3 comments so far.Mary Mifsud Micallef is new President of Gozo Horse Racing Association
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At the first meeting of the new Committee of Gozo Horse Racing Association held on Thursday, Mrs Mary Mifsud Micallef was elected President of the Committee for the year 2014/15.
The Gozo Horse Racing Association administers ta’ Xhajma complex at Xewkija.
The Secretary of the Committee was confirmed as Marcel Agius and David Apap Agius will serve as Treasurer.
The rest of the Committee is composed of the following members: Vice President: George Farrugia, Representative of the Jockeys: Frank Portelli, Track Manager: Johan Haber, Ass. Track Manager: Tony Buttigieg, Legal Adviser: Dr. Deborah Mercieca LLD and PRO: Paul Scicluna. Peter Portelli is the representative for the Ministry for Gozo.
In her first comments Mrs Mary Mifsud Micallef pledged to work towards making this hobby even more popular on the island of Gozo, contacting and encouraging local horse racing enthusiasts. The President added that she will also work to improve the infrastructure and environment of the track so that it will become a place where families, together with their children and friends are able to enjoy their favourite sport.
Does the president of the Horse Racing Association have the power to get the sport off the tarmacked roads and into the racecourse where it obviously belongs?
I know horse racing on the streets has been going on for generations and is great to watch but I think it is only a matter of time until something happens and a horse goes into the watching crowd and people are killed.
I have seen horses run into the crowd, and people injured.
And yes, it is fun to watch, but I am thinking that horses don’t actually need to race on tarmac, when there is a racecourse. And the number of spectators, except for Santa Marija, is usually small – so you would actually see more of a race… at a proper race track.