Chief Stipe Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 1 hour ago, Freda said: My understanding of Strathayr, is that it is supposed to provide 'cushion' and never become compacted and very firm, like conventional turf tracks. Also, the superior drainage in the construction makes it able to cope with flooding or heavy rain very effectively. I've never seen Mooney Valley have horses slip...or Shatin. So how did a shower of rain get the blame for all this? I explained my theory in an earlier post. It was a combination of inconsistent irrigation, grass too long and having not established a good root structure yet. I see the next Te Aroha meeting has been transferred due to patchy grass caused by disease. I hope the NZTR track experts washed their boots between track visits! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 18 minutes ago, curious said: The report is saying that an incorrect pattern of mowing and irrigation cause increased surface tension (which reduces the ability of the surface to uptake water), so when the rain came, it wasn't absorbed as it should have been making the surface slippery. Common problem on turf surfaces which is why golf courses etc. apply wetting agents to counteract it. Where is the report? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 7 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Where is the report? See Wilcox on Weigh In. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huey Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 and you still have fools saying we need less tracks in NZ, we need every single available track in this country given the history of abandonments, white elephants (AWT) and the new one too much drizzly rain ... lol 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 13 hours ago, curious said: See Wilcox on Weigh In. I saw that, what a crock of shit. He was only saying recently it wouldn’t matter how much or how little rain…. Track would hold up perfectly. Heads will roll on this, will be a flop once cooler weather arrives 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted January 30 Share Posted January 30 1 hour ago, Newmarket said: will be a flop once cooler weather arrives Since there is no winter racing programmed there, it seems unlikely that will be an issue? 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 All round very disappointing. I've walked dozens of tracks the last 30 years and very few were up to scratch. Ellerslie was one of the worst around 2005. Got to the point where I hated doing it early race day as I worried about the safety of the horse and where any track bias might be. I was hoping that we would get it right with at least one world class track. Maybe we have the wrong experts advising. You should never ever get it wrong on a StrathAyr track - everything is in the track managers favour regardless of the weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 52 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: All round very disappointing. I've walked dozens of tracks the last 30 years and very few were up to scratch. Ellerslie was one of the worst around 2005. Got to the point where I hated doing it early race day as I worried about the safety of the horse and where any track bias might be. I was hoping that we would get it right with at least one world class track. Maybe we have the wrong experts advising. You should never ever get it wrong on a StrathAyr track - everything is in the track managers favour regardless of the weather. I'm not getting into the Auckland discussion, not my area at all.....but it seems clear that for quite a few years we DEFINITELY have had the wrong [ track] experts advising. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyril Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 5 hours ago, Freda said: I'm not getting into the Auckland discussion, not my area at all.....but it seems clear that for quite a few years we DEFINITELY have had the wrong [ track] experts advising. Time to call in real experts like the farmers who look after Reefton and such places. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 23 hours ago, curious said: Since there is no winter racing programmed there, it seems unlikely that will be an issue? Mmmmm, you do know it is summer and there is already an issue. How about March or April, always moisture when a cricket match comes to Auckland.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 8 hours ago, Cyril said: Time to call in real experts like the farmers who look after Reefton and such places. Didn't stop Reefton from being abandoned. A farmer wouldn't have a clue on how to manage a StrathAyr system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 55 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Didn't stop Reefton from being abandoned. A farmer wouldn't have a clue on how to manage a StrathAyr system. I'm sure he could learn. It wouldn't take as long as some of the current lot, they're still getting things wrong. And that's an irrelevant comment re. Reefton. It wasn't mismanagement that got the meeting abandoned and you know that well. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 2 hours ago, Freda said: I'm sure he could learn. It wouldn't take as long as some of the current lot, they're still getting things wrong. I'm sure an old school farmer would even come close to effectively managing a Strathayr track. Part of the problem I suspect is those managing the new tracks are still stuck in old paradigms more closely aligned to old farmers than they should. We've seen that with the AWT's. 2 hours ago, Freda said: And that's an irrelevant comment re. Reefton. It wasn't mismanagement that got the meeting abandoned and you know that well. Is it irrelevant? Did the Jockey's have too much say? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 6 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said: Did the Jockey's have too much say? I didn't think they had any? They were told weren't they? What they did have to say was over-ruled or unheard. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 1 hour ago, curious said: I didn't think they had any? They were told weren't they? What they did have to say was over-ruled or unheard. According to the Stewards report they did have a say. Report 2023-01-05 Reefton.pdf Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 Regardless the old chestnut that a OLD grass farmer can manage a race track better than anyone is a load of codswallop. Modern farming techinques are substantially different to 40 or 50 years ago. When was the last time we saw a turf track ploughed, the soil reconditioned and new grass sown? Or for that matter manage water budgets, soil moisture deficits and irrigation. The Strathayr system is a whole new ball game and I doubt any farmer would have the techniques or skills to manage it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 (edited) 2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said: According to the Stewards report they did have a say. Report 2023-01-05 Reefton.pdf 166.81 kB · 0 downloads Can't see anywhere in the report where it says they had a say or what they said. Edited February 1 by curious Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 If you go to the races and read the Stipes Report that night there are times when what is written and your recollection are quite different. Even though these reports should not be open to debate, you cannot believe everything you read. As for this new state of the art surface, some Australians remarked on them in a not too favourable manner. It seems state of the art is not what it is cracked up to be. The lazy method of just throwing money at something is not the answer. It seems there are big noters who have a following while they are here. When they move on to other occupations they become someone else's problem for a while. Unfortunately the bad pennies have a tendancy to turn up at a later date. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted February 1 Author Share Posted February 1 2 hours ago, curious said: Can't see anywhere in the report where it says they had a say or what they said. Right so the Stipes met with the Jockey's and they said nothing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 It wouldn't matter what the jockeys said because it clearly states the stipes made the decision. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curious Posted February 1 Share Posted February 1 7 minutes ago, Special Agent said: It wouldn't matter what the jockeys said because it clearly states the stipes made the decision. Yep and met with the jockeys to tell them that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 19 hours ago, curious said: Yep and met with the jockeys to tell them that. That's what you've heard but I doubt the Jockeys said nothing. Anyway back to the topic - is there a written report available on the Ellerslie track KM day? In a perfect world we would have choices and choose to race horses elsewhere if things weren't up to standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freda Posted February 2 Share Posted February 2 On 1/02/2024 at 10:51 AM, Chief Stipe said: Regardless the old chestnut that a OLD grass farmer can manage a race track better than anyone is a load of codswallop. Modern farming techinques are substantially different to 40 or 50 years ago. When was the last time we saw a turf track ploughed, the soil reconditioned and new grass sown? Or for that matter manage water budgets, soil moisture deficits and irrigation. The Strathayr system is a whole new ball game and I doubt any farmer would have the techniques or skills to manage it. You don't watch Country Calendar? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Stipe Posted February 2 Author Share Posted February 2 2 hours ago, Freda said: You don't watch Country Calendar? No why would I? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted February 3 Share Posted February 3 To see that even farmers are abreast of modern techniques and skill sets. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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