More Details on Hawkes Bay Racing Incorporated Land Swap Deal

[Chief Stipe]

51 minutes ago, curious said:

Just fix the existing track like they should have done 20 years ago.

Where were you 20 years ago?  Haven't you done your homework?  Instead of trainspotting whip strikes open your mind and actually read the articles you and I have posted as well as the site pictures and understand the range of issues.

Shoulda coulda- well it didn't happen and the whole existing site has major problems and needs capital investment.  Stop listening to the conspiracist Wightman aka @Transparency.

 

[curious]

52 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Where were you 20 years ago?  Haven't you done your homework?  Instead of trainspotting whip strikes open your mind and actually read the articles you and I have posted as well as the site pictures and understand the range of issues.

Shoulda coulda- well it didn't happen and the whole existing site has major problems and needs capital investment.  Stop listening to the conspiracist Wightman aka @Transparency.

 

I was there talking to good people who wanted to sort it but gave up because the committee wouldn't approve the investment. Plans were done for the track camber. Don't see what @Transparency has to do with it. From what I've seen, he doesn't think there's a significant problem with the track.

[hesi]

At 33.10, talking about the Hastings track/Ellerslie.

Disappointed Jayne Ivil casting dispersions over the 3 G1 races returning to Hastings.

Can she not read, Matt Ballesty has been totally unambiguous about not only the fact they will return to Hastings, but NZTR's support for racing in the region.

I note no Hawkes Bay trainers travelled north to Ellerslie.  I'm sure in view of the circumstances and if approached, NZTR would have subsidised travel for any CD horses wanting to make the trip.

 

Edited 18 hours ago by hesi

[hesi]

7 minutes ago, curious said:

I was there talking to good people who wanted to sort it but gave up because the committee wouldn't approve the investment. Plans were done for the track camber. Don't see what @Transparency has to do with it. From what I've seen, he doesn't think there's a significant problem with the track.

Hahaha, come on Brent, are we talking about the same guy who thinks everything in the world is a conspiracy.  The guy wouldn't have a clue about tracks.

[Chief Stipe]

20 minutes ago, curious said:

I was there talking to good people who wanted to sort it but gave up because the committee wouldn't approve the investment. Plans were done for the track camber. Don't see what @Transparency has to do with it. From what I've seen, he doesn't think there's a significant problem with the track.

You are only talking about one part of the problem and ignoring all the other issues.  The camber isn't just the only issue.  Drainage, stuffed soil, start location, crossing, stables, access for floats, grandstand, public access...the list goes on.

As for Wightman he does think there is a problem but his solution is to get a mole plough out behind the back of a Massey Ferg.

The current site is becoming increasingly landlocked.  Weren't some of you Canterbury Naysayers wanting to shift Riccarton to a greenfields site once?

[curious]

19 minutes ago, hesi said:

Hahaha, come on Brent, are we talking about the same guy who thinks everything in the world is a conspiracy.  The guy wouldn't have a clue about tracks.

No idea about his conspiracy theories. I've only ever discussed racing and business, maybe some local politics with him. I just know that we don't agree on what is necessary to fix the Hastings track.

[curious]

6 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

 The camber isn't just the only issue.  Drainage, stuffed soil, start location, crossing, stables, access for floats, grandstand, public access...the list goes on.

Quite agree.

Edited 18 hours ago by curious

[Chief Stipe]

The following was posted online by Aaron Bidlake who I believe has stables are currently about 1km from the Hastings Racecourse.  He  makes some very valid points for the doom and gloom anti-racing types to take on board.

__________________________________________

It's not right in Flaxmere, only just on the edge. Flaxmere isn't as bad as every seems to be making out either, I drive through every day and often go in to the shopping center and haven't lost the wheels on my car yet. 

I think done right a new track would be brilliant, the current venue facilities are very old and tired and will cost mega dollars to get up to a decent standard. 

Build a track that is state of the art, 1200 or even 1000 straight track so you can try them out before going to Melbourne. Build a restaurant so owners can watch their horses work and then have a nice breakfast, bring their grandchildren along and actually think this is pretty cool and then thats your next generation of racing fans. Right now, no racecourse would be very enjoyable to come and watch your horse work, Is there any track in the country now where as an owner you could come to trackwork in the morning, watch your horse work and then enjoy the morning looking out a window in a heated cafe/restaurant? I'm not sure if thats in their plan, but maybe it should be. 

I know everyone is scared of change, and history is great to look back on but if we don't do change then the whole racing game will be history. 

I have been in the Hawkes Bay about 18 months,  I've been amazed how many people actually have some idea or at least loosely follow racing compared to the Wairarapa where I have moved from. I guess in Masterton they closed Opaki as a racing venue 40ish years ago and by doing that the town just slowly loses interest, hence my hate for centralized racing. You take something away from people and they just don't follow it. 

I have heard a few trainers make noises about relocating here to Hawkes Bay if they were to build a new track with training facilities ect, but I guess you don't know that until it actually happens. But with an early spring here, what's not to say some of those bigger stables won't use the place to set up a satellite type stable to get those horses ready for the spring racing.  

[Bid]

6 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

The following was posted online by Aaron Bidlake who I believe has stables are currently about 1km from the Hastings Racecourse.  He  makes some very valid points for the doom and gloom anti-racing types to take on board.

__________________________________________

It's not right in Flaxmere, only just on the edge. Flaxmere isn't as bad as every seems to be making out either, I drive through every day and often go in to the shopping center and haven't lost the wheels on my car yet. 

I think done right a new track would be brilliant, the current venue facilities are very old and tired and will cost mega dollars to get up to a decent standard. 

Build a track that is state of the art, 1200 or even 1000 straight track so you can try them out before going to Melbourne. Build a restaurant so owners can watch their horses work and then have a nice breakfast, bring their grandchildren along and actually think this is pretty cool and then thats your next generation of racing fans. Right now, no racecourse would be very enjoyable to come and watch your horse work, Is there any track in the country now where as an owner you could come to trackwork in the morning, watch your horse work and then enjoy the morning looking out a window in a heated cafe/restaurant? I'm not sure if thats in their plan, but maybe it should be. 

I know everyone is scared of change, and history is great to look back on but if we don't do change then the whole racing game will be history. 

I have been in the Hawkes Bay about 18 months,  I've been amazed how many people actually have some idea or at least loosely follow racing compared to the Wairarapa where I have moved from. I guess in Masterton they closed Opaki as a racing venue 40ish years ago and by doing that the town just slowly loses interest, hence my hate for centralized racing. You take something away from people and they just don't follow it. 

I have heard a few trainers make noises about relocating here to Hawkes Bay if they were to build a new track with training facilities ect, but I guess you don't know that until it actually happens. But with an early spring here, what's not to say some of those bigger stables won't use the place to set up a satellite type stable to get those horses ready for the spring racing.  

Yep, just around the corner from the course in the club stables. 

[curious]

1 minute ago, Bid said:

Yep, just around the corner from the course in the club stables. 

What is?

[Chief Stipe]

5 minutes ago, Bid said:

Yep, just around the corner from the course in the club stables. 

https://bitofayarn.com Yes Wall Road.  Do the Club Stables include any other trainers?  Other facilities?

I imagine Aaron would be quite keen to move to an up to date training centre.

 

[Chief Stipe]

4 minutes ago, curious said:

What is?

Bidlake's training stables.  Wall Road.  Don't the Club own that property?

[Bid]

34 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Bidlake's training stables.  Wall Road.  Don't the Club own that property?

Yes it is owned by the club.

 

35 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

https://bitofayarn.com Yes Wall Road.  Do the Club Stables include any other trainers?  Other facilities?

I imagine Aaron would be quite keen to move to an up to date training centre.

 

Yes three other resident trainers are based here. Plus an overflow from another stable currently have about 5 or 6 here. 

 

The stable blocks are quite good, basic stables but safe and horses seem happy. Each stable block have their own yards along side,  and I have also make a few small paddocks for mine during the day. 

 

Also there are the stables for visiting horses for  when racing,  must be about 60 or more boxes there I would say.  

 

Only thing I dont like is having to transport to the track each morning, I guess I was spoilt at Opaki in having stables on course.  

[Chief Stipe]

2 minutes ago, Bid said:

Only thing I dont like is having to transport to the track each morning, I guess I was spoilt at Opaki in having stables on course. 

Yes and that is a major problem for visiting stables when races are on.  Some of negative types don't understand how much growth in residential property and associated services has happened around the existing racecourse.  Easy to walk the horses across Southland Road when it was a dirt road for horse and cart in 1879!  Not the first location for the HB Racing Club either.

[Huey]

On 7/09/2025 at 11:11 AM, hesi said:

Is Doomed, We're Doomed on the other site?

Seems quite knowledgeable, so must have good awareness of the industry, but does come across as very cynical.

You can't blame anyone for being cynical in this industry!

[hesi]

Maybe so, but after a while you just become irrelevant and the people who are getting on with it, the new generations coming through, will just push you to one side.  Not a great way to be as well.

[Chief Stipe]

31 minutes ago, Huey said:

You can't blame anyone for being cynical in this industry!

Blame or forgive?  Quite frankly those that bitch and moan constantly have their eyes clouded by envy and or underachievement.  There is a lot to be positive about at the moment. 

From last Saturday to this coming Saturday in one form or another 800 horses will have raced or trialled.  So obviously some people are still enjoying the sport.

[Chief Stipe]

3 minutes ago, hesi said:

Maybe so, but after a while you just become irrelevant and the people who are getting on with it, the new generations coming through, will just push you to one side.  Not a great way to be as well.

Yes and many of them are yesterdays men with a reputation from a different era.  You see groups of them at the local meekly affirming each others gripes.  Best to keep them away from the young people coming back into the industry.