Two long time Oregon Horsemen, Ron Belland and Larry Cermack passed away this last month. They will both be missed...

Ron Belland was a hard working quiet man who was known for taking good care of his horses and those he loved. Our heart goes out to his family and especially to his long time companion, Sonja Young who always worked tirelessly beside him. The following obituary appeared in The Oregonian for Ron...

Ronald William Belland died April 11, 2008, at age 76.

Ronald William Belland was born Feb. 13, 1932, in St. Paul, Minn. He served in the Army in the Korean War. He moved in the late 1980s to Molalla and was a self-employed horse trainer for more than 20 years. He also worked for the Valley Landfill site in Woodburn.

Survivors include his daughters, Marie Margl, Sandra Klande and Roseanne Schermak; son, Frank; companion's daughters, Kim Lee and Heidi Charlton, and sons, Robin Young and Ross Young; sisters, Joyce Tyler, Elaine Pierce, Dorothy Thibault and Florence Parenteau; companion, Sonja Young; 11 grandchildren; and great-grandchildren.

Larry Cermack passed away quietly at the home of his sister with Patty and his family close around him. Larry died Saturday afternoon about 3 p.m. on April 19, 2008.

Larry had been a farrier for many years, shoeing mostly at Portland Meadows and Longacres. After deciding to retire from shoeing Larry started training his and Patty's, (his long time companion) horses. Larry and Patty raised and raced several horses which they both dearly loved.

Patty has told me there will be a Memorial service for Larry at a time yet to be decided. We will let you know when that will be.

Both of these men will be missed and we wish Sonja and Patty our heartfelt sorrow at their loss

Although the Track is not open for training this summer and all the horses have been removed from the grounds, the Oregon HBPA Office on the backstretchof Portland Meadows will remain open as usual. Anyone needing assistence or information may contact us by phone at (503)285-4941, by e-mail at OHBPA@aol.com or stop by the office during the week, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Despite the lack of racing, the Office Staff will be busy this summer. One of the first items of business is working on an overhaul of the Administrative Rules that is being undertaken by the Oregon Racing Commission. There will be a series of Meetings to discuss possible rule changes beginning in April. The Meetings will be broken down into two parts, one to discuss Administrative Rules and the second to discuss Medication Rules.

Additionally, we will begin preparing for new contract talks with whomever will become the Track Operator for the next season.

July 17 through the 20th; The National HBPA will hold it's summer convention in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

Under an agreement reached between the Oregon HBPA and Magna Entertainment Corp., the 2007-2008 Portland Meadows Race Meet came to a conclusion on Tuesday, March 11th after 61 days of racing.

Magna insisted on the shortend season after the Oregon Racing Commission turned down Magna's request to offer The Instant Racing wager that had been approved a few years earlier, but had proved to be unsucessful.

Also as part of the Agreement, Horsemen were required to have all their horses and equipment off the grounds by March 31st, therefore there would be no training during the summer as it had been in recent years.

While closing early has been an obvious hardship on a number of our Horsemen, the was some positive news from the abbreviated race meet. Despite racing fourteen less days in 2007-2008, Thoroughbred Horsemen raced for a total of $2,567,643 in purses. The total purses for thoroughbreds in 2006-2007 was $2,771,260 which included $286,000 in supplemental money from hub funds. There were no Hub Funds available for purses in 2007-2008 meet.

The average thoroughbred purse per race in 2007-08 jumped to $5,145 for 499 races. The previous year's average was $4,513 with a total of 614 thoroughbred races.

The daily average for thoroughbred purses for 60 days in 2007-08 was $42,794, while the daily average for the 75 days of the 2006-07 race meet was $36,950.

The average in-state handle on live and simulcast racing dropped slightly from $153,969 in 208 days in 2006-07 to $150,441 in 160 days in 2007-08.

With 14 fewer race days in 2007-08, the export handle on Portland Meadows racing increased from $29,727,315 in the 2006-07 racing season to $30,060,714 at our recently concluded 2007-08 race meet.

On the racing side, Portland Meadows finished strong with four thoroughbred stakes be contested in the final two days...

"Alabama Rain", owned by Christoff & Giesbrecht, raced to an upset victory in the $30,000 added Portland Meadows Mile. A.L. Guiterrez was aboard the Tom Longstaff trained runner, who picked up $17,848 for the win.

Joe Kitchen's "One Quick Brew" closed strongly in the final furlong to take down the $25,000 Oregon Derby for 3 year olds. Clark Jones rode the winner who is trained by Jim Fergason. The Kentucky bred earned $14,630 for his owner.

In other Stakes action, "Blanding", who races for David Green and Just Horsen Around Stable, registered a front running victory in the $20,000 added Donna Jensen Handicap for older fillies and mares.

Dan Sutherland's "Blue Sky Holiday" used similar tactics to capture the $20,000 Oregon Oaks for 3 year old fillies.

Jim Fergason saddled 60 winners from 256 starters to take down the Leading Trainer Title while Joe Crispin dominated the battle for Top Rider with 156 wins in 542 mounts.

Now that Portland Meadows has closed, Horsemen who remain in Oregon are turning their attention to the Summer Fair Circuit.

Unfortunately, the Fair Circuit in Oregon won't begin until June 6, 7 & 8th when the Eastern Oregon Livestock Show in Union, Oregon will race for three days.

They will be followed by a nine day meet at the Josephine County Fairgrounds in Grants Pass, Oregon where they will be racing from June 14th to July 6th.

The Crooked River Roundup in Prineville will take over July 9th through July 12th for four days, which will be followed by a three day stand at Tillamook on August 7, 8 & 9th. Harney County will finish off the circuit with a three day meet September 5, 6 & 7th in Burns, Oregon.

The future of racing at Portland Meadows is without a doubt considered to be uncertain with Magna having stated that the North Portland Oval is listed as being for sale along with several other of their Tracks.

There is some reason for optimism, however, as Dr. Jack Root, a prominent Veterinarian, Breeder and Owner, has, along with other members of his family and investors, made an offer to acquire the Track from Magna.

There are also some indications that other groups may be interested in buying the Track, but specifics about these potential buyers have not been revealed at this time. Hopefully, for the sake of the Industry, the entire situation will become clearer in the near future.

The President, Board of Directors and staff of the Oregon HBPA are listed below with their postions. Please feel free to ask any of them any questions you might have concerning the Oregon HBPA.

JIM FERGASON, Owner/Trainer, PRESIDENT

RON SUTTON, Owner, VICE PRESIDENT

SUSAN CALVERT, Owner, DIRECTOR

DAVID DUKE, Owner/Trainer, DIRECTOR

PATTY EASLEY, Owner/Trainer, DIRECTOR

BILL HEPPERLE, Owner, DIRECTOR

BRUCE LOUDEN, Owner, DIRECTOR

NICK LOWE, Owner/Trainer, DIRECTOR

JONATHAN NANCE, Owner/Trainer, DIRECTOR

DAN TANORY, Owner/Trainer, DIRECTOR

BOB WILSON, Owner, DIRECTOR

DICK CARTNEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

LINDA MORGAN, SECRETARY/TREASURER

BILL PALO, DRUG & ALCOHOL COUNSELOR & CHAPLAIN

Some of our members did not receive ballots, because no one contacted us with correct mailing information. We do not and can not share information with the Oregon Racing Commission or the Horsemen's Bookkeeper at Portland Meadows. Therefore if you or your Trainer doesn't give us changes of address, then we all lose. Please help us with this by updating your information every year. Please Call, e-mail, write, or just pop in, anything that keeps you current in our roster is sincerely apppreciated.

The Governor has appointed four new Commissioners to join Kerry Johnson(current Chair)on the Oregon Racing Commission. They are Stan Robson(Vice-Chair),Christopher Dudley, Charles Williamson and Michael Huber,D.V.M..

Randy Evers, the new Executive Director of the Oregon Racing Commission, took Office just prior to the new Commissoners coming on Board. Evers, a former horse owner, has taken an active interest in the industry and has been spending a considerable amount of time on the backstretch at Portland Meadows. He has shown a willingness to listen to horsemen and hear their concerns about any area of horse racing.

The Oregon HBPA is aware that Mr. Evers and the new Commissioners have had and will have quite a lot to absorb and take care of right away and wish them all welcome and look forward to working with them to help keep Oregon Racing on Track.

For more information on the new Commissioners please go to the following Oregon Racing Commission web site page...

http://racing.oregon.gov/RACING/con_commissioners.shtml

RUNS	STAKE	CONDITIONS	VALUE
October 7	Inaugural	3 & up; 6 furlongs	$20,000a
October 14	Invitational HDCP	3 & up f&m; 5 1/2 furlongs	$ 9,200a
October 21	OTOBA Sales Stake	2 yo; 6 Furlongs	$8,950a
October 29	Mt. Hood Stakes	3yo; 1 mile & 70 yds	$20,000a
November 4	Janet Wineberg	2 yo OB fillies; 6 furlongs	$11,810a
November 4	Bill Wineberg	2 yo OB c&g; 6 furlongs	$10,070a
November 5	Invitational HDCP	3 & up; 1 mile	$9,200a
November 11	Diane Kem	3 & up f&m; 6 furlongs	$20,000a
November 18	Lassie Stakes	2 yo f; 6 furlongs	$20,000a
November 19	The Columbia River	2 yo; 6 furlongs	$20,000a
November 26	Invitational HDCP	3 & Up; 1 mile & 70 yards	$9,200a
December 9	Jane Driggers Debutante	2 yo OB fillies; 6 furlongs	$6,600a
December 9	The Oregon His	3 yo OB c&g; 1 1/16 miles	$6,600a
December 9	The Oregon Hers	3 yo OB fillies; 1 mile	$10,000a
December 9	Oregon Sprint	3 & up OB; 6 furlongs	$6,600a
December 9	Os West Oregon Futurity	2 yo OB; 1 mile	$23,675a
December 18	Invitational HDCP	3 & up f&m; 1 mile	$9,200a
January 1	City of Roses HDCP	4 & up f&m; 1 mile & 70 yards	$20,000a
January 7	Invitational HDCP	3 yo fillies; 6 furlongs	$9,200a
January 20	OTOBA Stallion Stakes	3 yo OB; 6 furlongs	$9,200a
January 27	Invitational HDCP	4 & up ; 6 furlongs	$9,200a
January 28	Invitational HDCP	3 yo fillies; 1 miles	$9,200a
January 28	Invitational HDCP	4 & up f&m; 1 1/16 miles	$9,200a
January 29	Invitational HDCP	3 yo; 1 mile	$9,200a
February 18	The Governor's Speed	4 & up; 6 furlongs	$20,000a
February 18	Invitational HDCP	3 yo fillies; 1 mile & 70 yards	$9,200a
February 19	Invitational HDCP	3 yo; 1 mile & 70 yards	$9,200a
March 10	Invitational HDCP	4 & up f&m; 5 furlongs	$ 9,200a
March 10	The Donna Jensen	4 & up f&m; 1 1/16 miles	$20,000a
March 10	Portland Meadows Mile	4 & up; 1 Mile	$30,000a
March 11	Oregon Oaks	3 yo fillies; 1 1/16 miles	$20,000a
March 11	Oregon Derby	3 yo; 1 1/8 miles	$25,000a

CLAIMING	OPEN	NW3	NW2	MAIDEN
$2,500	$3,700	$3,500	$3,500	$3,400
$3,200	$4,300	$3,800	$3,500	$3,400
$4,000	$4,900	$4,100	$3,900	$3,700
$5,000	$6,700	$4,600	$4,400	$4,100
$6,250	$7,300	$5,100	$4,900	$4,400
$8,000	$7,900	$5,600	$5,400	$4,900
$10,000	$8,300	$5,900	$5,600	$5,200
$12,500+	$8,500	$6,100	$5,900	$5,600
Allowance	$8,800	$6,600	$6,300	$6,100

The 2006-2007 Race Meet had an additional $300 per race added from ORC Hub Funds. This is not included in the above schedule.

This schedule also does not show addtional funds for OREGON BRED RACES at this time

Invitational & Overnight Handicaps - $9,200 Purses

The Horsemen's Journal is working with the National H.B.P.A. and all of the Affilates to build a National Data Base. This will make it easier to make sure that our members are always notified in a timely manner as well as making it easier for the National H.B.P.A. to get sponsors and work out discount deals for our membership. This is not an easy task as you might imagine, with members moving around as they do from state to state, wrong addresses and being on multiple Affilates Membership rosters make it hard to to keep it all straight. The information from this data base will be kept private, names and addresses will not be sold or abused. But it will save money for the magazine, who now pays hundreds of dollars on returned magazines each time they are sent out because of bad addresses. It will also insure that all of our members will get their magazines and other mailings from the National H.B.P.A. as well as their own Affilate. You could help us by simply stopping by your H.B.P.A. Office or giving them a call and making sure they have your correct address. We are also asking everyone to provide an e-mail address if they have one. You can come in the office or contact us at (503) 285-4941 or by e-mail at ohbpa@aol.com. If you move, or travel to another state for a meet, just call us and let us know where you would like your information sent. Once we are all on the same page, address changes or corrections, will be very simple. Please help us to help you!