Chief Stipe

Can't do any worse than you did when you were at the helm!!!

I think that is the key - implementing them. However getting the rabble to agree and let go....

I can't change your mind what hope have I of changing your peers minds?!!!!!

Yes you can only sell land once but if it isn't producing anything and is costing more to keep then it is lead weight. Its what you do with the realised capital that matters. For example the Ellerslie iconic hill was only used about 10 times a year. It may have been useful if Ellerslie was a training centre but funding a new track was a better use of that capital.

Then why refer to him condescendingly as "Poor Hunter"? I agree he is a top bloke and has great skills and experience in the industry. Well chosen Te Akau. I do think Hunters work has turned a few TA horses form around with the help of some Woodend beach work as well. He is one of the many reasons TA's Sth Island Premiership win should be applauded.

Project Stamina Advances with Appointment of Independent Advisor RCP New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ), with the support of TAB New Zealand (TAB NZ), have today confirmed the appointment of RCP as independent consultants to Project Stamina, a dual-code initiative focused on the future of New Zealand’s racing infrastructure. Project Stamina aims to produce a unified Master Plan for racing and training venues nationwide. It will provide a clear, long-term view of where and how the industry should invest across both Thoroughbred and Harness codes. In doing so, it links this investment to day-to-day outcomes: reliable tracks, a consistent racing product, stronger wagering performance, and more funding to reinvest back into the sport. Following a competitive process, RCP has been engaged to provide strategic advisory and programme management support to the codes. RCP is a leading provider of independent project management and strategic advisory services across New Zealand’s property and construction sectors, including major sporting infrastructure and recreation facilities. NZTR Chief Executive Officer, Matt Ballesty, said RCP’s appointment marked an important milestone in the project. “This is a critical piece of work for our industry. There have been a lot of assessments completed over the years at the Club, regional and code levels, but it hasn’t always been cohesive or aligned to a single national view,” he said. “We’ve taken the time to run a thorough process and are pleased to have RCP on board. Their experience in complex, multi-stakeholder infrastructure projects will help us bring real clarity to the options in front of us and give everyone greater confidence in the decisions we ultimately make,” Ballesty said. HRNZ Chief Executive Officer, Brad Steele, said the work now underway would support better decision-making for Clubs, participants and funders. “This Master Plan is an opportunity to make sure our infrastructure is fit for purpose, safe, and capable of supporting the growth we want to achieve as codes." “RCP’s independent expertise will help us get an honest assessment of the current state and build a clear picture of where investment will make the biggest difference. This work is essential to giving Clubs, participants and funders the confidence to plan for the future," Steele said. TAB NZ, which is supporting the initiative, views Project Stamina as a key enabler of a reliable racing product and sustainable wagering returns for the industry. Broader industry engagement will be a core part of the process, and NZTR and HRNZ will outline how stakeholders can be involved as Project Stamina moves through its key phases. As Project Stamina progresses, both codes will continue to provide key updates to the industry, with TAB NZ contributing strategic input throughout. About Project Stamina Project Stamina is a joint initiative between New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) and Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ), supported by TAB NZ. Announced in 2025, the project aims to deliver a unified Master Plan for New Zealand’s racing infrastructure, enabling better-informed, long-term decisions on the future use, investment and configuration of racing and training venues across both codes. About RCP RCP is a leading provider of independent project management and strategic advisory services to New Zealand’s property and construction industry. With a multidisciplinary team and experience across sectors including sports and recreation, RCP supports clients to shape, organise and deliver complex projects nationwide. Corporate Communications New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing For more information, contact: Emma Thompson E: nztrcommunications@nztr.co.nz

Thanks @Huey for your vote of confidence. However I wouldn't go near a Club Committee of any kind even if I was paid. Most of them are dominated by old men such as yourself, bereft of new ideas and wallowing in the nostalgia of a bygone era when the trough was overflowing.

Well at least everyone realises now that Awapuni needed extensive renovating. The fact is shifting everything to Foxton or Levin wouldn't have been the answer. The bitching, moaning and Club parochialism hasn't helped either - but a dose of reality has.

Why? Specifically? Or are you another nostalgic old dude remembering "when times were best"?

None of that is correct @Huey and you know that.

Really? How condescending of you. Quite frankly your posts are negative and cynical. If stating the facts constitutes being "out of touch" then whatever you are "in touch with" I don't want a bar of.

Well you obviously have a different definition of "peer" than most. I talked to him with no preconceived notions on amything. I certainly didnt condescendingly post about his state of mind online.

That is the intention. However if you are watching the live feed then you might have a different set of questions for your Jockey than if you had been looking through the binocs.

They have said it will be made publicly available. So fill your boots not that you believe in it.

Thats because he couldnt understand the numbers.

That may happen in Wellington but certainly not in Canterbury. As for too much back patting and arse licking well that attitude is your cynical assessment of your neighbourhood. Do you really think the moaning and bitching achieves anything except put two tribes at war?

Yet again you miss the point which was where once there were local volunteers to help with maintenance work and local businesses gave of their time or donated services/cash this no longer happens. So instead of the amateur club being subsidised they had to hire people and pay them at least the minimum wage. I remember 55 years ago my father and half his staff to shift the old and installing a new running rail. With his best mate who was an agricultural contracted we helped and create grade a dirt track for training. Very little of that happens today nor is it sustainable if you wish to race more than two or three times a year.

Or if you stopped to think about it is reflective of what has happened and is happening to Racing Clubs. In the Cities why have some Rugby Clubs survived when others haven't? The stronger clubs today amalgamated and refocussed on their core business.

Again you miss the point and are as adept at obsfucation as I am. If a Training Centre is running at a loss there can be only one reason. Income is less than expenditure. You have two ways of addressing that deficit - you charge more and/or reduce costs.

@Freda could put one on the collar of her Greyhound and monitor its whereabouts or movements! Thinking about that Trainers in the bigger training centres could use the technology for training purposes although some of the top ones already are.

@The Centaur as my old man used to say to the consistent moaner - "you'd moan if your arse was on fire!" Regarding your lead post the extra marginal cost of providing the data on screen in real time and storing it for later is neglible. I just hope some Trainers take their Jockeys aside and show them how badly they read pace in a race and point out where and when they could have improved two lengths to at least give their horse a chance of winning. Just like in Rugby the data collected has the potential to improve the quality of our racing. Here's hoping NZTR facilitate the education of Trainers and Jockeys on how to interpret the data.

Get with the programme! You can buy GPS tracking tags for less than $10 now. With a local wireless set up which every course now requires for broadcasting the extra cost is stuff all. Super Rugby franchises have been doing it for close to 20 years!!!! Data storage is now cheaper than chips. It is good to see that they will be creating an online database with historical data as well. As for the system being "State of the Art" well it will be even if other jurisidictions had similar technology 10 years ago. You should congratulate ENTAIN for bringing NZ racing forward.

Crown backs $11.7m of racecourse-edge project with underwrite Four new contracts brings the total number of agreements to nine, with 690 homes backed for a total $165.9 million by Alice Peacock18/11/2025 Share Stage 9D of Trackside, the final phase of the Gillies Group's Wallaceville Estate development. Photo: Gillies Group The group behind a residential development in Upper Hutt says the backing it received from the Government was “indispensible” in enabling them to start building.https://bitofayarn.com Gillies Group is one of four developers to receive a residential development underwrite agreement in the latest round of Ministry of Housing and Urban Development contracts. The pre-sales commitment from the Crown to bail out developers unable to sell homes helps them secure bank finance for consented, costed and ready-to-commence projects. https://bitofayarn.com The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development’s Charles Mabbett says the four latest developments to be approved will deliver around 270 homes. The four agreements bring the number of residential development underwrites to nine, with the value of the contracts for 690 homes totalling $165.9 million. The limited-time initiative was introduced in October 2024, intended to support the residential development sector while the economy recovers by offering a financing bridge to successful applicants.https://bitofayarn.com A total 53 applications have been received, 25 of which are not progressing due to ineligibility or failure to pass the Government’s assessment process. https://bitofayarn.com The ministry agrees to purchase the underwritten dwellings in the case that the developer is unable to sell them on the open market after an agreed marketing period. The ‘underwrite price’ is lower than market value. Trackside is the final phase of Gillies Group’s Wallaceville Estate. It comprises 64 lots in a greenfield development integrating parks and bush into a residential setting and flanked at either side by train stations. The homes are a mix of two-, three- and four-bedroom houses and units. Sales manager Jamie Gillies says the underwrite supports the 30 homes that make up stage 9C. Earthworks are complete and building is underway, with five homes pre-sold. Stage 9D – the other section of the Trackside development – was built first and all but one of the 34 homes are sold. Stages A and B targeted first home buyers and were part of the KiwiBuild scheme.https://bitofayarn.com Gillies Group is “well underway” in having the rest of them sold without the Government having to act on its underwrite, but Gillies says this doesn’t mean the backing agreement wasn’t a crucial aspect to get it started. “Given the timing of when the underwrite was available, it was indispensable. It allowed us to start that development when we wouldn’t have otherwise been able.https://bitofayarn.com “That was because of bank funding; they’re requiring you to get so many pre-sales before starting. It allowed us to go to the bank with 20 pre-sales underwritten for 20 of the houses, albeit at significantly reduced rates than what you’d normally sell them for, and say to the bank: ‘Look, worst-case scenario we’ve got the residential development underwrite behind us’. “So that allowed us to get the funding to get on and start the building.” Gillies notes it’s a lot easier to get funding now than it was 18 months ago. The market is much smaller for homes built off the plan because most people buying a home to live in don’t want to wait up to two years for a house to be built. Buyers are typically speculators and investors.https://bitofayarn.com “This programme has done exactly what it was supposed to do, which was to bridge the gap between a market that had fallen … and stabilisation. Getting confidence and financing from the banks and third party lenders was at that point really difficult. “In a market where there was no building going on, it’s kept a lot of families employed. So it’s been a win-win for everybody.” Mabbett, from the ministry, says the residential development underwrite supports developments that align with local market demand and have a low risk of the underwrite being triggered. If it is triggered, homes could be sold to community housing providers, iwi or sold to the open market. “Developers with eligible projects are welcome to apply for an underwrite. Each eligible application is assessed against the residential development underwrite’s objectives and assessment framework. The highest-scoring applications progress. We expect to make further underwrites as eligible applications are received and processed.” The three other successful applicants in the latest round of underwrites includes CG Waimarie Limited, which is at the helm of the Waimarie development in St Heliers, Auckland; Modus Group, which delivers medium-density developments in Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown; and a company named CS No.2 Limited. Two of the three companies did not respond to a request for comment. The other did not wish to comment, due to concerns that advertising its Crown backing would put off prospective buyers. Residential development underwrites were also used for the former Labour government’s KiwiBuild scheme, which was aimed at boosting affordable housing supply for first time buyers. The underwrite scheme was later widened out to support stalled affordable housing developments.

Why would that be @Freda ? The Hunter I spoke to a couple of weeks ago seemed very happy with life.

We may never know because it hasn't happened in a timely manner. Now we are in a frantic race against time. Which highlights my point about Racecourses being run like amatuer hobbies instead of businesses. The statutory minimum annual wage in NZ is $49,000. If a Club can't earn enough to pay employees to do the work then someone needs to subsidise them. What would you rather have? A racecourse every 50 to 100km or a much smaller number that pay their way and provide professionally run businesses that provide safe racing and training facilities? I remember in my rugby playing teens the town I lived in with a population of just of 3,000 had 5 rugby clubs - Excelsior, St Marys, Kiwi, Kokatahi and one other I can't remember the name of. Today it barely has one! The population of the town has grown but not by much. Not one of those clubs owned their fields as the local ratepayer provided them and maintained them with professional amenity horticulture experts (some who helped out at the local Racing Club) but they all had Club rooms. Over time the stalwarts of the Clubs have passed on as have their "ladies in the kitchen", membership has dropped and the Club rooms have been sold and the Clubs themselves amalgamated. The Rugby fields are still funded by the local ratepayer and maintained by the council - the Clubs can't afford to do it. Their income is probably about the same as what it costs to train a race horse.