Reefton

Thanks Curious. I couldn't see under the incorporated Societies Act how they could make a Club which elected to or was forced to abandon it's racing activity to wind up. It is pretty obvious there was a lot of 'assistance' provided to Mr Messara in producing this report. How he knows so much about individual courses and their facilities is beyond me. Clearly there was influence from among Peters' cronies and insofar as I know they come from predominantly one sector of the industry - I just don't see how they believe they will benefit from some of the recommendations.

We at Reefton of course will have the harness guys going strong so our asset is protected for now from Winston's greedy fingers. I reckon Curious is right about changing constitutions and they cannot force you to wind up if you morph from a racing Club into some other form of incorporated Club owning the land. We have to think about where we would like it to go and who we would like to control it down the track but I will be fighting tooth an nail to stood that prick and his cronies getting the proceeds. Eff em!

Westport galloping finished around the mid 80's. it was(and is) a very strong harness racing area less so the thoroughbreds. just died through lack of interest I understand. At one stage there was Blenheim, nelson and Wesport all in a nice little autumn circuit. Overall though guys I am pissed off with drunken Winston but the issue is a lot bigger than the Coast. Form south island racing's perspective Timaru, Oamaru Gore all contribute a lot at sometime difficult times of the year(especially Oamaru - if you horse doesn't like the all weather and you are looking for a half decent winter track you are going to miss that venue) The Coast issue is a sideshow - as I said they are all too small and also susceptible to bog. I fully expected the whole lot to be closed. The inconsistency and the fact that they are talking spending millions of industry money on stabling and grandstands etc is just a bloody joke but Winston likes getting on the piss at Kumara and will be a hero with the drunks who think Kumara is the be all and end all of the Coast racing. Of course I am not sure how they will handle it if there is another cancellation this season. Winston might have to build a roof over the entire course.

He was a good bit of stuff Dave McKenzie! Good bloke too

And when you say deep bog we are talking serious serious depth! Like about 1.29 for a 1200m maiden depth A heavy 38 rating

Well rather than try to put it in writing could I direct you to the NZTR website and the videos of the Hoki raceday from January 2017. Have a look and then see if you can assess the issues with the Hokitika Racecourse. Only thing I will say is there was not a lot of dust flying that day.

Bit mischievous there CS. 'Westland' refers to the Westland Racing Club of course which runs out of Hokitika. I am not particularly parochial hence living in Greymouth but being the President of the Reefton Jockey Club(which is the Buller District) I've been Mr Popularity today though. Two news papers and two radio stations asking for my views. I hope Winston isn't of a sensitive disposition!

I thought something about the size of Cromwell - 1800m with chutes for 1200m, 1600m and maybe 2200m starts Give you a good view of proceedings and down by the beach so it was free draining. Good wide track with a trotting track inside I am sure Te Rapa, Awapuni and Ellerslie are doing their best but they have a habit of getting 'experts' in who cock everything up. That is the problem in all facets of life - the minute a 'consultant' is hired there will be a balls up. Anyway us attacking the remaining clubs will not do any good

ironically many years ago Greymouth lent Kumara money to keep going. And extending Greymouth or Hokitika is out of the question. Both have steep banks at various points around their perimeters. Winnie ain't got his little plans past the line yet I have said it before and I will say it again - NZ racing needs to seize control back and set up its own gaming agency

Settle down you lot. There is not a decent course on the Coast and you all know it(as I do). None of them are big enough and Westand(Hoki) and Kumara are built on swamps and prone to cancellations. Neither are suitable centralisation prospects. Greymouth has the best facilities(industry funded back in the bad old days I might add) but since they 'renovated' the track it is stuffed as well. Reefton has the best track surface by far but it is far too small and too far away. Several years ago I suggested we ask the NZRB to fund a feasibility study into one decent track(at the time they had money for that sort of thing) with the pony clubs and the footy field and community facilities but nobody else was interested and it was no skin off my nose. You can lead a horse to water...... One certainty is Kumara is not the answer - they have no accommodation for the horses nor anywhere apart form the course proper for them to work. Winnie will have to spend a million building boxes and I ask you right now - its that wise use of industry funds? A great days racing sure but you can't have racing without horses.

It has one under the new idea Newmarket - being Winston's baby Kumara. BUT Kumara has no training track and no stabling so if horses come here there will be nowhere to stable them. Winnie might use a million dollars of industry money to build stables but is that wise use of industry funds? There will certainly only be one days racing because the other Clubs here will fold not relocate. We need to take control of our own destiny and , I hate to say it, reduce the clear influence the breeding industry has had on the powers that be. This Messara report has Chittick's fingerprints all over it for a start. Clearly a good studmaster but he was dismal failure as head of the RIB the last time they tried this stunt. Why do we need a Racing Minister anyway. We have had a succession of idiots in the role.

Over racing on any one course or courses will certainly do nothing to bring punters or people onto the track. They will need to do more than install an all weather at Riccarton for a start to make an attractive entertainment venue. Familiarity breeds contempt! And whats more Winston and John lets do a study into the return on investment with these retained tracks. For what they are worth we would be better off ditching Riccarton Ellerslie Hastings and Te Rapa and moving out to model facilities in the rural areas with good transport links(think Darfield!). Train the punters out to the track and back home so they can have a day on the piss In Curious's case not sure if the railway line runs past Foxton but turn Trentham in quarter acre sections(and bank the money!) nd run the meetings there. They already have a plastic running rail and new set of gates!

Food for thought Newmarket - going back to the good old days of the country sports days. Seriously though we will just walk away I think - I haven't got the heart for the fight and it is just another example of city people dictating to the rural community. So much for the champion of the regions Winston. The Coast courses are all freehold. In the case of the Greymouth Trotting Club it's land was leasehold from the local Iwi the Mawhera Incorporation and simply could not afford to pay the rent. The Iwi would not reduce the rent so the club folded and the area has turned quickly into a wasteland. But they were really like us and every rugby golf cricket or whatever sporting club in NZ - struggling for membership and committemen. It's life in the fast lane that society has turned into. We will walk away but I will be doing my damnest to prevent the club assets being diverted elsewhere in this industry to be wasted.

that one was done to death a year or so ago on the other channel but the reality is virtually every club has changed their constitution to give NZTR control over the disbursement of assets on windup. They offered an incentive(financial) to all the clubs to change their constitution.We were a notable exception - I told them to get stuffed basically but if Winnie gets this through then he will override that anyway. Giving my Club assets to the NZ racing industry is bullshit - the people of Reefton own those assets not the NZ racing Industry.

its in the report who is staying and who is going Major casualties Avondale Woodville Timaru Gore Note they also are strengthening the codes ability to grab the proceeds of clubs which close down So the money will go to the big clubs to piss up against the wall in the traditional manner.

Suspect clubs are clinging by a thread enthusiasm wise and will not continue but just fold. I know down here there is not a hope in hell of us (or Greymouth or Westland) transferring to another venue - we will just shut the gate and walk away. And I certainly won't be reaching into my pocket to cough up $1000(plus GST!) to sponsor a race anywhere else

Bit of a sideshow PD but I am not Mr Universe myself so usually refrain from criticizing others appearance. And when I had a share in a TeAkau nag Karyn was always a pleasure to deal with. I wish her well

Winston telling whoppers???? He said he didn't ask Messara to change anything but Kumara is on the list of retained race courses. Now some of you may have been to Kumara. Those who have would be a bit amazed to see it retained given its state. Silly old Winston loves the place and I am 1000% sure would have got Messara to add it into the list. I have no argument with rationalisation but I do have an argument about consistency in making these calls. This is bullshit!

Listening to Winston rambling didn't tell us too much about it - where can we get a copy?

Well lets see .... 50 racecourses divided by $650,000,000 - $13,000,000 a pop. And knowing them it will still be a disaster!

All those Clubs that rolled over and have turned control of their assets on wind up to NZTR - guess how the AWT's will be funded?

Labour, NZ First and their wanker hangers on leaking again. Dear oh dear! Maybe Simon could tack on an enquiry to his one! I couldn't argue with tracks rationalisation but I wonder if that includes trotting tracks? Reckon there would be about 5 or 6 in the south Riccarton Addington Ashburton Wingatui Invercargill. Not going to be a lot of quality winter(galloping) tracks among that lot If it slashes the staff number sin the heirarchy I am all for it but do feel for the presenters and trackside staff who will be dumped. Some good people there.

I've been on about that for years. The Clubs should set up their own agency, probably based in the Cooks. It would be subject to the International tax laws(Controlled Foreign Companies) but would simply pay fees to the Clubs(and maybe other sporting bodies and race clubs under the race fields type legislation) for providing product. The Clubs of course would be able to deduct the costs of providing the profit(ie Stakes and raceday costs) but pay tax on the rest of their profits. Cut out the NZRB overhead(and maybe NZTR though they would still need to fund some sort of administration and regulatory type organisation) and take control of their own destiny. In regards the gaming duties though they would not be conducting business in NZ so they would not be payable(but income tax on the profits obviously would). Garner and those guys up in arms about the industry getting government funds conveniently forget all the gaming duty they pay Teeth and her cronies Make sure the deductions are low(ish) and the international punters will flock in.

I was just looking for a bite

He's only travelling around the Country trying to keep business confidence up to minimise the hard work National will have to do to get the economy sorted out after the next election. It might be a few quid but nothing compared to what Teeth and the bewildered one are blowing every week on consultants and committees. new projects and basically pissing it up against the wall.