Barrel Racing At Poarch Creek Facility Loses Another Round

February 8, 2014

The 1st District Court of Appeal on Friday said the state improperly granted a controversial permit that allowed a Poarch Creek Indian operated pari-mutuel facility to offer rodeo-style barrel racing.

In a brief opinion, a three-judge panel upheld a decision last year by Administrative Law Judge John Van Laningham that said the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation effectively created a new rule by allowing barrel racing at the Gretna facility. Van Laningham said the department did not go through the necessary rule-making process.

The issue has been controversial, at least in part, because the facility did not run more-typical quarter-horse races. Also, offering races allows facilities, such as Gretna, to operate lucrative card rooms.

“The issue in this case is not whether barrel match racing can be or should be considered ‘horseracing’ for purposes of the state’s pari-mutuel wagering laws,” said Friday’s opinion by judges Nikki Ann Clark, T. Kent Wetherell and Stephanie Ray. “Instead, the narrow issue in this case is whether the division’s policy of treating barrel match racing as an authorized form of quarter horse racing is an unadopted rule.”

by The News Service of Florida

Comments

8 Responses to “Barrel Racing At Poarch Creek Facility Loses Another Round”

  1. angela on February 9th, 2014 3:02 pm

    @barrel racing mom
    You of all people should be for it. Sports and Hobbies like that is rarely done anymore anyway. So it has nothing to do with ignorace by far. I’m just saying that they are taking everything good away. This is giving people jobs to feed there family and keeping the sport alive. What is so wrong with it. Come on barrel racing or straight line racing its a good thing. Just leave a good thing alone. I bet the people in Gretna don’t have a a problem with it. And there crime rate probably came down cause now people have jobs.

  2. bartender on February 9th, 2014 10:19 am

    what is wrong with these people,barrell racing has been around for years and they dont know the difference between horse racing and barrell racing. and so what they should be paid for doing it. it cost money to raise horses and haul them.they should be paid good money for doing it. its all about politics getting there hands on money. leave the indians alone with this. the casino gives money to help their people an our schools where the lotto dont show where he money goes to help our schools.. they are trying to have a place for good family fun so why dont they leave the politics out of it. horse people are good people and have good clean fun.

  3. angela on February 9th, 2014 8:18 am

    It’s all about money!!! Florida is just fighting it for Court cost and Tax reasons. The longer its in court they making money!!! What about the jobs it provides in Gretna. Whats crazy is Florida is wasting tax money fighting this and Poarch will come out on top.

  4. BARREL RACING MOM on February 9th, 2014 7:45 am

    This is nonsense!Barrelracing and horse racing 2 different things.Leave your politics and ignorance out of our fun wholesome sport.

  5. glenda weekley on February 8th, 2014 9:07 pm

    you have got to be joking. barrel racing is going around barrels not a stright line racing. What going to happen next.I quess fishing will be called supa diving, because you caught a fish.

  6. lynda on February 8th, 2014 7:28 pm

    By the way barrel racing and horse racing are apples and oranges!

  7. lynda on February 8th, 2014 7:22 pm

    Someone always has to spoil someones fun by adding politics,money or some other b.s. Why make things so difficult when all it does is give people a chance to compete in a sport they love.

  8. GH on February 8th, 2014 3:00 pm

    So now, the same barrell racers are running straight line sprints instead. Whats the difference?

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News