman -  Nathan Sobey- (2021 - 2023)

Director, 2 yr Term Dave Kelly (2019/2022)

Director, 2 yr Term Rod Starkewski (2019/2022)

Director, 2 yr Term - Tim Lake - (2021 - 2023)

Director, 2 yr Term - Neil Malloch - (2021 - 2023)

Director, 1 yr Term (Open Director) - Jocelyn Giesbrecht- (2021 - 2022)
​ 
Breeders Chair - Harold Haining 
3 Year Term 
Evelyn Sabraw 
 Connie Kolthammer 
Rod Hennessy

2 Year Term
Donna Wyse
Gord Empey
Kelly Crump​

1 Year Term
Terry McIsaac
​Shelly Arsenault
 Derek Stout

Alberta Working On Return Strategy​

In the face of continued COVID-19 restrictions in Alberta, the province's horse racing industry is currently working with health officials in an effort to create a return-to-racing plan....read on

IMPORTANT REMINDER FROM CENTURY DOWNS BACKSTRETCH TO THE HORSEMEN

Effective immediately, all travelers from outside AB must quarantine 14 days prior to entry to either Century property in Alberta. This restriction will be in place until the casino building is allowed to re-open.
When you enter the province you need to email raceoffice@cnty.com to notify the race office of your plans

Canadian Horse Racing Hall Of Fame 2021 Ballot Announced
The Canadian Horse Racing Hall of Fame is pleased to announce its 2021 ballot....read on

ATTENTION HORSEMEN
​ - RE: STAKES PAYMENT SCHEDULE REVISED!!

FRESH OFF THE PRESS - THE 2021 STALLION DIRECTORY & STAKES GUIDE

To download and open your own copy , click on the cover! (May take a little while over slower connections....) 

Books were sent out by mail on Wednesday, April 14 to  current members who have indicated mail out preference. If you are not a current ASHA member and wish to have one sent to you, please contact the ASHA office to let us know, and one shall be sent as soon as possible.
At the ASHA Board meeting on Saturday March 27th the following dates changes to Alberta Sires Stakes Nomination and Sustaining due dates took place.
          
  1. The three year old Sustaining payment to the Alberta Sires Stakes #39 due April 15th will now be moved to due May 15th
  2. The two year old Sustaining payment to the Alberta Sires Stakes #40 due April 15th will now be due June 15th
  3. The  Yearling Nomination payment to the Alberta Sires Stakes #41 due April 15th will now be due June 15th​
STANDARDBRED CANADA has revised their payment schedule.

​
As always, if you have any questions, please contact the ASHA office.

Racing On Hold In Alberta
A quick glance at the 2021 race date calendar indicates that Alberta's harness racing industry was slated to resume activity this weekend. That launch will have to wait, according to officials....read on

Recommendations For Reducing The Risk Of Positive Tests In Racehorses
The Canadian Pari-Mutuel Agency (CPMA) has provided a list of recommendations to assist horsepeople and minimize the risk of positive tests in their racehorses....read on

From Horse Racing Alberta

Beyond the Backstretch caught up with Alberta Standardbred Horse Association's Executive Director, Fred Gillis, to talk about his past career as a driver, how he came to work for ASHA, and how he's been dealing with the last year in the face of Covid-19.​

ATTENTION! - NEW DIRECTIVES FROM HRA

Horse Racing Alberta has issued several new Directives. The  directives below affect Harness Racing (Click on each one to view) 
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Directive 176-2021
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Directive 180-2021
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Directive 182-2021
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Directive 183-2021

​2021 Stakes Schedule and Payment Schedule

NOTE: CORRECTION to the following entry fees from $300 to $250
  • BRAD GUNN
  • NORM KENNEDY
  • EMERALD FILLY
  • ROCKY MOUNTAIN BOYS
The first stakes on the current calendar are the Bev Sears and Ed Tracey. These are OPEN stakes for 4 year old's. These stakes were created to help out the OPEN 3 year old's last year due to the cancellation of the Moore's Mile and Norm Kennedy. We have been informed, that when forms were sent out from Standardbred Canada, they were sent out as Alberta owned, sired, foaled stakes. Please note this correction, the Bev Sears and Ed Tracey currently scheduled for May 16th 2021, are OPEN stakes and not O/S/F.

All purses are subject to industry funding, slot performance and simulcast revenue. The ASHA reserves the right to adjust any and all purses if the industry funding is not sufficient to support advertised stake purses. Any discrepancy between the ASHA Stallion Directory and Stakes Guide, the ASHA website or other stake guide information and ASHA adjusted industry funding projections, the ASHA adjustment will prevail. ​

NOTICE FROM CENTURY  - STRANGLES

Due to the significant number of horses east of Manitoba that have been exposed to strangles bacteria, Century Casinos must implement strict measures to protect the best interests of the entire racing community. 

If you plan to bring horses into Alberta, ALL horses coming from anywhere east of Manitoba, MUST have a negative test for strangles and that test must be taken within 6 calendar days of their arrival. 
​ALL people intending to bring horses in, MUST notify the racing manager Joe Gray in advance of the horses arriving and provide him proof of the negative test. 
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Alberta Challenge of Champions ABSS SUPER FINALS

The OFFICIAL Stakes Schedule and Calendar

Below are the OFFICIAL  Stakes Schedule and Calendar respectively.
​PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT THE SCHEDULE COULD CHANGE DUE TO CIRCUMSTANCES BEYOND THE CONTROL OF ASHA

2021 Race Calendar

as of December 1, 2020

2021 Stakes Schedule

as of March 1, 2021

ASHA ACCEPTS
​ E-TRANSFERS

The ASHA accepts payments by
e-transfer through your online banking.

You can pay your:
  • ASHA membership, 
  • Stallion registrations and Yearling Sale (prior to deadline)
  • Yearling Sale Payments
This is not to be confused with stakes payments to Standardbred Canada, Horse Racing Alberta, or to Colleen Haining at the racetracks/book keepers office.

Please call the ASHA office before you make a payment to assure it's a payment we can take. 
We will advise at that time what the e-mail is to send the payment to.


PLEASE NOTE: THE ASHA CHARGES $50.00 for any NSF CHEQUES!

Looking for help? Looking for work?

Announcing EquineJobTrack.ca – your source for horse industry jobs across Canada!  
​Equine Guelph launches free employment service. Employers, post your jobs here so Equine JobTrack can help serve the horse racing industry in Alberta.  

​

HRA HOURS of OPERATION at CENTURY DOWNS RACETRACK

As of April 1st, 2021

Horse Racing Alberta Century Mile Licensing Office
The office will be open Thursday, April 1 from 10 a.m. - noon
Completed license application forms will be accepted in person with CASH ONLY.​
ATTENTION: As a reminder, in February 2020 we received notice for HRA that in lieu of WCB, everyone participating in the harness horse racing industry in Alberta MUST have their Standardbred Canada license and ASHA membership in order to have proper coverage as mandated by Century Casinos.
Horse Racing Alberta (HRA) is requesting that you go ONLINE to renew your license(s), as there is limited access to the backstretch.

​HORSE RACING ALBERTA LICENSING
BALZAC / CENTURY DOWNS

HRA RENEWAL FORM  (Click to open)

PO BOX 1376, 
NISKU, AB, 
T9E 7M0

CENTURY MILE:
PH. (587) 416-5455
FAX: (587) 416-5460 
EMAIL: lscafe@thehorses.com
​
​CENTURY DOWNS:
PH. (587) 349-7777 Ext: 7800 FAX: (587) 349-7794 
​EMAIL: bgerlitz@thehorses.com 


All information can be located here:
​ttps://thehorses.com/regulatory/license-application-forms
For a list of OTB's in Southern Alberta, click this link ...HERE

The Horse Portal

SPECIAL 15% DISCOUNT FOR HRA MEMBERS 

Register at: TheHorsePortal.ca/HRA 

Equine First Aid – Spring ’21

Accidents and injuries can happen at any time anywhere, for any number of reasons. This makes it essential that everyone involved with horses – grooms, trainers, riders, drivers, coaches – learn how to administer first aid and READ MORE

HHYF

THE DERBY IS OPEN!