Walt Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 On 20/04/2024 at 6:44 AM, Freda said: Great post, Walt. Jumps racing is well gone here in the south, anyway. The Grand National - as it is now - will only remain while there is the will to travel horses from the North Island. The Hurdles at least will be safe this year, Tim Mills has an ownership interest in Berry The Cash, who is reportedly on target to defend his title. All the tinkering over the last few years didn't help one iota, and IMO, the demise of highweights down here was one very potent factor. No chance for jumps riders to have off-season opportunities - so why bother being here - and those horses suited by highweight conditions, not catered for and gradually dropping out of circulation. The discussions I had with many about this, to be told, oh, but we don't have enough highweight riders...so, I said, make them welters then, with preference to be given first to a jump rider. Didn't seem difficult to me, but maybe I was missing something. Southern trainers have been blamed for not supporting the jumping scene, but developing a jumper is time consuming and expensive. Who on earth would bother, with no riders and no certainty that next season there would even be any events to target? The typically very hard tracks in Canterbury particularly are not conducive to that discipline either. Thank you Freda. I always enjoy your input. I question what if any role the TAB / Trackside have in the inevitable demise of NZ Jumps Racing. There is a school of thought out there that Jumps Racing is cruel and outdated and not a good image for the TAB product want viewers to buy into. Aquaman giving his not unreasonable view previously in the thread highlighting that. The voice against may be small but it's loud. On the other hand the voice of those that support Jumps Racing is considerable but it's a quiet voice mostly accepting of the fact you can't stop the tide from coming in. Then you have the relentless quickfire quantity over quality product Trackside presents. It's perfectly designed for compulsive gamblers despite the TAB's denials of that. We've now even got races coming from areas that a percentage of those that punt on them likely have no clue what country the races are even in. Many of those races are run over sprint distances so they are over with quickly and on to the next one. That fits in with the greyhound type timetable. Race over and straight over to the next roulette wheel turn at Wollomolollobangdong etc etc etc. Then look at the time it can take to run a Steeplechase in Winter. 5 minutes plus is common. How many dog races can you fit into that time? Jumps Racing totally contradicts the Trackside / TAB agenda. Some years ago the NZ TAB was not even accepting wagering on iconic Australian races like the Australian Grand National Steeplechase and Hurdles because they clashed with very average NZ races. What message does that send? Jumps racing started being seen by some as an inconvenience rather than an asset. Less jumpers were being prepared. More jumping races were replaced with Highweights. Punters were justified in not wanting to wager on 6 horse fields. It was a vicious circle as the clubs were on a hiding to nothing running jumps races that didn't attract the same level of betting that a larger maiden field would. Jumps riders either put the cue back in the rack or crossed the ditch. Had it not been for a few well known jumping stables I think Jumps Racing would have already been consigned to the history books. Two venues always got my attention. The first was Ellerslie with it's iconic hill. The other was Paeroa with it's Inter Island Chase etc. I'd drive to Paeroa at least twice every winter. Always appreciated it's hill. The normal scenario was I'd take a car full down with me from Auckland. My best day was when the dashing grey Deino's Ruler was doing his thing from the front catch me if you can. I think Stephen Douglas rode him. I know he was owned by H Duncan and Mrs Retter but I thought he was trained by the Archers. He only won four races but I must have been on him every time. I put a large wager on him for my mother who loved a grey and went shopping with her where she spent her winnings on a new wardrobe. If someone would have told me back then that Paeroa Racecourse would be gone and the Ellerslie hill would be deemed surplus to requirements I would have lost my arse. Jumps racing will be gone in 10,9,8,7........ Can't see them running the Grand National at Riccarton in a few years time with three runners. That will be the final nail in NZ Jumps Racings coffin. R.I.P 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 On 4/17/2024 at 12:17 PM, Pete Lane said: Crown Star was one of the best jumpers I've seen in the way he took his fences. Beautiful, clean jumper who would gain ground at every obstacle. Kenny wasn't the most elegant rider but he didn't need to be with Crown Star. He's still the best NZ Jumper I ever witnessed in the flesh and I watched some absolute beauties 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 On 4/19/2024 at 3:24 PM, aquaman said: Fact is Walt, making horses jump obstacles is far riskier than racing them on the flat, that is undeniable. Fact two, its all about perception these days, and if thoroughbreds want to keep racing into the future, then jumps racing needs to go. In todays woke world, watching horses break legs is very good ammunition for the loony left to get a foothold. It will not be long before every slow racehorse has to be guaranteed a life after racing such is happening in the dogs. The TAB or any other betting organization do not need horses these days, or dogs for that matter, they have sports nowadays, and the racing side will probably go virtual. Jumps racing will only speed up their demise. Personally I like jump racing, but people like me are becoming dinosaurs, mind you I'm proud to be that. Cheers. Wear your dinosaur badge with pride Aquaman.....no, not that pride but real pride I too am a dinosaur. I know this to be true as several "they, them's" said I was a dinosaur when I had the audacity to refer to an obvious man as "he" 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 21 Share Posted April 21 On 4/19/2024 at 8:18 PM, Bid said: He was a beauty Bid. He had a huge heart on the track and was well trained to show his best. Great to see him again. Cheers 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 On 22/04/2024 at 9:52 AM, Walt said: My best day was when the dashing grey Deino's Ruler was doing his thing from the front catch me if you can. I think Stephen Douglas rode him. Not sure how Stephen Douglas got in there. That was not what I typed and even when I corrected it here it's reverted back to the error. Both Michael and Stephen were very good jumps riders in their day going up against the likes of Paul & Wayne Hillis and Peter Tims etc 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 10 hours ago, Walt said: several "they, them's" said I was a dinosaur when I had the audacity to refer to an obvious man as "he" How absolutely ridiculous is that rubbish!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aquaman Posted April 22 Share Posted April 22 12 hours ago, Special Agent said: How absolutely ridiculous is that rubbish!! Not ridiculous at all Special Agent. I'm starting to grow feathers, so next year i'm going to fly and become a seagull. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 On 4/22/2024 at 8:23 PM, Special Agent said: How absolutely ridiculous is that rubbish!! It's not all bad Special Agent There is some good news in there. When WWIII kicks off and the enemy are storming our beaches etc, the perpetually offended men who get off playing dress ups will just tell the enemy how offended they are and they'll change their mind, apologize and leave. We'll all be saved by the deranged trannies 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 On 4/23/2024 at 9:27 AM, aquaman said: Not ridiculous at all Special Agent. I'm starting to grow feathers, so next year i'm going to fly and become a seagull. I feel you need to set your sights a bit higher Aquaman. If you're going to be a bird go for an Eagle. Be the boss up there. If you are having bad day just drop the under carriage onto the nearest eggplant. There's plenty of them around. I'm going to put my name down for the 100 metres against the 8 years and under girls at my granddaughters primary school sports day. I won't take any prisoners. Wish me luck 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Special Agent Posted April 24 Share Posted April 24 Every which way you turn in these stupid times there's another load of rubbish thrown up in your face. All three codes have some weirdo's involved. I will not abide by any rules to tippy toe around LGBTQ ..... nonsense. Roll your sleeves up you sicko's and get your hands dirty. I couldn't care less what you do in your own time but, leave that shit at home. I also don't care if you are black, yellow or pink. Get on with work, and life. 1 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 On 19/04/2024 at 3:24 PM, aquaman said: Fact is , In todays woke world, watching horses break legs is very good ammunition for the loony left to get a foothold. So! right wing people thing that that sort of thing is ok? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 On 22/04/2024 at 9:56 AM, Walt said: Kenny wasn't the most elegant rider Not the most elegant in other areas of his life either... conservative, ignorant, reactionary are words that come to mind! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 On 4/24/2024 at 7:00 PM, Special Agent said: Every which way you turn in these stupid times there's another load of rubbish thrown up in your face. All three codes have some weirdo's involved. I will not abide by any rules to tippy toe around LGBTQ ..... nonsense. Roll your sleeves up you sicko's and get your hands dirty. I couldn't care less what you do in your own time but, leave that shit at home. I also don't care if you are black, yellow or pink. Get on with work, and life. Stop talking sense Special Agent. You'll get locked up 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Walt Posted April 29 Share Posted April 29 53 minutes ago, Murray Fish said: Not the most elegant in other areas of his life either... conservative, ignorant, reactionary are words that come to mind! That may be true Murray but I didn't know him personally. Even if I did and agreed with you, I wouldn't say that publicly when the man is no longer with us. Not only is it disrespectful but not cool for any of his loved ones to read. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 6 hours ago, Walt said: That may be true Murray but I didn't know him personally. Even if I did and agreed with you, I wouldn't say that publicly when the man is no longer with us. Not only is it disrespectful but not cool for any of his loved ones to read. You are welcome to your world view! Others are most welcome to curse me when i'm gone! Though, I do prefer to have critical comments about me delivered in person! That's what I try and Do. To finish on 'old kenny', he had Power positions in NZ Racing and he caused unneeded stress to people I know (jockeys) which to this day disgusts me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billy connolly Posted April 30 Share Posted April 30 19 hours ago, Murray Fish said: To finish on 'old kenny', he had Power positions in NZ Racing and he caused unneeded stress to people I know (jockeys) which to this day disgusts me! conservative, ignorant, reactionary are words that come to mind! K. Browne (MBE - HOF) didn't need to ride mongrel horses who ultimately cost him his life either. Can you list your achievements in the game please, Fish? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murray Fish Posted May 1 Share Posted May 1 4 hours ago, billy connolly said: K. Browne (MBE - HOF) didn't need to ride mongrel horses who ultimately cost him his life either. Can you list your achievements in the game please, Fish? multi 000's published photos.. mutli book covers... multi magizine front pages... my photos used by media in 6 counties? perhaps the largest private collection of nz jockeys.. and you?? re Brown, my criticism is in his roles other that on a horse.. a nasty streak in him, I got to see it close up! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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