Chief Stipe

The plot thickens..... If Emily Bosson is working in the studio today then one must assume that they are working in the Te Rapa studio..... So two in the studio but no one on the track and interviews being done by phone!

Mmmmm that broadcasting contract must really be hurting TAB NZ. Seems to be no one on track at Te Rapa today other than camera crew.

Have you been asleep? Why has Saundry hired three business consultant firms to formulate a plan to restructure Southern racing? I tell you why - under the new Act there is a consultative process that has be followed in order to pursue the acquisition of club assets or the voluntary transfer of assets from one club to another.

The current Training Operations run at a loss - so where are the hundreds of extra horses coming from to make the AWT profitable?

I wonder how many more people will be employed at Riccarton. Currently 45. Racing as we love it in the South will be stuffed. Centralisation isn't going to change anything. All it does is shift production from a low cost model to a high cost model. Now if the high cost model works why couldn't the CJC fund the entire AWT themselves? Or sustain them WITHOUT closing down other tracks and pilfering race dates? Like it wasn't as if they didn't have a few advantages. From there latest Annual Report 2019-2020. They only made an operating surplus because of the Wage Subsidy! Plus asset sales! I guess at least they are selling their own silver first before acquiring others.

Good effort by the Track Manager. Pitty won't be pleased though if they hadn't irrigated earlier in the week he might have got the rock hard G2 he was looking for! Race Day Weather: Overcast Track: Dead 4 Rail: True | No Rain Weather and Track last updated at 6.16am Saturday 7 November

Harness racing drivers protest new rule depowering the whip Martin Van Beynen19:56, Nov 06 2020 JOSEPH JOHNSON/STUFF Harness racing wants to improve its image by disarming the whip. A group of harness racing drivers want a new rule dramatically limiting the force of the whip to be reconsidered by their industry body. The new rule prohibits drivers from taking their hands off the reins when hitting the horse with the whip. They must keep a rein in each hand while using only a wrist motion and are not allowed to engage the elbow. The rule, which came into force on October 1 and will apply at the New Zealand Trotting Cup next week at Addington, is designed to take the force out of whip use and increases safety by requiring drivers to have a hand on each rein. NZ Harness Racing Trainer and Drivers Association head Ken Barron said a percentage of drivers were unhappy with the rule, which most thought was good for the image of harness racing. “It’s not a big percentage. A lot of people don’t like change and some feel they weren’t properly consulted and just don’t like the way it was delivered. Some people are struggling with the change.” Drivers would have to change the practice of putting both reins in one hand when they used the whip, he said. Disengaging the shoulder reduced the force of the whip dramatically. “It’s a better look for the sport and already in place in Australia. The difference in Australia is that did it in stages and here we are doing it all in one go. But we needed to change and the outcome is positive.” Barron said he could understand drivers having difficulties with the new rule and compared it to a right-handed golfer having to change to playing with his left hand. STUFF A new harness racing rule means drivers must keep their both hands on the reins when using the whip. This image is from a race before the new rule applied. Cambridge-based veteran driver David Butcher said he was part of the group seeking a “sit down” with the national council of Harness Racing New Zealand to rethink the issue. He estimated 50 to 60 per cent of drivers wanted the rule to be softened. “We just want a happy medium. There must an amicable solution.” Most driving was done by instinct and the new rule required changing the habits of a lifetime. WAIKATO TIMES Cambridge reinsman David Butcher is not happy with the new rule restricting use of the whip. Real consultation had been lacking and 90 per cent of North Island drivers were “pretty tidy” anyway, he said. “It’s gone too far the other way and given us a month to change the practice of 40 years. No horse drives exactly the same and some need more encouragement. The rule has taken away our options.” Butcher said the group was looking at the numbers who wanted a rethink before going further. MARTIN HUNTER/GETTY IMAGES Harness racing drivers will have to curtail their use of the whip under a new rule starting October 1. Suggestions drivers had threatened to boycott the New Zealand Trotting Cup event at Addington were rubbish, he said. Harness Racing New Zealand chairman Ken Spicer said a rethink was not on the cards and the change was not an admission the use of the whip was cruel. “It’s a response to the way society is going. It’s no longer necessary and it’s a step forward. “These horses are trying as hard as they can without the use of the whip. We’re still getting great finishes and times are pretty much the same.” He accepted some old hands would need time to change and an initial leniency period had been granted. Harness racing legend Mark Jones said he supported the change. “The world is changing and animal warfare is big issue and this is a step in right direction and better look for harness racing. “Yes, it is hard to change and I struggle myself, but there is transition period allowed and old habits die hard. You have to adapt to rules like Richie McCaw did with the rules of the breakdown in rugby.”

Where's the business plan? Or is this just a pay and hope strategy? Will there be any money left over go fix the main course? Who's funding the ongoing maintenance? You'll be putting your training fees up Pitty so I guess it will be the owners.

I let the political rant go on too long. I do enjoy a good verbal stoush but it seems that we live now in an era dominated by tribalism and binary polarised views. I've moved the Topic to the sub-forum The Vent. For those of you who don't know this is the no holds barred forum which I dont moderate. I think it is a sad indictment of where social media has led society. I'm sure even Trump would have been viewed better if he hadn't of discovered late night Tweeting. I'm sure if we all turned up for a day or night at the trots sharing our common interest and passion - Harness Racing we would all get along. Who knows we might even break the TAB with Brodies tips!

Actually that isn't correct to say the royal WE unless you are talking about Mehe. I object to the INCESSANT admit you are wrong on one issue posts. It's pointless. I think I have been consistent on that. That's why this Topic has been moved to The Vent. As far as I'm concerned you can bash the shyte out each other here. The sad thing is we all share a common interest and passion for harness racing. You'd probably find that we would all get on great guns one night or day at the trots. We'd all be winners because we would be backing Brodies picks unrestricted.

I'm defending it right now. I'm seriously questioning myself on why I bother providing the platform.

Give it a rest for FUCK SAKE! Let it go!

Brodie ease up there that's a bit far.

That's your opinion that's fine. I have mine. I haven't come to the defence of Brodie's claims just his right to say them. Just as I defend your right. Mehe overstepped the mark and was warned. He did it again and was warned. Not only that but he starting firing abuse my way. Was warned but continue to do so. I'm sorry but I have limits.

Wooh! Back up there. Don't clump me in. I honestly don't know. The only thing I'll say is it looks weird to me. But that might be the crazy system they have in the US of A. I tell you one thing for sure Biden won't do two terms. I don't see him lasting this term physically.

Pull up their Mikie. I'll say it ONCE more the issue I have with Mehe is all he posts are attacks on Brodie. I don't agree with everything Brodie posts however it seems our views on a number of things are similar. If you are sick of his posting style then put him on ignore - it is a function that will hide all his posts so you don't see them. Personally I ignore his banging on about his betting restrictions but that's not to say I can see his point. In fact we had a very good discussion on here about the inconsistencies of the TAB in regards to betting restrictions. You know he isn't going to change you know he will never admit he is wrong so why the hell do you spend so much time trying to get him to do what you want? Seems crazy and mind bending to me. Most of us will make a smart quip or just ignore it.

I fail to see from what I've written that you could determine I live in a fantasy world. I assure you I don't. I just don't believe everything I hear or read on the news nor do I fall for the politicians of little substance that sound good.

You are making a few assumptions there Happy. I used to follow only CNN until I found some of the Covid-19 reporting was way off. The flag was raised because of my science training. What they were reporting was rubbish. So I started looking around. Now I have to read 4 different websites to get an idea of what the truth is. But more often than not I have to do all the fact finding and research myself. Never used to be like that. Journalists and reporters were known as the Fourth Estate for a reason. They were there to keep everyone honest. Jack Tame, Paddy Gower, Tova O'Brien wouldn't know investigative unbiased journalism/reporting even if they fell over it. I have found FOX to be more neutral than CNN and less inclined to label opinion analysis.

F-. You didn't present a cogent argument. Which he has followed up with his reasons for believing that e.g. voter fraud which he has followed up with examples. Now using your example of the naked super model on the beach you don't believe it because you doubt you will. Now if I was you I'd be posting post after post asking you to admit your belief is wrong. That's the problem. What I would do is say well I think you are wrong because.....there hasn't been any naked super models seen on New Brighton beach ever and there isn't any current super models living in Christchurch.

They weren't actually news - they were opinions. That's what is wrong with our news agencies now. They publish opinions but don't publish the facts. Did you see the Tova O'Brien interview of Jamie Lee Ross during the election? It was disgraceful and an insult to all the excellent TV journalists that have come before her. I didn't support Ross but she rudely closed him down because she didn't agree with what he was saying. Didn't delve into what or why. Climate change is promoted as accepted fact and if you have an alternative view backed up by evidence based research you are labeled a denier. Same with Covid-19!

A Democrat supporter? Or the Democrat machine? I don't know but if it is happening and you were looking for the culprit then "follow the money"! I don't think cheating is democratic.

Yes he is that's what I keep telling him.

Post a cogent argument proving otherwise.

The biggest issue is that Trump refused to acknowledge the Paris Accord. The reason being the carbon emission charges calculation model is all fucked up. Talk to any dairy farmer in New Zealand about it. We signed up and are screwing one of the few industries keeping us going at the moment. Of course none of the Greenies understand that your average Dairy Farm is carbon neutral! It is the nature of the farming system. Trump being the businessman that he is followed the money by asking the question where does this money go and what is it spent on.

I'm not sure but it all looks a bit strange to me. As said in an earlier post 103 million votes were MAILED in. Only 40m walked up. That is unheard of compared to previous elections. That can't be all Covid-19 fear. Plus doesn't 150,000 ballots that made it to USPS days ago (up to a week) haven't turned up to be counted but are now starting to arrive? Not only that a Judge order a sweep of USPS premises to find them and USPS didn't do it. Seems odd.