'Tough decision': Big Fresno Fair on cancelling horse races

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) — Horse racing has been a staple of the Big Fresno Fair for much than 100 years, but their yearly contented is being cancelled this year.

The Fairs' Board of the Directors and Fair Management says they're uncertain astir the availability of horses and the accrued fiscal risk.

This comes connected the heels of a determination from the California Authority of Racing Fairs to not submit contention applications for respective fairs crossed the state, including the California State Fair.  

This besides comes aft a pugnacious twelvemonth for the just aft officials reported three equine racing deaths successful 2024.

Senior Vice President of Peta Kathy Guillermo responding to the cancellation successful a connection speechmaking successful part:

California has not done each it could to forestall deaths connected the track. The fatalities astatine Fresno past twelvemonth were ne'er decently investigated, racing was not paused arsenic it should person been... the nationalist won’t—and shouldn’t—support a athletics successful which the participants are forced to vie astatine the hazard of their ain lives.

Senior Vice President Peta, Kathy Guillermo

The Big Fresno Fair's CEO Christina Estrada says successful portion quote:

This pugnacious determination was made with cautious information for the semipermanent economical wellness of The Big Fresno Fair... we stay committed to exploring each options successful an ever-evolving manufacture situation.

Big Fresno Fair CEO Christina Estrada

The connection besides says that manufacture challenges the closure of Golden Gate fields year-round racetrack successful Northern California.

Financial challenges for the California Authority of Racing Fairs were a origin successful the determination to enactment racing connected pause.

Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magisg says helium is disappointed with the announcement.

"I would anticipation that immoderate of the organizers take to reconsider and find ways to bring equine racing backmost arsenic soon arsenic possible," Magsig said.