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LEBANON, OH -- Eviction notices were handed over to 300+ harness racing horses last week at the Warren County Ohio Fairgrounds by the Warren County Agricultural Society's board who owns and operates the fairgrounds.
The notice that was sent to owners by email and also hangs on the WCAS property reads:
According to The Story of The Warren County Fairgrounds, the Agricultural Society hosted its first fair in 1850 with Harness Racing coming to the grounds approximately ten years later, "drawing large crowds to see records broken on the regulation horse track"
The Lebanon Raceway was established in 1948 at the fairgrounds. Then, according to OffTrackBetting.com, "after Governor John Kasich approved video lottery terminals at Ohio racetracks in 2011, a joint venture of Churchill Downs Inc. and Delaware North Companies agreed in March 2012 to buy Lebanon Raceway from the Nixon and Carlo families for $60 million...The purchase was completed in December 2012."
While the racetrack and licensed was moved to Miami Valley Racino in Turtlecreek Township, the Warren County Fairgrounds has been the home and training grounds for 300+ harness racing horses.
While it has been known that WCSA was having financial problems, as the WCAS had to raise the rent rate of a stall from $125 a month to $150 this past summer, the horsemen were not expecting this.
Scott Hagemeyer, Ohio Harness Horsemen’s Association told Local 12 News ...
"the rate increase put Warren County Fairgrounds at the highest single rate per stall per month in the entire State of Ohio, but that was a manageable adjustment."
To see what others had to say watch Local 12 News video below...
Along with the 300 plus horses being impacted by this decision, the lives of the owners, trainers, groomers, veterinarians, as well as the local agricultural industry that provides the oat and hay for the horses, will be greatly impacted.
Victor Gray, who has worked with owners and horses at the fairgrounds, has started a petition to collect signatures at Change.org to stop the eviction. As of this writing 1,887 signatures have been collected. To sign the petition click here.
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