Chief Stipe

Does GRNZ publish these stats?

So you'd give random customers a 30% discount without knowing anything about them?

Brodie are you a Cost Accountant? You have no idea what Woodlands consider to be a success or not. The fact is they are still the dominate player in the NZ market. You have no idea what there bottom line is nor their revenue and cost structure. At least one proabably more of their Stallions is fully booked for the next season.

One point is that the RIB shouldn't feed them copy for their articles. As for the "that's the world we live in" - well I don't accept that a noisy minority dictate to me what I should or shouldn't do. Ignore them don't pander to them. Just get on with it.

So 30% would twist your arm? Are you going to ask your trainer for the same discount? What business are/were you in in? Would you give a random cutomer a 30% discount?

So you didn't tell them the breeding of your mare?

Of these?

The RIB shouldn't be making any political comments in their judgements. It's essentially the same as a press release.

FFS RIB perception isn't reality! Maybe the RIB should get stable time.

Driver who punched horse fails to appeal 'pitiful' suspension www.odt.co.nz A harness-racing driver who was filmed punching a horse in the head during a race has unsuccessfully appealed his seven-day suspension. It’s a move animal rights activist are calling "pathetic" given how paltry they say the suspension was in the first place. "It’s just pathetic to appeal a seven-day sentence for punching a horse in the head," spokeswoman for Animal Save NZ, Summer Jane, said. "Seven days is simply not appropriate to send a message that this kind of behaviour is not acceptable…and then for him to appeal it as well." Jane said that if there was a video of someone punching a dog or another "companion animal" then there would be public outrage. "Just because it was a horse competing in a race doesn’t make this any more acceptable," she said. Jane went on to say that the Racing Integrity Board’s decision focused primarily on the public perception of the incident as opposed to the animal abuse that had occurred on live television. Harness-racing driver Jonny Cox was filmed at the Rangiora Raceway in May punching horse Kiwi Hero multiple times during a race. Kiwi Hero was trailing Cox, who was driving his horse Just Michael, and Cox said that the other driver was getting too close to the point where there could have been a dangerous situation arising. He told the Racing Integrity Board at a hearing after the race that his actions were for his own safety and for the safety of the other drivers and that he’d called to the other driver to pull back without success. During the original hearing Cox showed three videos from three other races where a driver had reacted to a trailing horse following too closely and in none of those incidents had the rider been charged. However, counsel for the board at the original hearing said it was "improper" to strike a horse in the head area "particularly given Industry concerns as to matters of animal welfare and the Appellant’s actions were clearly visible on Trackside television to a wide audience. "It is the submission of the Respondent, that the actions of the Appellant on this occasion, amounted to a terrible look for Harness Racing." Cox was handed down a seven-day suspension but appealed it by way of a rehearing. During the rehearing the Board looked at the three videos Cox submitted as evidence of other drivers who had reacted to horses that had gotten too close and concluded they were "far less than what the appellant resorted to". "Not only that, but attitudes towards animal welfare have stiffened considerably over the last five years," the Board said in its decision released yesterday. "It is critical for the Industry to take, and be seen to take, stern measures where any issues of animal welfare arise, in order to maintain its current social licence to operate." The Board said it could not see any safety issues which could in any way justify the actions Cox took. "Perception is reality and it was a poor look for the Industry." "In the Appeals Tribunal’s view, it is never acceptable to strike a horse in the head region, whether in a race or not." The Board dismissed Cox’s appeal and imposed his seven-day penalty to begin. Cox did not respond to a request for comment. - Jeremy Wilkinson, Open Justice reporter

I agree. Shouldn't it be the other way round? If she gets a lengthy suspension she'll come back lacking race fitness.

A well balanced post. As to race names vs stable names a good point. Wouldn't take much to make bigger signs and have both. Horses do respond to their stable name. Also why not a flag on the stall that shows horse racing this week. As for mixing colts and geldings. Well you can't put fillies in the mix. Colts will make mates with Geldings and I've seen more issues when you isolate a colt.

So you are suggesting Auckland put in a similar rail. What's the difference in injury rate? Obviously the dogs still hit it.

Regardless of the nuances of the proceedings. What is your point regarding the 'B' sample? Excuse me for mixing up the Respondents but it seems when it comes to any matters involving Te Akua the lines become blurred. I'd be interested to understand your point regarding the 'B' sample.

No it's not. Once Te Akau knew there'd been a stuff up and had identified what had happened and how they accepted culpability. It is up to the Respondent (Te Akau) to ask for the 'B' sample to be tested. There was no point in doing so. The costs of testing the 'B' sample would have be incurred by Te Akau and invariably the RIB loads up the penalty as well. No brainer and nothing nefarious.

You are inferring that they have had special favours in the penalty. Where is the evidence of that?

Then just buy a cheap weanling at a substantial service fee discount. The Studs are an easy target. It happens in the Thoroughbred industry as well yet they are the individuals that have invested heavily and take more risks than many in the industry. Meanwhile industry administration anf RIB costs keep rising. Stakes are falling, infrastructure investment is non existent and don't forget the economy is a basket case. Not to forget all the new rules and compliance costs forced onto breeders. Nope let's just slam the Stud owners for their stallion services list price. Forgetting that they are amongst the largest breeders in the country and are actually doing something for the industry. I'm sure if your mare is worth breeding from @the galah they'd negotiate a discount if you asked them.

Your recollection of the ZED "story" is incorrect. However rather than debate his story and the Vance Hanover "story" shouldn't the debate not focus on stud fees but why there is declining interest in breeding OR buying an standardbred. If lowering stud fees was the solution why wasnt there more competition for buying a weanling at the recent sale? You could have purchased a live weanling ready to take home to the paddocks beside your supposedly barren mares for substantially lower cost than breeding them.

So they'd hit the safety rail instead?

On what do you base that? Why? A bit cryptic.

Lowering stud fees isn't going to increase numbers significantly. The Stud fee nowadays is the cheapest part of racing a horse.

But that didn't happen did it when Vance Hanovers fees were low. Vance Hanover got over 400 mares those first years. Basically it was an opening special to get foals on the ground and horses to the track. Once he started having performers his stud fee rapidly went up. Not that $500 in the early eighties wasn't an insignificant amount of dosh.

So what should they do?

What you want some watered down woke description?

Why should they do anything "for the good of the industry"? They're a business not a charity. That said they do sponsor races and indirectly promote the industry. But at the end of the day the market determines the service fee and how many horses are bred. They will adjust relative to the market and the economic situation. There are a lot of industries in the same boat at the moment and you can lay the blame for that fairly and squarely on the worst Government we have seen in this country. Thanks Winston.