Freda

Even if only a few develop a real interest it has to be good value. Great idea IMO.

Definitely agree with rotation to allow track renovation. The right sort of guidance,leadership, call it what you will, could have facilitated a more desirable outcome than what we have now.

Technically, probably correct. But the threat of arbitrary closure has produced enormous ill feeling. As said by a former very astute poster, the only reason to close a track is an economic one. If people dont want to come and horses dont get nominated, then we'll put up the white flag. The much maligned Purcell said, in my hearing, I'm not in favour of forced closure of tracks, but we will offer support and work with any club which chooses to race at another venue. That was the way to go about the issue IMO.

WTF....? I've been on the wrong end of Leo's acerbic criticism, many a time. But this, if not a piss-take, is disgraceful.

That I can concede is a valid point.

" ...I gather you approved of what the Westland Racing Club did when if a fit of churlish pique they gave their assets back to the local community. Racing on the West Coast lost to parochialism and an inability for the four clubs to work together..." They worked together perfectly fine. Greymouth gladly held the Westland day for them, as well as their own, continuing the four-day circuit. Buses were put on to take the Hoki locals to 'their' day at Omoto. So NZTR refused the permit for the 4th day from then onwards. Churlish? absolutely.

That has been the case for the last two decades. And has been discussed ad infinitum on several forums. In the 90's - and earlier - most clubs did pay their way from racing/ betting revenue. That has gone west in a big way, the smaller clubs lose less, that's all. The fact that small clubs are then held up as unnecessary and a drain on the industry is astounding, and shows how out of touch the administration is.

Well, I think Reefton - for one - provides its own maintenance and has a positive balance sheet. I can't imagine Mr Molloy tolerating debt. Hokitika was another that had plenty in kitty, enough to undertake any works determined to be necessary. Not given the chance. Gone.

A few more small shares taken.

Field sizes ( all tied up with programming and dates) is something that you and a couple of other enlightened sorts have been trying to get attention on, with little interest from management. As has been pointed out many times, the exodus to Aus isn't totally stakes driven. The Chief has made reference himself about the lack of opportunity for sprinting fillies, for one, hence the need to send those types over the ditch. There are heaps of other examples. The revitalizing of racedays from the viewpoint of young people is important fot sure, as well as stable open days and other initiatives to get a different demographic involved. But the industry as a whole has to be sustainable and it hasnt been without top- ups from other than betting revenue. I've held stable open days ( in a modest way) as have Kezia Murphy and Anna Furlong more recently, and all very well received. But getting tracks renovated properly and in a timely fashion is vital to getting back some punter confidence. No good taking pot shots at me, Chief, smarter people than me have been trying for years - decades- to get some traction, to no avail.

Yeah. One trainer recently discovered an Asian couple, complete with pram and infant, pottering around taking photos of the horses.

The original idea was free accommodation for the appropriate person. The job of managing the visiting trainers placement was also mooted.....meeting trucks arriving and pointing out the allocated stabling.

A bit off the thread topic, but a few years ago, before tiny homes became topical, a former owner was trying to interest admin in that very concept for security in an area with little, the training facilities here and most particularly, the visitors area. Individual stable blocks can be locked, and a couple have cameras, but the overall complex can be accessed easily and at any time. A cottage or similar for a nightwatchman would have been a very good idea.

If i was on a salary such as those referred to, above, I'm sure I could find some ideas. And, as pointed out in another thread, if funds hadn't been wasted on stakes for the last two decades instead of attending to track maintenance, we may not be quite so badly off.

What he said.

I think everyone did. But the overseers of said renovation fell well short of the required standard. Hence where we are now. At what cost? Add Hastings, more cost. And not just counted in dollars, but in loss of confidence, reduced participation, owners voting with their feet...and now we have a new shiny CEO of our industry regulator. Three new imports from Oz for that same body...and now a consultant team - quoted elsewhere as costing north of seven figures - can these new incumbents not find some ideas between them all?

Spot on. Nice bloke.

Poor Hunter. He does a fine job, but would rather not be doing that.

Think so, yes.

Bonecrusher, Rough Habit...Pivotal Ten..

Gold fines, Bill Kennedy told me, were used to ' improve' the track, along with the sowing of the right sort of grass. Didn't improve anything, the pakihi is taking back the ground bit by bit, the boggy bit in the dummy straight is there, as it always used to be.

Yeah, the Reefton turn out of the straight certainly caught a rider out in the case you mention. Had been negotiated safely for decades. Definitely rider error, with disastrous consequences. Similar with Hokitika, when a few ran off at tbe turn out of the straight....always a possibility with new riders but not an issue with a bit of nous. Unfortunately the combination of very, very heavy ground on one particular day, along with so many riders now not up to standard, led NZTR to decide that the circuit was not needed, not 'the look' that was required going forward.

And - as you said - the renovations weren't done properly. That's my point. Also, correct wrt the 30 year time frame, needs attention any old time but I dont think that's likely.

Nope. Clover on a gallop tracks is just a disaster. But, agree 100% with the rotational renovation concept. Should have been the modus operandi all along.