In the latest sign that Arizona horseracing stands on the precipice, the Santa Cruz County Fair and Rodeo Association has voted to cancel the 2024 Sonoita Races, leaving the state without a single county-fair meet this year (last year there were two). The Patagonia Regional Times explains:
“The financial burden of putting on the event, the lack of continued state funding to support racing, the cancellation of racing at Rillito Park in Tucson and the demise of county racing in Arizona all played into the Board’s decision.
“Even with the $40,000 in state funding that Sonoita received last year, the Fairgrounds lost money on the weekend of racing.”
As previously relayed, Arizona Downs is likely dead, Rillito will probably not race this year, and Turf, AZ’s flagship track, has been on the market for over a year, with the current meet quite possibly being its last. And now, the end of a century-plus-old “tradition” (of abusing and killing horses, that is) in Santa Cruz. Good news all the way around.
We absolutely can`t stand Rodeo! Abusive & unneeded so called sport. Unfortunately in our state Oregon, rodeos & horse racing go hand in hand with each other & are conducted at many of the same tracks/venues. The rodeo ring many times in the middle of the home stretch of a track with an addition to infield added as in the case of Tillamook fair. Race the old model T`s & not the horses instead. Also leave out the poor pigs too in those Pig & Ford races!
It’s always good news when they admit they can’t support their own habit in rodeo and racing. The motto for rodeo was “Rodeo, America’s Number One Sport” which is total bullshit but that’s what they said anyway.
Some people say Rodeo builds character, but the truth is it is animal abuse. Rodeos always need a sponsor or several sponsors, because they can’t support their own stuff, and you know that’s the way it is with horseracing, too. These “professional” abusers of horses (and cattle) can’t support their own vile habits.
We always found the horses themselves relaxing & entertaining even when galloping on track in mornings. Sometimes physically so. When we saw several horses we galloped in the mornings breakdown in races & pass that was it for us.Just wish all the touristy bull ring county tracks would disappear here in Oregon where deaths of horses & riders have occurred in the last few years.
Thank you!
We here in Pima County are going to
keep up the public pressure on the Board of Supervisors to keep the Rillito Race Track closed permanently.
I would not want to place a bet on the possibility of horse racing surviving for too much longer..
What I once considered to be a fun, enjoyable, relaxing and entertaining pastime has shown itself to be a brutal, horrendous killing affair.
To any horse racing bettors who may be reading his site, I’ll paraphrase Shakespeare:
“Get thyself to a casino!”
Stop killing the horses.
-Joe