Riccarton Turf Club?

[curious]

Something ironic about an outfit called the Riccarton Turf Club racing on the synthetic today isn't there?

Also, looks like the CJC have lost their new Clegg hammer already. Not much point having venue guidelines if the clubs ignore them and NZTR don't penalise them for doing so.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, curious said:

Also, looks like the CJC have lost their new Clegg hammer already. Not much point having venue guidelines if the clubs ignore them and NZTR don't penalise them for doing so.

Exactly.  A self policing system is not going to work as evident with the penetrometer readings out of some major track venues.

Surely it could be a role for the RIB and their Stewards who take control on raceday.  They could perform an independent QA role.

 

 

[Freda]

2 hours ago, curious said:

Something ironic about an outfit called the Riccarton Turf Club racing on the synthetic today isn't there?

Also, looks like the CJC have lost their new Clegg hammer already. Not much point having venue guidelines if the clubs ignore them and NZTR don't penalise them for doing so.

Isn't it just more of the same?

[Chief Stipe]

What's the point of having an $11m asset if you can't look after it?

Resource the damn thing!!!

Surely the Stipes are all over safety - have they looked at the Clegg readings and walked the track?

Suits look good in these:

[Murray Fish]

1 minute ago, Chief Stipe said:

Suits look good in these:

back in 74,  I worked on the gumboot chain making those! great bunch of workers! strong Unionism! 

[Freda]

1 minute ago, Murray Fish said:

back in 74,  I worked on the gumboot chain making those! great bunch of workers! strong Unionism! 

great gumboots too.

[Special Agent]

10 hours ago, curious said:

Something ironic about an outfit called the Riccarton Turf Club racing on the synthetic today isn't there?

Viv Jack would be turning in his grave.

[curious]

6 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

Viv Jack would be turning in his grave.

Viv and my Dad, both, along with a few others.

[Special Agent]

The Riccarton Turf Club was one of those lost gems with the enthusiastic volunteers who knew how to run a good show and raise decent money.  The first flexible running rail, would have been aluminium back then I think, at the CJC was courtesy of the Riccarton Turf Club.

[TAB For Ever]

I'm sure a one-eyed Cantabrian will leap in and correct any errors in my recollection of the Riccarton Turf Club.

The name Viv Jack was mentioned ,he was the long serving President of the club for over 20 years as it passed along its journey.

In the late 70's the Riccarton Turf Club was introduced with others around NZ to cater for the excess horses about by running On-course only meetings  ie Equalisator meetings. The Club was drawn up with the Rules being it would run these along with trials .

At some stage the equalisator idea wore off and the club was just running trials.

The rules were changed around 2000 and the general purpose was widened to promote and conduct gallops meeting. At some stage it must have struggled getting recognised as the company records state that only Motukarara would allow them to run their trials [ 4 x times a year !] 

Pressure must have been applied for the Club to just merge with the CJC , and their bank account of $66k was given to the CJC as a loan  and all their members joined CJC.

Currently the Riccarton Turf Club still has a sizeable committee , as do other former clubs like Amberly and maybe Hororata ...someone will check and these are known as Wards ,and the Chairperson of the Wards are on the Board of CJC.

It certainly gives the CJC a lot of committee people to help out around the Club .

[curious]

1 hour ago, TAB For Ever said:

It certainly gives the CJC a lot of committee people to help out around the Club .

And they do on their race days there.

[Freda]

Interesting post, TAB.  I think the accident to Judy Lawson at Rangiora in 2006 could have had a bearing on the fact that only Motukarara ran trials subsequent to that.

Rangiora was closed for racing after that and despite valiant efforts from local stakeholders- who did, eventually,  get trials back-  racing has never been considered since then.

And- digressing - I recall an amusing chat with Viv Jack about his experience with the RAF during the 2nd world war, when undergoing flight training.  At one stage there must have been joint manoeuvers with our American allies.  Gosh,  I said, enthralled,  that must have been exciting.   Bloody dangerous more like, he quipped, the buggers had all the bells and whistles and no idea what to do with it!

[Doomed]

9 hours ago, TAB For Ever said:

I'm sure a one-eyed Cantabrian will leap in and correct any errors in my recollection of the Riccarton Turf Club.

The name Viv Jack was mentioned ,he was the long serving President of the club for over 20 years as it passed along its journey.

In the late 70's the Riccarton Turf Club was introduced with others around NZ to cater for the excess horses about by running On-course only meetings  ie Equalisator meetings. The Club was drawn up with the Rules being it would run these along with trials .

At some stage the equalisator idea wore off and the club was just running trials.

The rules were changed around 2000 and the general purpose was widened to promote and conduct gallops meeting. At some stage it must have struggled getting recognised as the company records state that only Motukarara would allow them to run their trials [ 4 x times a year !] 

Pressure must have been applied for the Club to just merge with the CJC , and their bank account of $66k was given to the CJC as a loan  and all their members joined CJC.

Currently the Riccarton Turf Club still has a sizeable committee , as do other former clubs like Amberly and maybe Hororata ...someone will check and these are known as Wards ,and the Chairperson of the Wards are on the Board of CJC.

It certainly gives the CJC a lot of committee people to help out around the Club .

I have been to Riccarton Turf Club meetings in the late 70s and while they didn't have off course betting, they did have on course betting. They weren't equalisator meetings. Used to do massive on course turnovers.

[Special Agent]

1 hour ago, Doomed said:

I have been to Riccarton Turf Club meetings in the late 70s and while they didn't have off course betting, they did have on course betting. They weren't equalisator meetings. Used to do massive on course turnovers.

Progressive would be a good descriptive word for the Riccarton Turf Club in their time.

Those sort of clubs and people are sorely missed today.  The Viv Jack ditty Freda relayed is so apt when applied to racing today, about not knowing what to do with all the bells and whistles.

I think we should be more "back to the basics" and "grass roots".

[Shad]

8 hours ago, Doomed said:

I have been to Riccarton Turf Club meetings in the late 70s and while they didn't have off course betting, they did have on course betting. They weren't equalisator meetings. Used to do massive on course turnovers.

From memory oncourse only meeting had the record for one of  biggest win dividends ever posted,.

[Doomed]

3 hours ago, Shad said:

From memory oncourse only meeting had the record for one of  biggest win dividends ever posted,.

I think that was Riccarton

[mikeynz]

Those on course only meetings were well attended, then the TAB came along and took away incentives to be on course, just like NPC rugby games had big crowds before TV, maybe the lesson is that TABs and TVs done more harm than good in some circumstances.

Edited 9 hours ago by mikeynz

[Shad]

6 hours ago, Doomed said:

I think that was Riccarton

Yes I do believe it was, a horse called grand boy from memory paid over 300 to win back in the very early years but I know there was a big win div some years later at riccarton, was definitely an oncourse only meeting.