Yankiwi

How about I fill you in a bit more about who Yankiwi is. My name is Charles & I was born and raised in Northeast USA. The first job I ever had after leaving school in the early 1980's, was at Hinsdale Greyhound Track in New Hampshire. I was what was called a lead-out, which in NZ terms was basically a handler. It was a paid position by the racetrack where 12 lead-outs were employed for each race meeting. There was only 10 minutes or so between each race, so it was rapid fire compared to the NZ pace. While 8 lead-outs were attending to the dogs on the track, the other 4 were starting to get the next 8 dogs ready. When boxing was complete, 4 of the lead-outs ran the track to catch the dogs while the other 4 went back to the kennel to help finish up the next races dogs & those 8 were the next lot on the track. There were 13 race meeting per week held most of the time with 15 races in each meeting. Both an afternoon and evening program Monday thru Saturday plus an afternoon meeting on a Sunday. The place was buzzing with activity. Naturally, evenings and weekends were the busiest attendance wise. Prior to all the American Indians opening up gambling casinos on their reservations, it was the place to be to have a punt. From personal experience, I do know the dogs did fall in the first corner a bit more often than they fall here. The corners were a bit tighter radius which made the front & backstretch longer. I also know that the racing surface was loam, which was probably tilled deeper then here, then rolled & smoothed and felt much softer to walk on then either of the NZ track surfaces I've walked on (Auckland/Cambridge). I've also been to Palmerston North & Wanganui several time, and while walking the track didn't happen for me, I could see from others walking on it that it was firmer than back in the states. As a lead-out I didn't see what happened to the dogs after we caught them on the track and handed back to their trainer in the catching area. So, injury wise I can't really give an informed comment about any minor/medium injuries. As for more serious injuries, I can give a firsthand account that in my entire time I was employed as a lead-out (a bit less than a year before deciding to move on) I only ever saw 1 dog carried off the track seriously injured (probably a broken hock in hindsight). Other than the one instance, I never saw a dog look obviously injured like it's running on 3 legs that you see in just about every race meeting here (hock/gracilis so on). I know what has happened in the States to greyhound racing thanks partially to the do-gooders. Another major cause of its demise would be competition for the punting spend from casinos & state lotteries, all things present in NZ. Here's the old entry to Hinsdale Greyhound Track as looks like today. The track is long gone & Walmart has moved in. Unless you want to see The Warehouse where Hatrick is or a K-Mart where Manukau Stadium is, participants need to demand more from GRNZ. Participants hold the ultimate power. Without their dogs GRNZ has nothing. Hold them to their word. Make them provide safe possible tracks for your dogs to race on. GRNZ has been the target of the do-gooders here for many years. They're closer now than ever of accomplishing their goal. The casinos, lottery and the pokies in the pubs haven't gone anywhere, they're still competing hard. GRNZ has plenty of money. They now have 17 publicly known suits in headquarters. They should be trimming the fat and bringing tracks up to an acceptable safety standard with the money, not hiring their mate. What expertise did she bring to the table? As I understand it, she was some kind of a lawyer & a trackside presenter previously, neither of which have anything to do with running a business. GRNZ have always had a CEO, why did they have the sudden requirement for and for the first time ever a COO? Why was she hired without even listing the job in help wanted ads trying to attract the best possible talent? Did the participants bark? Well, I didn't hear any barking. Unless participants use the power that they do have, there will be no more greyhound racing in the next few years. GRNZ isn't going to fix it. I'm not even sure they have the talent to fix anything. I come to BOAY to point out GRNZ inadequacies. To give participants some of the information they can use to plan their future. I'm not fighting on the do-gooder's side trying to end your livelihood, I'm on your side. I've got no power to make GRNZ sort their shit out. All I can do is come on here & embarrass the shit out of them. Obviously, it works sometimes. Why else would they get in contact with Chief in a huff about whatever I was saying? I still wonder what the hold-up is with GRNZ. They haven't welcomed the new board member or thanked the voted-out member for their lackluster performance after the last-minute nomination. Anyways, I know where GRNZ has you all headed. They talk the talk but don't walk the walk. If you can't see it, I suggest you start planning your life without greyhound racing as a part of it.

Alright, got to the bottom of it. There was a screw up reporting the data in the quarterly subsections. Some overlap of Oct/Nov. Some not counted at all, some counted twice. It's now fixed Here's the corrected outputs. Q1 - Spot on the GRNZ KPI target. Q2 - Total, Minor/Med & Major all well above the target. New season to date (half year) - Poor 2nd quarter results have raised the season averages well above the KPI target. Why doesn't GRNZ release injury data on an individual track basis? Well, I now have compiled and shared it and it's obvious there are some tracks that are far more dangerous than others. They talk about fixing Auckland (safety rail) - nowhere to be seen. They talk about a new lure system for Palmerston North -nowhere to be seen. They talk about closing down Christchurch for a much needed overhaul. - nowhere to be seen. They talk about a new straight track in Wanganui - nowhere to be seen. Hell, even today they talked about hiring another new (unneeded) suit for headquarters. https://www.grnz.co.nz/News/3152/New-Staff-Member-Announcement They chirp like birds but move like a sloth.

At least I make the effort. Pot shots are cheap as chips.

Actually, disregard the 2nd quarter for the moment I've located an error which I will soon correct. Auckland isn't as bad as it first showed.

Second quarter (1 Nov to 31 Jan) results have been tabulated. All tracks combined, the total, Minor/Medium and Major were all well over the benchmark. Auckland easily led the pack in all three categories. Their numbers are off the chart when compared to the KPI targets. They targeted installing a safety rail by late November. That hasn't happened. 1.3% of the dogs that race in Q2 were seriously injured in Auckland, more than double the GRNZ target rate. GRNZ knows it, why don't they do anything about it? Smoke & mirrors underpins everything GRNZ does.

Since GRNZ runs a crazy racing season (1 Aug to 31July), I've compiled the injury data to fit into their "season". The 1st quarter (1 Aug to 31 Oct) of the 2023/2024 season saw things spot on with the GRNZ KPI target numbers. That's probably what they will report. Following is what they won't report. Auckland overall injury total was over two times higher than any other track and to compare Auckland to the GRNZ KPI target, it was 240% of what it is had been set at. Major injuries percentages were equal high in both Auckland & Christchurch at 0.8% or 33% higher than GRNZ's target for major injuries. Today is the last day of the 2nd quarter, so I'll wait for today's results to be posted on the GRNZ website, then I'll compile it & post the data. I will forewarn, it's not looking very good in comparison to the 1st quarter or the KPI target.

After last week's fiasco at Auckland, on to the finals today. 96 starters - 7 injuries requiring a stand-down or put simply 7.3% of the dogs that raced today were injured. Here's the updated spreadsheet of injuries this calendar year, which now includes GRNZ "KPI" target figure.

How's Goldstar Dynasty after her steel medal award in the first race? There was a clear plume of hair/dust or whatever else evident in the head-on replay.

Appears the blind Steward didn't acknowledge the rail strike or see fit to have the #2 dog vet checked. It seems to have become the normal in Auckland. Here's the exact moment of hard contact that kicks the ass end of the girl to the right and if you watch the head on replay on 1/4 speed, you can even see a "poof" of hair/dust/paint & whatever else was on there. Full Replay Link

You're lure sucks. (Race abandoned)

Your safety pads on the outside rail don't go far enough around the corner.

And your boy in race #2.

Big day of qualifying races today. Where's your safety rail? Race #1 #2 dog off the rail into the corner pocket. Hopefully for team Evans, your girl wasn't punished too badly.

Mainly due to Cambridge.

YTD including today's Auckland meet.

Auckland today. Time to act (verb) not act (like an actor or actress) GRNZ.

Here's a link to the latest one available, 17 Oct 2023 https://www.grnz.co.nz/Files/Animal Health Welfare Committee minutes/2023 10 17 AHWC Minutes - Draft (1).pdf This is probably the portion of it you were referring to. Addington - A number of historical issues dating back to 2011 post earthquake and to April 2021. Track staff have not been willing to engage with our strategy and view on where we need to get to in the industry ultimately led to a decision on 22 September when track staff considered they weren’t comfortable with the track. In a nutshell long term findings, Addington requires significant reconstruction. There is frustration that there is no alternate venue and is detrimental to the industry. If proceeding with reconstruction then it will be done to a professional standard where good for 15-20 years. Addington reopens today, plan in place to get through to 31 December subject to performance and ongoing management of track. If it gets to an unacceptable level we will suspend racing. Logical time to do a complete renovation is January/February as harness racing is not on. Currently the nearest track is Invercargill 7.5 hours away, impacting financially, and on welfare of the dogs. Key discussion at Board next Wednesday 25 October. Track today is the most consistent it has presented since 13 June, great diagnostic perspective but gives no assurance that no injury will occur on track. BW confident as he possibly can be that the track and staff have ticked every box. BW discussed the water content and the importance of this. Engagement at Addington at Roadshow has been really positive in informing industry. Honesty and being transparent is appreciated from the industry. The Chair is encouraged by a proactive approach. BW raised the issue of the number of trials before meetings. Discussion on Addington water irrigation system.

How about we go with what GRNZ strives for? Major 1 - 4.1 per 1000 = 0.41% Major 2 - 2.0 per 1000 = 0.20% In the first two weeks of the season in the spreadsheet I had posted above there were as follows. 1266 starters 11 "Major 1" injuries or 0.87% - Over double the "acceptable" rate. Auckland - 3 with 165 starters or 1.81% Palmerston North - 2 with 136 starters or 1.47% 3 "Major 2" injuries or 0.24% - Again more than the "acceptable" rate. Addington - 2 with 566 starters or 0.35% So, in the first two weeks of the new year, there's obviously something going wrong on 3 of the 6 greyhound tracks. Why do they keep racing on them when welfare underpins everything they do?

Actually Chief, that's not what you asked. Might pay to clean your glasses.

Can you explain in more depth what you tried to convey in this sniping statement?

4 more steel medals awarded in Auckland. Where is GRNZ's "late November" safety rail?

My New Years resolution was to create a post on BOAY that sparked Chief's interest. I accomplished it within 2 weeks. Time for my 50 weeks holiday now and go back to boring & upsetting him.

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Early injury data has been correlated. Percentage wise, the north is leading the pack, both in overall & serious injuries. 8.1% of all dogs that raced in the north were issued an injury stand-down. 1.2% of those same dogs were seriously injured requiring a stand-down of 22 days or more. It's time GRNZ did more than just talk about reducing injuries.