Yankiwi

Speaking of injuries, I've tossed in the towel on rail contact. I've made my point on that one. This year I'm beginning a new direction, injuries & the dirty behind the scenes tactics GRNZ has taken to minimize them (hint: it's not fixing broken tracks). GRNZ bracket injuries into categories, with the seriousness of the injury into mainly 4 of them. 1-10 days (minor), 11-21 days (medium), 22-42 days (major 1) and 43-90 days (major 2). Look at this remarkable occurrence, just in one race day (4 Jan) on two different tracks with obviously different vets (Addington/Cambridge). Cambridge~ Addington~ 3 different dogs, 2 different vets & 3 completely different injuries. All received a 42-day incapacitation, which is remarkably (conveniently) 1 day less then bumping up to the next severity in their data. A fractured toe, a torn gracilis & a scapula injury all take the exact same time to recover from. Yeah, ok GRNZ & the guidelines you've handed out to the RIB (totally independent) vets, no-one will ever pick up on that one, right?

Oct 2023 minutes says this. 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. https://www.grnz.co.nz/Files/Animal Health Welfare Committee minutes/2023 10 17 AHWC Minutes - Draft (1).pdf

Not true. The #1, 3 & 4 all had rather sever interference in the race a month ago. The #1 even made contact with the rail. Yet no mention of the incident in the Stewards report and no dogs were vetted after the race. Link to full replay

Isn't an injury an injury?

I've never graded an injury. That's up to the vet to do.

Should a 6.8% rate of injury (over the last 3 years) which required a stand-down be acceptable during the first January race meeting held in Auckland? Just a non-event which shouldn't be discussed or mentioned? Out of interest Chief, what is the injury rate requiring a stand-down in the two horse codes?

How about a nonselective fashion then? The 1st race meeting of the new year over the last 5 years in Auckland. 2024 - 7 injuries with 94 starters. 7.4% https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/15750/stewards-report.aspx 2023 - 6 injuries with 94 starters. 6.3% https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/15309/stewards-report.aspx 2022 - 7 injuries with 103 starters. 6.7% https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/14852/stewards-report.aspx After employing a Track Manager and beginning the Health & Welfare Committee. 20 injuries with 291 starters or 6.8%. 2021 - 2 injuries with 82 starters. 2.4% https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/14331/stewards-report.aspx 2020 - 4 injuries with 104 starters. 3.8% https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/13825/stewards-report.aspx Before employing a Track Manager and beginning the Health & Welfare Committee. 6 injuries with 186 starters or 3.2%. https://www.grnz.co.nz/News/2929/GRNZ-Media-Release-re-SPCA-Campaign Aren't those two entities performing well?

Only stated facts Chief.

A minimum of 7.4% of the greyhounds that raced were injured during their race on Sunday in Auckland. 7 post-race injuries required a stand-down out of a total of the 94 individual starters. No-one knows how many more injuries showed up after cooling-down or overnight. https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/15750/stewards-report.aspx

GRNZ built a straight track that had a curve? I wouldn't be surprised. That could explain why racing didn't commence in April 2023 as they claimed it would. I suspect that while in Capalaba, the project manager & engineer decided to copy the road next to the grass track instead of the track itself.

Geesh BOL, have some faith. GRNZ have a top-of-the-line track & infrastructure manager on the books now so how could anything possibly go wrong with a new track? Beyond that superstar, there are 15 other suits in headquarters to oversee the long overdue project. Besides, once they get the straight track up & running (if ever), they could turn to the Palmerston North club for advice on how to reinstate a shorter starting position, since PN were able to reinstate a once abandoned dangerous starting position exactly in the same place it used to be in, just to shorten the distance on their track by 35m. Disclosure - this post could possibly contain sarcasm.

I blame GRNZ. They didn't follow through with their commitment to have a safety rail installed first 10 years ago then again by 3 weeks ago as they stated they would. Another example of empty words by GRNZ.

From last week's query. Further evidence suggests it might have been injured. The #1 in the above image from last week was scratched (with no explanation as to why) from race #5 yesterday.

The lack of reporting an incident doesn't mean that it didn't occur.

Could this be some fallout from it? Judicial report: This meeting was abandoned due to the track diagnostics being outside the acceptable range. https://www.grnz.co.nz/catch-the-action/15725/stewards-report.aspx

Plenty to report on entering the turn.

No idea. The steward didn't even acknowledge the incident. No dogs were post-race vet checked.

Where's the safety rail? Was first supposed to be installed 9 years ago. Now more recently, was supposed to be installed by 2 weeks ago. Asking for the #1 dog here. Since welfare is paramount & underpins everything they do, why are they racing on the track after identifying that Auckland had the most urgent need for a safety rail? Words are cheap coming from GRNZ & that's one of their biggest problems.

Sorry Chief, my initial focus was solely on rail contact, until you shifted that goalpost and brought the potential injuries from the contact into the equation, which I then widened the scope to suit your needs. The RNZ debate is all yours.

Look, I didn't write the code, nor did I have any input into the writing of the code. On another note, why haven't GRNZ welcomed their new board member & thanked the ousted member for their exemplary service?

No new safety rail on Sunday. For some reason I'm not surprised. Another missed deadline (even after 10 years from when they first signaled it) from the outfit that claims welfare underpins everything they do.

It's what the GRNZ code of welfare says. Isn't that what the RIB are meant to police?

I guess you didn't do your homework Chief. Here's the abridged version. https://www.grnz.co.nz/Files/Rules and Policies/Greyhound Welfare Standards 2023 WEB.pdf

Maybe I misunderstand the GRNZ requirements. Animal welfare only matters when something is done to a greyhound deliberately. There is no requirement for a trainer to keep their dogs out of harm's way. I suppose the RIU/RIB check trainer's vehicles/trailers for warrants/registrations & hand out fines when they're out of date because they are nosey. Got it.

If so, that would make it 3 charges laid, not the two the GRNZ report claims, right?