Change of Tune

[Special Agent]

9 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Yet again you miss the point which was where once there were local volunteers to help with maintenance work and local businesses gave of their time or donated services/cash this no longer happens.  So instead of the amateur club being subsidised they had to hire people and pay them at least the minimum wage.

I remember 55 years ago my father and half his staff to shift the old and installing a new running rail.  With his best mate who was an agricultural contracted we helped and create grade a dirt track for training.  Very little of that happens today nor is it sustainable if you wish to race more than two or three times a year.

I think you will find PD is used by a lot of clubs today.

As far as moving a running rail is concerned these days, it's not such a daunting task and they are moved on a regular basis with track staff and casuals.

[Special Agent]

Sorry Chief, some of your comments on various subjects show how out of touch you are.

[Huey]

4 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Your argument falls down on one fundamental point.  Not one of the successful or unsuccesful (by your determination) were accumulating enough savings from profits to maintain their assets.  They got by for a long time with the assistance of donations and club member volunteer labour.  Some Clubs ensured the inevitable came quicker than others by investing in the wrong assets and not the core racing assets e.g. tracks.

Another reality is that Trainers, Owners and Jockeys were largely subsidised by the efforts of those Clubs, their business donors and their volunteers.  Every time I hear someone say that a Training Centre runs at a loss the first thing I think is well those that train at it aren't paying enough.

The volunteer based clubs weren't able to do it for various reasons

- loss of race days by governing body

- threat of sale of land and legal action

- lack of support (see above also)

The governing body did/does all it can to make life difficult for these smaller clubs , some of it out of incompetence, but most out of spite & club nepotism. 

What industry has its governing body take away successful race days from clubs that lift the local profile of the sport,support racing infrastructure & provide a desired product, you'll probably find only racing is that silly.