Reefton

Thanks Brent Will message you

if I could round up enough ex jockeys who were there on the day and/or watched the video it might be a goer I guess The fact that NZTR paid out the full meeting fees without question Jeff McLaughlin being an ex stipe who dealt with the Coast tracks over and over And an opportunity to question Oatham and Clement. Worth thinking about

Think it is worth it? Again running into the H&S angle of an adjudicator who will be spooked and also the problem of getting people to stand up and be counted Worth thinking about though. In the past my issue with the Disputes Tribunal is they have tended to just say 'We cannot arrive at a decision so you can both go away and carry your own costs'

McAnulty's initial reply to the previous letter. Basically saying I'm not interested and they(RIB) can do whatever they like 0966_001-1.pdf

Agree. That is why I was bringing up integrity, professionalism and competence - he can talk all he likes about their power and authority, what they can arbitrarily decide to do. What he will not engage over because he knows he will lose is the application of those three qualities. The District Court is a bit like the Ombudsman - They(RIB) will screech Health and Safety and a Judge/the Ombudsman will roll over. You will be dealing with people who do not understand but given the Pike and White Island disasters H&S is always going to set alarm bells ringing. And in the case of the District Court the cost for an unknown outcome and will the likes of NZTR and various industry participants want to testify against the RIB? There is a fair chance of retribution whereas I have nothing to lose. In two months time I walk away from the Club and to a large extent the game(here's hoping I keep my resolve!)

Vangelis?

My response to that RIB letter. I was tired of Clement and his lies by this stage and complained to the Chair and Minister. Waste of time as it turned out Ltr RIB Chair,Minister re Reefton 05 01 23-1.pdf

Well different tracks suit different types of horses. Morty spoke of Flying View. Won multiple races on the Coast but not sure he ever won one at Riccarton(though won the Telegraph so big courses held no fears for him) Back in the seventies and eighties there were tons of horses that suited the Coast and/or the provincials. My memory is mainly of the sprinters - the likes of Strad, Eros, Te Pango Nui, Great Blaze, Hi Roona. None of them were terribly effective at Riccarton but the Coast suited them. Of course there were tons more meetings over here and at the likes of Geraldine, Bank Peninsula, Nelson, Blenheim or wherever. Racing went to the people and the people went to the races!

You pulled one of those Reefton Trentham stunts yourself did you not Morty? You and the late great John Carran had a horse called Meadowlands(?) that won at Reefton then cleaned up during Cup week? It's a long way from a great racetrack but you are dead right the action is bloody close. And it most certainly has not proven an unsafe venue over my time. A horse called Brave Jack lost its life there but it was a simple misfortune and one of Pitty's (I think) fell there three or four years back after clipping heels, and there was the spectacular pilot error Raelene Fraser incident after the finish. Prior to that I reckon Mouse falling off on the bend out of the straight thirty years ago? I am not particularly proud of the track itself but I am proud of the way it is prepared and presented and when the likes of John Oatham turn up and make a prick of themselves it pisses me off

The next RIB letter back to us RIB Response re abandonment 01 02 23.docx

You Curious are not the first one to say that. If they thought that track was inconsistent(which it most certainly was not) then why the hell did they send riders out there at all? They took the riders into the room at least once before the races started(Jeff McLaughlin thought twice but I didn't see the second time) so what were they talking to them about? I repeat if they had concerns why did they let them go out at all and why did they allow one horse to go out without a shoe? A couple of people(not riders themselves) have told me that riders told them the talk was quite intimidating and how is some young kid going to react to that? A punter backing a horse with a kid onboard lacking confidence????? That Kelsey Hannan was absolutely desperate to find a slip mark and even suggested where the trotters had been was evidence of slipping. That was quickly dismissed by everyone. What she was doing there I am not sure when senior riders were still in the jockeys room but Jason Laking was not one little bit concerned about the track(he was there) and Terry Moseley seemed(in hindsight) keen to cover his arse. Oatham rushed out there when it started to rain three quarters of an hour before the first so why did he not pick up this apparent 'inconsistency'? The reality is he wanted to shut every one of those Coast meetings down and we were the unfortunate one. He drove Kumara to distraction the next day(Friday) and when I saw Jeff McLaughlin on the Saturday at the races he looked like he had not slept for a week. The track is not inconsistent because it has never been touched(dug up). Six days before an hour of the end of the trotting meeting I had them pouring water onto that track. The forecast was for six days of 30plus degrees and possible rain either our day or the day after. We knew the risks and we responded. That track was beautiful and 110% ready for the weather that arrived. There is no bigger(historical) critic of that track than David Walsh and he had no complaints. Oatham was quite rude to Mouse McCann, who I took into the room with me, dismissing his views out of hand. Mouse only rode around there 300 times so I don't suppose he would have any idea. Why does anyone waste their time preparing tracks and venues when this sort of shit happens? Quite apart from the Club what about the stakeholders carting horses from far and wide? It is just a frigging joke.

Try the previous one(its the same letter. I couldn't get that one to open but a lot of people have

Yeah well Mark Graham said 'Opinions are like arseholes - everyone's got one'. And as far as Omakau goes well two wrongs don't make a right but how come they lost their permit? Reefton saved its raceday and venue by strong (and I mean strong) argument. I have no idea about the Omakau people(equally I have a tremendous amount of sympathy for them) but I had been in charge I am pretty confident it would not have been lost.

The trouble with running them on the AWT Doomed is the fact that the oncourse turnover will be $20k versus our venues where it is four five or fifteen times that amount. People want the country venues and that is the original basis and birthplace of NZ racing.

Precisely and there were a few vastly experienced riders there that day who were totally completely and utterly in support of the Club. Obviously David Walsh, Max Skelton, Ron McCann, Jim Walker(have to admit I don't know him and did not talk to him about it but I do know he was there), Willie Harnett, Maria Hampton. Indeed if the Coast tracks are of such a state that they do not deserve to be raced on that in itself is an indictment on the RIB and its predecessors. That lends itself to the suggestion they treat Jockeys as crash test dummies

Reefton's response to the last RIB letter(11 1 23) 20230116074157.pdf

I have always acknowledged the deficiencies of the West Coast tracks but the fact remains people(patrons) want to go there(including I might add plenty of Cantabrians - there will be plenty at any given Kumara Meeting who would never turn up to Riccarton or any other Canterbury venue). I really am not interested in your opinions on whether we have the right to the meetings or the dates or indeed the worth of the tracks. This thread is about the BS the RIB is dishing up to justify their actions that day NZTR and co have had plenty of goes at taking those dates away but we fight them off every time. Chittick tried to do it 25 years ago and Saundry five years ago - both failed. Whats more anyone from Canterbury should be a tad sheepish after what was dished up on your biggest raceday of the year last year

try it again RIB Letter to RJC 11 1 23 re raceday abandonment Codes Safety Training-2.pptx

The response(and further correspondence) is where it really gets frustrating the codes safety training is the thing this prick sent me. Couldn't find the section on how to deal with a situation where no safety issue existed RIB Letter to RJC 11 1 23 re raceday abandonment Codes Safety Training-1.pptx

The Clubs initial response. More tomorrow 20230106162747.pdf

And the initial RIB 'report' into this saga received the next day. Veronica Algar, named as the Chief Steward of the day, is the signatory to this. I think she was thrown under the bus by the Chief Stipendiary Steward of NZ who was in attendance and clearly in total control of the day's proceedings '5 January 2023 Reefton Jockey Club – Thursday 5 January 2023 Report into the abandonment at Reefton JC, Thursday 5 January. Mark Davidson and I walked the track on Wednesday afternoon and took core samples which showed reasonable moisture in the soil. We were advised by club officials that they had been irrigating subsequent to the Harness meeting on 30 December up until Tuesday midday. On race day the RIB Stipendiary Stewards officiating were Veronica Algar (Chair), John Oatham, Mark Davidson. 7 races were scheduled with the track rating a Good 4 and the rail in the True position. Around 45 minutes before the start of Race 1, steady rain began to fall, with Stewards undertaking an inspection of the track with senior rider representatives. A meeting was then held with all jockeys that were on course, with all riders indicating they were comfortable to ride at that point. Riders were further questioned behind the barriers following their preliminary with no riders expressing any concerns. When reviewing films immediately following the race it was apparent the winner MADISON ROSE, ridden by senior rider T Moseley, had lost its footing rounding the final turn into the home straight near the 225 metres. MADISON ROSE had entered the mounting yard prior to the race minus the right hind plate, with the oncourse farrier advising he had been unable to attach the plate due to the mare’s unruly behaviour when attempting to do so. When questioned by Stewards rider T Moseley advised, he had no issue riding the mare minus of the right hind plate. It is common practice to allow a horse to race without a back plate in similar circumstances. The Stewards panel on the day are satisfied that racing without the right hind plate had not been the reason for this incident with MADISON ROSE, clearly having slipped on the left hind leg. Stewards again convened a track inspection committee involving rider and club representatives which found some evidence of movement in several areas of the track. Following a further meeting with all riders, where films were again reviewed it was apparent that a number of riders had concerns and with the Stewards sharing those concerns a decision was made by the Stewards to abandon the remainder of the programme. Veronica Algar Stipendiary Steward'

right well as a starter here is the link to the race video. https://loveracing.nz/RaceInfo/51371/1/Race-Detail.aspx Take note everyone of the actions of the rider behind the leader from the 400m to approximately 250m mark. Ironically it won the race. If more experienced judges than I could also carefully count the number of instance were horses are seen to 'slip' or lose their footing throughout this event(this becomes relevant in due course) And the Judicial report. https://loveracing.nz/RaceInfo/51371/Meeting-Overview.aspx Careful note needs to be taken of exactly what the judicial report says because it becomes relevant in later correspondence with these people.

royal commission is dead right

Good afternoon everyone It appears I have exhausted every avenue to get fair treatment for the Club(the Minister has replied again this morning washing his hands of any responsibility to drag them into line) in regards the disgraceful treatment we received on January 5th. Is there any interest from the BOAY community in seeing the various to and fro that has led to this point of utter frustration. It is long winded and at times aggressive(on my part) but by hell I am pissed off with this Not going to bother if nobody is interested but these guys need to be hauled into line. They continually make pricks of themselves and the industry and it needs to come out. I will await reaction Brian Molloy

Who? The WRC 'old boys' are virtually all dead And most of them were, in my experience, very decent people. The likes of Jim Keenan a very very fine man(a Labour supporter and a greenie to boot but regardless a very fine man who would turn in his grave at the way events have unfolded)