Freda

Great memories. Yes, it was Boomer who sold cheap goods out of the back of his wagon, would call around all the stables with his 'bargains '. He had a good bit of luck with some recycled northern horses, too. Used to give them a couple of quiet runs, fill them up on hormones and put them out with a couple of fillies. They think they are kings, he said to me. They've never felt so important. Won a few races too. I recall him legging up the ill-fated Ray 'Hewey' Hewinson at Hokitika. Solemnly knotted the reins in the birdcage as Hewey was getting organized. What do I do, boss? says Hewey. See that knot ? Yep. Follow it.

I was positive there was a Westport tacked on at one time, no one remembers and I was beginning to think I had memory issues.....thanks, Reefton! Did Westport ever come next to the Reefton meeting? I ask, as I have memories of staying at Reefton with the Taggart crew - Bert Due [ Bev Leigh ] was with us too, as I recall, as well as apprentice Stewart Ching - and then moving on to Westport. Had my Labrador dog with us, he gave the Westport caretaker's cat a bit of a swish, I wasn't popular. Barry [ Taggart ] took the horses to Rabbit Island to paddle in the sea, brother Richard was in charge of Idomeneo colt Eidi, they went out a wee bit too far, and Richard's rather baggy Y-fronts got sodden and he lost them. No smartphones and Snapchat then though! Thornley and Smith jacking up the scales with chewing gum...they would have got away with it, too, except someone complained about being far too light, and the stipes had a closer look..the lads weren't happy.

My information was that resource consent had been given but Ecan [ Environment Canterbury ] had still not given the tick of approval. That may have since been achieved, I fail to see how the whole process can be started without such approval.

Maybe no one has informed them of this ?

Neither do I...but the engineers were positive that the most recent tinkering with colour [ to reflect heat instead of absorbing it ] and texture means it won't need it. How a loose surface will remain unmoved in a nor-wester seems wishful thinking too, but that's the word. I remain to be convinced, but I'm no engineer.

No. If I wanted to run on the AW, that's where I would have nominated. If I wanted the turf, that's where I would expect to run.

Seemingly not.

Irrigation is apparently not needed.

Yes, a concern for some. The lighting has always been very average, although some manage to work nevertheless. I've never been happy to work horses when their riders can't see properly, and I can't watch their action, etc. But I don't have big numbers, I don't need to. Some do. But fast work is not allowed until daylight. Not a problem now, but I can envisage one when winter comes and daylight hours are much reduced. Pushed into the middle and away from such lighting as already exists, things will be difficult I feel, unless some temporary measure is put in place. At the moment, no such intention has been indicated.

Not until is it built, it doesn't.

I wouldn't mind a racehorse with your attitude, T....you keep hanging tough even though you can't win.

Be interesting to see what Grant Robertson makes of it all.

Yes. Forgot about the Stokes'.

Carole McCarthy?

A number in and around the Grey valley area. Breeder Bill Kennedy won numerous races from his Ikamatua base, likewise Roger Hampton - who trained a National winner from the same area. The O'Malley family, many winners also over the years, stood a couple of stallions too.

They didn't shift to Riccarton, that's for sure.

So, shoving the remainder into a high- cost operation where not only staffing costs are significant, but stabling and residential costs are huge, is going to save us all? Those who have to try and buy a house in CHCH if relocating from Ashburton might beg to differ.

To add - we have, over the years, seen the closure or relocation of clubs/tracks here in the south, not as a result of 'the big stick' but, through market forces or changing demographic to which Reefton has alluded. Hororata, Amberley, Nelson, Westport, Geraldine,Wyndham,Tapanui, Beaumont come to mind. Add Waimate, Waikouaiti, Winton, Oamaru, Blenheim and Rangiora to the 'forced' pile. There may be others I haven't mentioned, and also we have a plethora of Hunt Clubs which no longer have a day. I don't see any business case from on high to indicate just how beneficial those closures have been, the voluntary ones may have seen some local upside in the change, but to the industry? It's only the asset grab that is driving this latest travesty, again - as Reefton has said - simple economics will determine which stays and which doesn't, without any draconian measures. But the unsustainable model will just keep on keeping on, as long as there is funding to be plundered from somewhere, supported by Tesio and his buddies. I'm charitable enough to think that they want a successful industry, as we all do - but sadly, logic and reasoned discussion just doesn't sink in.

Maybe have a look at net revenue instead.

How do I, then, kill a crayfish [ legally] ?

The work starts this week on the new AWT.

Yes, of course. Absolutely.

We all 'reap what we sow' in some shape or form, success, failure, illness, injury, everything that happens in life is a result of decisions made, one way or another. Racing is no different, obviously. However, I don't think the demise of Hokitika as a racing venue can be put squarely at the feet of the club and its decisions - if, in fact, that is what you meant, C.

BTW, welcome to the forum anyway. Contributions from all perspectives are necessary to create good dialogue - opinions are like arseholes, we all have them.

Well said indeed. Tesio, I - we - share your disgruntlement about the direction of the industry, but, as others have pointed out, it is not the small clubs which deserve your ire. One or two points in addition; your gripe about 'shit stakes' at Westland. That was not the fault of the club, I know they had the money, and wanted to put on a high-staked day, but were not allowed to. Many times they wanted to run more races, or divide some when horses were eliminated - but weren't allowed to do that either. Funding /turnover distributions have been changing over the years, for your 40 and more, small clubs have had their portion of 'payback' altered, time and time again, for the purpose of propping up the big clubs, the most uneconomic of all. Don't forget the funding was not a gift - small clubs ran meetings [ with huge community and voluntary help ] to contribute to the whole, but certainly have not had a fair suck of the sav. Travel for rubbish money? it has never been compulsory. Dave Kerr, many, many years ago, refused to travel to provincial days, generally - he said then it was too expensive. If they can't race at Riccarton, he said, they aren't good enough to have in work. Your involvement is long enough to have been well aware of that.