Mikie

It's quite simple With A Dream Mr Holden made a complete cockup Harness is getting $800,000 (think it's $823,000) more than last year The only one confusing you is Mr Holden Mikie

No Chief 41 refers to $41million on page #3 of the Club & Code Funding Document as attached There may well be a simple answer, but to a lot of people it doesn't add up by $3.1million I understand Clubs have actually emailed HRNZ asking for clarification Mikie BIT.pdf

Plus you would be a huge asset at any debate as Iv'e assumed you can count to 41 Mikie

If he accepts my invitation but wants to surround himself with a few others I'll take you Chief Mikie

It can, by stuffing every other every other Club but 2 (possibly 3, Cambridge) It's possible, but it will just root our Industry Mikie

“Brodie” It is pretty simple, they can fund $15k to the 2 Clubs by funding other Clubs just $9k a race It is Robin Hood in reverse I have done an analysis of one 2 day Club (not Marlborough) and their funding, before screaming blue murder, was down 25% Since they were already making a loss I have calculated that their reserves will be eaten up in 2 years unless they cut stakes I am predicting that a country Club that pays, say, $10k maiden stakes will have to reduce their stakes over this season and the following 2 seasons to $6k for maidens Where Holden and his mates are so thick is that if every Country Club was forced under they would have no avenue to redirect the income from such Clubs. Then what are they going to do As a rough rule of thumb Westport on a Boxing Day produce 2.5 the income to the Harness Industry per race than the ATC do on a Friday night racing against the Met You’re not restricted with me, I’ll bet you $200 Mr Holden does not agree to a live debate with an audience Mikie

Happy You’ve found that Google page What about” there are a myriad of issues to consider, with many wide ranging repercussions, that deserve more time to be traversed than the 10 minutes we have available. Rest assured, my primary focus is to ensure that we all band together, we move forward united in our endeavours, whist at the same time I ensure that there is great communication, transparency and a plan for the future” Translation ”I’ve been appointed now you tossers, you can’t get rid of me unless you pay me out 3 years salary, I can’t be bothered with you, pass me the sausage rolls and fook off” Mikie

Open letter to Mr Phil Holden Dear Mr Holden I have been involved in Harness Racing for over 47 years. In that time HRNZ had serious issues under Max Bowden's chairmanship but they were nothing compared to the mess you and your Board are leading us into now To be blunt your statement that you are keen to 'improve communication, transparency and accountability to everyone in the Industry" is absolute rubbish. My guess is there is a web page under Google somewhere that has a list of things to say to make yourself sound intelligent and you have worked your way through the top 100 phrases and have started at the top again Under the present Board and yourself we have been subjected to outright lies, no transparency, a plethora of dribble from yourself, a flawed Funding Policy that I don't believe you even understand, reactionary responses to crisis's, incompetence, self-serving decisions, favouritism and a lack of consultation The really scary thing is that unlike back in Max Bowden's day we now don't appear to have any Ralph Kermodes, Jim Wakefields or Pat O'Briens (yes, my Dad) to comein and rescue us. To be blunt, I think we are in deep doo doos Let's start Lack of transparency and Consultation: Your appointment, both temporary and now permanent. Never advertised. Where is the transparency in that? Where is any consultation? Lies: Well, let's continue with your appointment shall we? Board member asked last Sunday a direct question, "has Phil Holden been appointed full-time without the job being advertised?" Response was "no, that's totally incorrect" Next day on a Zoom meeting Ken Spicer advises that you have been appointed full-time (I use those words with great reluctance)/ Mr Spicer had already told all the HRNZ staff last week that you had been appointed permanently We can also add your comments on Changes to the Voting Model in the Industry update dated 17 August 2020 wher you said that "work on the model started as soon as the 2020/21 meeting dates were finalised as HRNZ recognised that a review was needed to protect the voting position of some Clubs....'. Do you really think anyone believes that? Seriously? My take is that you or the Board hadn't even given it a thought until John Rogers from the Westport Club started firing off emails about it. My guess is that the special Board meeting called for last Sunday at 4pm, before the Zoom meeting on Monday, was to get your ducks in order Incompetence: Sorry Mr Holden, but you are the one conducting staged interviews so you have to weather any incompetence that occurs. Let's start with your interview on 07.08.20 with Dave Di Somma. You stated that HRNZ Funding was down by 7%. This is crap. Your funding is up by over $800,000 and that's after having to give $900,000 to the Greyhounds to make up for last season's poor performance betting wise. How can we have any confidence in you if you don't know the difference between a decrease and an increase. You also touched on the TAB funding in arrears. You gave the impression that you were the Great White Knight battling the evil forces. Again this is crap. The reason that HRNZ has cashflow issues is because of your flawed Funding Policy. You are giving ATC (and NZMTC) $15,000 per race funding when they don't earn that much. Put simply, you are waiting for country Clubs to start racing so that you can pay them $9000 a race and divert the layers above that that they earn to your pet Clubs. It's quite simple Self-Serving Decisions: Your new Training Track Policy. Is it just a crazy coincidence that every Club represented at HRNZ Board level gets a Training Track grant (including Banks Peninsula) Perhaps I'm being too harsh here .... but wait, aren't you giving over $100,000 to Addington as recognition of the many horses trained at the Track? Yeah, right. Tell me, why don't Mark Purdon or Robert Dunn get a payment? They train more horses on their property's than Banks Peninsula. If the rationale is to compensate for the costs of providing product then i can see no reasoning why trainers shouldn't get the same treatment Favouritism: I have nothing against NZMTC but bloody hell, who is tupping who here? You give them $15,000 a race Funding as compared to every other Club (bar ATC) at $9000, then you give them more $ for Group and Listed races, then you chuck in the $100,000 plus Training Track Grant, and then you give them another $1,000,000 for Cup Week? This isn't being generous, this is being absolutely nuts Your Dribble: It's hard to know where to star. I have already mentioned your incompetence in the interview on 07.08.20 What else? Oh I know, the Code and Funding Policy document dated 17.08.20. Congratulations, you have produced a 13 page document that's managed to kill off a few trees. Page #1 has 5 words on it other than the date and the logo, Page #2 has just the 4 words. Page #3 you spread your wings a bit, 47 words (bit worried about this page's adding, you seem to be able to say you paid out $41m when you only received $37.9m, but there may be an answer and I don't have the time to look into it further. It's also hard without any Spreadsheets, but that's just more of a lack of transparency isn't it?). Page #10 is a ripper, 2 words, yes 2 words only. The whole document could have fitted on 2 A4 pages Mr Holden. Why do you feel the need to make it into a novel? Oh oh, found the answer on that Google page, item #9 "in order to fool 95% of the people work on the following ratios, 5 pages for every 100 words, and when speaking 20 words instead of 2'. With this mantra you'll be right the guide says Why did you feel the need to write to a number of Clubs so that you could "better understand their cost base, their meeting profitability, their operating costs"? Bloody hell, HRNZ has had every Club's Annual Accounts for years and they were all standardised so that you could access this information.. Can't you analyse a set of Annual Accounts? Your reactionary Policys: 6 weeks ago you didn't want to give the Marlborough HRC any dates before you changed your mind. Now they are a "Club with an Iconic date'? (Document as above17.08.20) Along with the NZ Cup meeting, Kaikoura, Omakau, Westport and (of course) Banks Peninsula. What hogwash. All those Clubs (bar BPTC) screamed the most so all you are going to do is cream a few % (5%) of the handouts you give to NZMTC and ATC to shut these smaller Clubs up. Wonder what you'll do if every Club screams? Your Contract: I don't know but I will bet that your Cotract is at a higher figure than the last 2 CEO's and you will have written your own severance package clause that will make Antony Siebold's possible 4 year payout at the NRL Brisbane Broncos look like a kid's piggy bank account. Your comment that 2 days in HRNZ Offices is just dandy because on some other days you'll pop into TAB Petone is laughable. Your assertaion that that would be a benefit to HRNZ didn't really occur over dates did it? The Funding Policy: I do not believe that you understand your own Funding Policy one little bit. How much input did you have as compared to Ms Bishop? I won't go into it chapter and verse here but I challenge you to an open debate as regards the 20/21 Funding Policy. I was going to say you can have you/Spicer/Bishop on your team and I'll have me/Doug Gale/John Rogers but that would just be unfair on you Tell you what, you/Bishop against just me All I need to be provided with is Club Funding Spreadsheets for the last 3 years, plus the Spreadsheet proposed for 20/21 (assuming that you've done one that is), and 24 hours notice I await your reply Mike

CEO appointment without advertising position 100% confirmed. Spicer resigning was revisited at a special Board meeting yesterday (that’s right, on a Sunday!) at 4pm. I am only taking a guess here but possibly no one wanted to take over whilst the Club Funding debacle is on the agenda Zoom meeting with Clubs today at 10.30am should be a barrel of fun Mikie

Ken did the dirty deed, got his mate appointed as permanent CEO, then hands over to Colin To be announced Mikie

No Happy, I appreciate you are struggling, but it is apparently correct I think I was told early Wednesday, so early it might still have been Tuesday, but I was taken away in a shiny white van on Wednesday morning and only got home last night. Mikie

Thanks Rusty I missed another pearler of a decision in HRNZ Funding Proposal ”We shalt also need to steal more from the poor and give to the rich. The Cup carnival isn’t enough for myself as CEO to be seen parading myself Gimme $600,000 to pay the Jewels stakes boys” OK Phil Mikie

Plus no thought, no ideas, (well no rational ones anyway), no leadership and now a CEO who is part time and has no relevant background and no clue I ask you this....why shouldn’t HRNZ pay Mark P.’, Robert D.’ and/or Mickey Mouse a training track subsidy? Under HRNZ criteria they would qualify Mikie

I don’t have or follow a twitter but this post very accurate. As Stu put it, it will be a battle like no other Mikie

Sorry Happy, I’m not joking He was made permanent this week, Tuesday I think It took a lot of negotiating to get it over the line Phil had to agree to 2 full days in the HRNZ Office HRNZ had to agree to a regular work free day for Phil’s golf, to airfares each week, plus taxis meals and accomodation (well I jest in this paragraph, but it would be a great bet that some of it is correct). Perhaps more likely they beefed up his salary to cover these expenses so no focus could be put on them later Mikie

Over the vlast month we have had a thread with multiple replies about 'Aveross Spitfire' Entertaining at times but not a matter that strikes at the very core of racing's future I would suggest W=e hear on nearly every thread that Brodie is a "Restricted Punter'. Obviously of great interest to him but (although he may disagree) it is a matter that again is not critical to our sport's future We have JJ Flash telling us repeatedly that Dean/RITA are wonderful and are fixing the mess they inherited. He shies away when it is pointed out that RITA had 18 months to do something and they did nothing. He virtually crawls up his own backside and hides when it is pointed out that RITA were technically insolvent despite Dean's protestations to the contrary. These matters may well be a critical factor in our survival (by our, I mean Harness Racing) Let's consider what is really important that has happened over the last couple of weeks (I apologise for using round figures, I have been out of action for a week so I have not had time to obtain figures to the last cent, but I am sure that I am pretty accurate) #1 HRNZ have appointed Phil Holden full-time as the CEO. No advertising of the position, no consultation, nothing. Just at a Board meeting it was "hey Phil's wonderful and he's offered to do 2 full days a week in Christchurch instead of 1.5 On that basis let's make him a permanent fixture. all in favour? Aye Aye. Job done. So now we have a full-time CEO with permission to only be in Christchurch on 2 days a week, another 2 days a week in his home office in Wairarapa, plus 1 day of golf. Isn't that farken brilliant #2 HRNZ are now having a Conference of Clubs but won't that be a spectacle. Due to their Constitution any Remit can be voted down by just 3 Clubs. Yes, that's right the ATC, NZMTC & Cambridge can vote down any proposal they want simply because their voting numbers are generated by their raceday numbers #3 HRNZ have decided on their 20/21 funding policy. Stale news you say since the Funding levels are the same as 19/20? Wrong you are. Their fantastic new Policy is as follows (a) every Club gets $9000 per race funding except ATC and NZMTC who get $15000 per race. (B) ATC and NZMTC then get more money for Group Races and the (c) there is a Training Track Subsidy that goes to Clubs that cater for a certain number of horses trained on the Racecourse, unless you are ATC or NZMTC who don't have horses trained on their courses but qualify for the highest level of Training Track Subsidy Let's take a look at one effect this utterly stupid Policy will have 1. A Club like Westport who is asked to race on Boxing Day with all the additional costs will receive the same funding as a Timaru Meeting in the middle of winter 2. A Club like Westport who generate 2-3 times the Gross Profit to the Industry than the ATC do, is given $9000 per race while ATC is given $15,000 Let's take a closer look at the Training Track Subsidies. Here's where HRNZ have tried to safeguard their support base by buying in favours ATC get $120k a year for having horses trained there ....they have a Board Representative Cambridge get $70k a year ....they have a Board Representative NZMTC get $120k a year....they have a Board Representative Rangiora get $70k or $120k a year ....they have va Board Representative Motukarara get $30-40k a year ...they have Ken Spicer Winton get similar....they have a Board Representative Starts to smell? Reeks of self-indulgence The overall position One 2 day Club whose figures I have used, not Marlborough, would receive 25% less funding than in 19/20. This means that every race they run for $8000 would drop to $6000. No if's, but's or maybes Now Tasman Man, some of you aren't that clever But the long term effect will be that only ATC and NZMTC (ok, perhaps Cambridge for a while) will survive. For those of you who think that's great, the Industry can cut costs by only racing at 2 Tracks you better remember that the small Tracks are subsidising the big 2 Tracks already, so if they aren't around to do that then the 2 big Tracks will end up in trouble as well. Why has it come to this? Easy enough to answer since the Funding received for this season is equal to or slightly more than the previous season. The people at Board level are incompetent, and the 2 staff in charge of producing the Funding Model (Bishop & Holden) have absolutely no clue I don't really care if a Board Member is a success in his own business sphere, all that proves is that he/she should stick to that business because they have no clue as regards harness This Funding Model, if it proceeds, will mean the end of harness racing anywhere but ATC & NZMTC within 5 years; and then those 2 Clubs will be like the orchestra on the Titanic playing music whilst going under The 3 architects. Bishop. Holden and Spicer ably supported by Hair, the ATC rep, the NZMTC rep and McNaught (I've left the Cambridge rep out as I'm assured that he is ok, and just caught between a rock and a hard place) Don't play the man JJ or Tasman Man. Try to refute anything I've posted above Mikie

Brodie There is no need to worry Phil has got this His advice is brilliant "Let's run 25% less races then stakes can increase by 33%" Or "let's run 50% less races then stakes can increase by 100%" Or even better "let's run 75% less races then stakes can increase by 400%" And you think I'm joking Mikie

No need to be confused mikeynz hunterthepunter is having a guess, that's all Since I was at a function the GO'C was at, and the village idiot JJ Flash aka Greg made postings during that time, it's simply not possible Mikie

And you would be 100% wrong, even if you were 'sure' as opposed to 'shore' Mikie

They are reins Brodie, not reigns Mikie

No Joe, I didn''t say it was 33% less I said it was 33% of, that's 67% less Mikie

It's the owner's money, the owner's choice and I can't see the harm of him racing What I do know is if we are playing Bullrush at School, and I'm Team Captain, I'm having Whiplash Smile as my first pick Mikie

You have completely lost me Joe I have no idea why Alan was Robinson Crusoe I thought Crusoe was abandoned on a desert Island a la Tom Hanks If you mean why do I rank him above the subsequent pricks it’s because: He at least had an interest in the Industry He fronted up to consult at least, even attending a meeting of Clubs in Omoto, instead of hiding behind a Facebook blog He was paid about 33% of what the subsequent pricks have been, or are being, paid Maybe that’s not enough for you to rate him as ok, but even if he was farken average that still makes him better than the recent lot Mikie

Alan Fenwick, but it's too late to apologise to him You probably haven't maligned him anyway Mikie

Nomates 10, JJ Flash 0