History of the Kin Race Track Park, and a Compilation of Other Pertinent Documents

History of the Kin Race Track Park, and a compilation of other pertinent documents. Compiled by Dr. Lois Philp as background for discussion at the District of Coldstream Agricultural Advisory Committee meeting: Feb. 9th, 2010, 7:00 pm. i Please distribute at the January 12, 2010 4:30 pm meeting. Attachment 1 (3 pages) History as published by the Okanagan Historical and Natural History Society Year 2000 t track in Canada. Kin Race Track had its beginning KIN RACE TRACK when Cornelius 0*Keefe purchased an acreage in 1883 just outside Priest Valley, which was in the in •••♦..a history terior of B.C. In 18S5 Priest Valley was a beautiful little town snuggled into hills fringed with pine and byDr.LoisE.Philp covered with hearty bunch grass. Cattle from the local mocbes grazed on the hills. The town was mir he month of May is w«tn sun and fragrant, rored by three lakes. Tmoist earth, Sharp scents of crushed grass and clean-up fires are softened by the essence of new A committee was formed from the 40 citizens of green leaves and a profusion of blossoms. The days Priest Valley and outlying areas to organize horse are busy with sound. Birds wake at dawn, horses racing. With all-night dances in the local hotel and squeal and nicker for their foals and there is time to other sporting events the same weekend, it became listen to the morning and feel the comforting rays of the largest social event in the small town. In 18S7, the sun. Priest Valley was renamed Vernon in honour of George Forbes Vemon, owner of the Coldstream The Kentucky Derby is held the first Saturday in Ranch. May. The twin spires of Churchill Downs in Louis* ville, Kentucky, have become the symbol of the In 1887 races began at 10 o'clock in the morning world's legendary racetracks. and the purses were graded from twenty dollars to one hundred dollars. Churchill Downs was rebuift in 1895 but its early start followed closely the history of most small In 1891 tine Inland Sentinel, the local newspaper, tracks in North America. Tfte excitement, dreams described the race course as "one half mile in length, and gut-wrenching work of asm all group of people, eighty feet wide at the starting point and sixty feet compelled by a passion for horse racing, created therastofmecou£$en.,lAmorebeautifulspottohold most race tracks. a celebration could scarcely be found anywhere. Glimpses of distant park-like ranges and verdant The horse racing and breeding industry has had wheat fields may be had in all directions and there cyclical successes in the past century, feeing is de is little doubt that the beauty of the spot will add to pendent on community support, availability of race the enjoyment of those present at the races." horses, gambling, land and an exciting race track. The Okanagan Valley became more accessible in Most early tracks disappeared. Tracks like 1886 when a steamer service began on Okanagan Saratoga and Churchill Downs thrived and have be Lake aod the Canadian Pacific Railway opened a come symbols of the sport ia both tbc quality of the line &om Sicamous Junction to Vernon. The first horses and the thrill of the spectacle. The tradition race meet that was organized by the Okanagan and of Churchill Downs when the strains of °My Old Spallumcheen Agricultural Society was held in Kentucky Home" flows over the shining horses 1891. "Running horses and trotting horses arrived parading on the track on Derby Day, brings tears to by car from Alberta, Kamloops and Vancouver. the eyes of 140,000 spectators and a world wide Horses were stabled at Messrs. Gallagher and audience via TV. Stevenson's stables". This headline from the Inland Sentinel, as well as the following: "an alleged OLDEST ACTIVE TRACK scheme to "pull" a horse and fleece Vernon gamblers misfires" or "at the track a horse bolts and One small race track, Kin Race Track in Vernon, jumps on W. Middleton's rig, upsetting it. Mid- British Columbia, has had racing almost con dleton and his stepfather thrown out but uninjured" tinuously since 1885. Kin Race Track still conducts created interest and some variety for the local resi racing and is believed to be the oldest active race dents. Greenwood and Fort Erie race tracks in Ontario. In THE VERNON JOCKEY CLUB 1967 and 1968 he was tbe leading trainer in Canada. 1893 was historically asignificant year for the race Peter Poole learned to love horses in his home town track as a joint stock company was formed tooperate of Vernon. He was the assistant manager of the track and to raise money for the improvements Windfields Farm when Natalma foaled the priceless and purchase of the track. In November of 1893 The little colt who became NORTHERN DANCER. Vemon Jockey Club was incorporated and granted a charter to hold pari mutuel racing. The Jockey Tak Inouye from Vernon rode horses on the small Club organized race meets until 1906 when, again, tracks in British Columbia. He rode Whistling Sea* the Okanagan Agricultural Society took over the an unheralded horse from Alberta, to win the management of the track. Trotting races, fiat and Queen's Plate at Woodbine. This was the first hurdle races were all part of the racing program for western home to win mis prestigious race. Many the next decade. champion racehorses were foaled and raised in the Okanagan. Horses like Cum Laode, Travelling Vic The first race meets were held in conjunction with tor and Fofienbras were a few who brought recog agricultural fairs. Lord and Lady Aberdeen attended nition to our area. the first Vemoti Agricultural Fair in 1S91 on their first trip to British Columbia. Lord Aberdeen's MULTI-USE FACILITY ranch in Kelowna, Guisichan Ranch, won twelve prizes in the Vemon fair. While here, Lord Aber The organizations who leased Kin Race track were deen purchased the Coldstream Ranch from Forbes varied. The racing charter was in demand and The Vernon and then moved to the ranch in 1894. Lord Jockey Club sold racing days to many areas of Aberdeen was Governor General of Canada from British Columbia. Tbe Kinsmen took control of The 1893 to 1896. Jockey Club in the 1930's by buying the shares of deceased members. This was when the race track be Stampedes became part of race track celebrations came "Kin Race Track". In tbe 1940's, tbe Kinsmen and they continued with various organizers for ap managed the track for racing and held very success proximately fifty years. The small community of ful stampedes for many years. Other organizations Vemon supported its race track and the race track from Vernon used tbe track for many events, par entertained the community with many recreational ticularly as part of the community-sponsored "Ver events. non Days". STRONG SUPPORT In the late 1950's tbe once-proud race course fell into disrepair. In the early sixties a group of race The original Jockey Club members saw many of horse enthusiasts, led by Gil Seabrook and Bea their grandchildren and local young people take an Anderson, rescued the Vemon Agricultural Society active part in the race track, Young boys like Lionel (V.D.A.S.). The members who immediately joined Valalr and Andy Smithers rode horses from town to the Agricultural Society had been active in the town for race meets, "heading and tailing" a number Okanagan Horseman's Association and the Vemon of horses to cross the border to race in the State of members switched to tbe new society and began the Washington. Lionel became a successful revjtalization of Kin Race Track. It took until about businessman. He bred horses for many years and he 1966 before racing could start again. enjoyed watching them win at Santa Anita as well as at other tracks. His daughter, Judy, became a suc cessful trainer in Vancouver and in California, Businessmen like Paul Duniom, Russ Postill and Butch Anderson donated lumber, hours of man- Andy Smithers Jr. started training horses in Ver operated machinery and manual labour, along with non and became the leading trainer at Woodbine, many volunteers who worked to restore and enlarge the grandstand, washrooms, barn and fences. plays for a moment at the end of his shank. Horses Children helped pick stones from the track and did heads reaching out from tbedoorways,...waiting for some painting. their time on the track. Horses munching from haynets, exercised, bathed and groomed relaxed RECORDS SET in their shavings-sharp stalls. The next thirty years were successful Record pur Kin Race Trade, a small Saratoga, with its own ses and betting days were recorded and horse shows tradition, in the interior of British Columbia. and charities were sponsored and special racing programs were offered. A stake race with a purse of Riders of the past float by in the early light, Gentle fifty thousand dollars was added to create record people...all with a love for the horse, Molly Clerke, betting. Seventeen racing days were offered and Jeamtie Spence, Frank Watson, Sid Smith, Dick horses came from Alberta, Vancouver and from the French, Don Weatherill, are some who still reach United States. The money earned was returned to the back for the memories of glorious races on power track property by the V,D. A.S. ful horses. In the background, good horses like Billy Ping, Kevin S, Desert Song, stretch ghostly nostrils to the finish line. In 1964 the Kinsmen and The Jockey Club gave the track to the City of Vemon.

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