Attendance Increase at Midwest Horse Fair (26-April)

Attendance was at a record high at the 2010 Midwest Horse Fair; 56,000 attended the event April 16-18 at the Dane County Coliseum in Madison, Wisc. The breakdown per day was 18,500 on Friday, 24,500 on Saturday and 13,000 on Sunday. The WHHA once again had a booth display and demonstrations in the coliseum.

Illinois Slots Bill? (23-April)

The IHHA and the ITHA are pleased to announce that they have reached a tentative agreement with the racetracks on a “slots at the tracks bill.” After two days of intense negotiations, all parties have signed an agreement on a sliding scale which will provide millions of dollars for purse accounts. In addition, other contentious issues have been worked out. There is still language to be written, and a bill number to be assigned, however we are cautiously optimistic that we will have an actual agreed upon bill in the next few days. Some of the highlights of the agreement are:

An acceptable sliding scale for purses, with 2% going to supplement State and County Fairs.
Guarantee to protect live racing.
No demand to have horsemen sign an agreement that would share future tax increases with tracks at an equal rate.
Elimination of recapture at the first pull of a slot machine.
The racetracks will continue to pay for the Racing Industry’s Charitable Foundation.
The racetracks and horsemen have agreed to split the payment of breeders awards. 50/50.
The racetracks have agreed to keep backstretches open.

The IHHA Board of Directors has unanimously approved this agreement.

Hopefully, in the next few weeks, the Illinois General Assembly will pass our bill. We feel that the passage of a bill within these parameters will carry The Illinois horse racing industry into the future for many years to come. (www.harnessillinois.com)

Submit Your Photos! (2-April)

Did you ever want your picture on the front of a race program? Well, maybe not "your" picture, but one that you have taken during one of our race meets or fairs. Please electronically send any pictures you would like considered for a race program cover for this sumemrs races to photos@wiharnessracing.com with the subject "Program Cover". Please ensure that they are 300 dpi and at least 5" x 7" (preferably larger).

Large Animal Resue Training (12-March)

Do you have personnel in your area trained in large animal rescue? The University of Wisconsin School of Veterinary Medicine is presenting training on technical large animal resuce. Operational training will be May 21-22 and advanced training on May 23. Participants in the course will learn how to respond to on-road and off-road large animal rescue incidents by participating in scenario training with life-size, weighted, articulated manikins that allow training for virtually any situation.

For more information or to register, contact Karl Olson (608) 265-5206 or olsonk@svm.vetmed.wisc.edu. Online registration at www.vetmed.wisc.edu/ce.

Paul Dudzik Passes Away (10-March)

Many of you know Paul & his son Jerry as they raced frequently in Chicago, the northern Illinois fair circuit and at Elkhorn. Our condolences go out to the entire Dudzik family.

Paul Arthur Dudzik, 62, of Sandwich, Ill., died Feb. 26, 2010 at Rush-Copley Medical Center in Aurora.

He was born Feb. 12, 1948 in Sandwich, the son of David and Martha (Dunbar). He married Mary K. Black on June 17, 1972 in Medina, Ohio.

Mr. Dudzik was a member of Union Congregational Church in Somonauk. He was a Vietnam veteran having served with the U.S. Army. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, his family and friends.

Mr. Dudzik trained Standardbreds for over 40 years. He trained at the Sandwich Fairgrounds along with his son, Jerry, and raced mainly at the Chicago racetracks and traveled the Northern Illinois Colt Association fair circuit each summer.

Besides training, he also drove on rare occasions. His career highlights include driving the 3-year-old trotting filly Pretty Snippy to a 2:01.4 victory at Quad City Downs in 1990. This established an Illinois season's mark for a sophomore trotting filly on a five-eighths-mile track. More recently he piloted the 2-year-old pacing gelding Wayne Macklane to a 2:01.4 score at Deacatur in 2007. This was an Illinois season's mark for a freshman gelding on a half-mile track.

He currently trained two horses, RASCC and Colonel Vernol. A sentimental favorite of his, RASCC won at Maywood Park the day after he was laid to rest.

Mr. Dudzik is survived by his wife, Mary; son, Jerry (Jill); daughter, Christy; granddaughter, Peyton; and brother, David (Diane). He was preceded in death by his parents.

Visitation was held Tuesday, March 2, at the Turner-Eighner Funeral Home in Somonauk. Funeral services were held Wednesday, March 3, at Union Congregational Church in Somonauk with burial at Oak Ridge Cemetery in Sandwich. (from the USTA website)

Wisconsin Harness Horse Association