Beautiful Virgin Islands

Tuesday, Jun 24, 2025

No Boxing Day horse races this year- Lesmore Smith

No Boxing Day horse races this year- Lesmore Smith

As there seems to be no resolution in sight to the impasse between the Government of the Virgin Islands (VI) and the Thomas family that owns a portion of land that accommodates Ellis Thomas Downs at Sea Cows Bay, there will be no Boxing Day horse races this year.

President of the VI Horse Owners Association Mr Lesmore Smith has gone public, saying that the races will not happen as the government is yet to have the issue resolved.

Mr Smith has also blasted the Thomas family for what he termed as not having heart and exhibiting true 'BVI love'.

"Be In Charge, take the mantle, make a decision," Mr Smith said to the government, while telling the Thomas family, "Have compassion."

Mr Smith was at the time a guest on JTV yesterday, November 22, 2022.


President of the VI Horse Owners Association Mr Lesmore Smith has gone public, saying that the races will not happen as government is yet to have the issue resolved.

'I am not going to spend my resources'- Smith

According to Mr Smith, the conclusion came following a discussion with Premier and Minister of Finance Dr the Honourable Natalio D Wheatley (R7) on Sunday, November 20, 2022.

"As far as that dialogue went, things haven't been yet settled...I mean we have our Boxing Day races in about a month from now and we can't have it, it wouldn't happen because the track has more grass than you see on the side of the road," he said.

"And I am not going to spend my resources and I have said that clearly to the government and to all my horse mates. I am not going to take my money anymore because I had to take all of the surface up the last time, sift the whole sand and replace it and it has a cost," Mr Smith said.

Mr Smith said the track often benefits from assistance from people in the community, not government, but it is not good when people donate their time and services to see things happen for horse racing and then it goes down to naught.

"And I understood that the track has been paid for and it is yet to be disputed as somebody who knows better would say that track has been paid for up until February next year and my this if you already paid for something then you should have use of it."
The current state of the race track at Ellis Thomas Downs in Sea Cows Bay.


Where is the BVI love?

Turning his attention to the Thomas' who has ordered the government to cease and desist from using the track, Smith said, “Looking at what it is, I believe as a BVIslander and we say we have the spirit of 'BVI Love'. Despite all of that, the owners of the track should have had a little more compassion for the whole sport, for the father, whom the track is named after. I am saying, knowing that it is named after your father, this is what he loved."

While noting that he is not here to tell the Thomas' family what is the value of their land and what they should do with it, Smith said the family should have "worked the kinks out later or during the process but don't just shut the whole thing down.

"But I am not in any way discrediting the Thomas family, because it's their property but at least they should have been more lenient with us, more compassionate with us, at least to get things going to let us get our traditional races going," Smith said.

There has been no resolve to the disagreement between Government and the land owners of Ellis Thomas Downs, which means the Boxing Day races will also be affected.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Beautiful Virgin Islands
0:00
0:00
Close
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Macron and Merz: Europe must arm itself in an unstable world
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Airlines Evaluate Flight Cancellations Amid Escalating US-Iran Tensions
Starmer Invites Innovators to Join Government Talent Scheme
UK Economy’s Strong Opening Quarter Shows Signs of Cooling
Harrods Seeks Court Order to Secure Al Fayed Estate for Victims
BA and Singapore Airlines Cancel Dubai Flights Amid Middle East Tensions
Trump Faces Backlash from MAGA Base Over Iran Strikes
Meta Bets $14 B on Alexandr Wang to Drive AI Ambitions
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
FedEx Founder Fred Smith, ‘Heart and Soul’ of the Company, Dies at 80
Chinese Factories Shift Away from U.S. Amid Trump‑Era Tariffs
Pimco Seizes Opportunity in Japan’s Dislocated Bond Market
Labubu Doll Drives Pop Mart to Status as China’s Most Valuable Toy Maker
Global Coal Demand Defies Paris Accord Goals
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
BBC Demands Perplexity AI Immediately Stop Using Its Content
Telegram Founder: I Will Leave My Fortune to Over 100 of My Children
Political Turmoil Resurfaces in Belgium Amid Economic Concerns
Fed policymakers divided on timing of interest rate cuts
Trump signals imminent agreement with Harvard University
Inheritance tax referendum alarms Swiss billionaire community
Japan cancels bilateral security meeting amid US defence demands
AI skeptic Emily Bender warns that ‘the emperor has no clothes’
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
FBI and Senate Investigate Allegations of Chinese Plot to Influence the 2020 Election in Biden’s Favor Using Fake U.S. Driver’s Licenses
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
Plans to Sell Dutch Embassy in Bangkok Face Local Opposition
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump's $5 Million 'Trump Card' Visa Program Draws Nearly 70,000 Applicants
DGCA Finds No Major Safety Concerns in Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet
Airlines Reroute Flights Amid Expanding Middle East Conflict Zones
Elon Musk's xAI Seeks $9.3 Billion in Funding Amid AI Expansion
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Taiwan Imposes Export Ban on Chips to Huawei and SMIC
Israel has just announced plans to strike Tehran again, and in response, Trump has urged people to evacuate
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Juncker Criticizes EU Inaction on Trump Tariffs
EU Proposes Ban on New Russian Gas Contracts
×