Live horse racing may come to Fargo in June next year

FARGO — Officers on the two North Dakota racetracks are open to switching their particular person seasons in order that reside horse racing would come to Fargo in June and could be held in Belcourt in July.

Traditionally, the 2 tracks, Chippewa Downs in Belcourt and the North Dakota Horse Park in Fargo, have labored collectively to host racing at Chippewa Downs in June adopted by the Fargo race meet in mid-July.

Nonetheless, relating to Fargo, horse racing has to compete with many occasions occurring on the identical time. For example,

the Fargo monitor opened its three-weekend season on July 15

when the Fargo Road Honest, Crimson River Valley Honest and different occasions throughout the metro space have been ongoing.

On the North Dakota Racing Fee assembly in Fargo on Friday, July 29, the 2 tracks advised swapping their dates. The state fee regulates horse racing in North Dakota and declares race dates and funding for the 2 tracks.

“We predict if we have been to swap our dates, it could be useful to each tracks,” North Dakota Horse Park Normal Supervisor Hugh Alan Drexler mentioned. “In Fargo, there may be a whole lot of competitors with the monitor. Additionally, it will get a bit of hotter right here in July.”

Chippewa Downs Monitor Superintendent Jamie Herman mentioned the Belcourt monitor faces comparable hurdles to attendance in June.

“We even have a whole lot of stuff happening in June in Belcourt,” Herman mentioned. “In July, it could be lots higher for us, as a result of we even have our Turtle Mountain Days in July, and I believe that might truly assist herald much more folks to the horse races.”

Racing Commissioner Richard LaFromboise, who’s from Belcourt, famous relations who reside across the nation are inclined to return house in July, as effectively.

Herman mentioned that when the monitor held races in August 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic, attendance was notably larger than regular.

The change is also safer for the horses and jockeys working. June is traditionally a wet month within the Belcourt space, and the monitor usually has to work across the climate.

In contrast to the monitor on the North Dakota Horse Park, Herman mentioned, the monitor at Chippewa Downs has clay blended into the floor. After heavy rain, it may well develop into very muddy and has extra potential to trigger accidents.

North Dakota Racing Director Jack Schulz mentioned the precise dates racing shall be held in North Dakota could be voted on at a later assembly of the state fee, however he needed the dialog to start among the many tracks and horsemen.

“I am not asking for any choices to be made right now, however I needed to listen to from the horsemen and the 2 managers from every monitor,” he mentioned.

The fee earns funding via taxes paid by Advance Deposit Wagering firms. Advance Deposit Wagering is a type of playing on horse races during which bettors should fund their accounts earlier than being allowed to put bets. Such firms working within the state are licensed by the fee after which taxed via the state.

The fee usually decides the variety of race days and the timing of seasons for the next yr throughout its fall assembly.

Funding for reside racing is awarded within the spring.

Readers can attain West Fargo editor Wendy Reuer at

wreuer@forumcomm.com

or

701-241-5530

. Comply with her on Twitter

@ForumWendy

.