Change of Tune

[Chief Stipe]

11 hours ago, Freda said:

I think everyone did.  But the overseers of said renovation fell well short of the required standard.  Hence where we are now.  At what cost?  Add Hastings,  more cost.  And not just counted in dollars, but in loss of confidence,  reduced participation,  owners voting with their feet...and now we have a new shiny CEO of our industry regulator.  Three new imports from Oz for that same body...and now a consultant team - quoted elsewhere as costing north of seven figures - can these new incumbents not find some ideas between them all?

Well you aren't exactly full of great ideas are you?

You can throw brickbats all you want but I cut you some slack in that you obviously don't know how difficult it is to get these tracks renovated correctly.  Australia have had their problems as well.  Without exception the worst failures are with those tracks that have been left far too long to renovate and trying to get it done while only missing one spring/summer season of racing.  

[Freda]

11 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Well you aren't exactly full of great ideas are you?

You can throw brickb1ats all you want but I cut you some slack in that you obviously don't know how difficult it is to get these tracks renovated correctly.  Australia have had their problems as well.  Without exception the worst failures are with those tracks that have been left far too long to renovate and trying to get it done while only missing one spring/summer season of racing.  

If i was on a salary such as those referred to, above, I'm sure I could find some ideas.

And, as pointed out in another thread, if funds hadn't been wasted on stakes for the last two decades instead of attending to track maintenance,  we may not be quite so badly off.

[Huey]

On 22/11/2025 at 5:23 PM, Chief Stipe said:

Well you aren't exactly full of great ideas are you?

You can throw brickbats all you want but I cut you some slack in that you obviously don't know how difficult it is to get these tracks renovated correctly.  Australia have had their problems as well.  Without exception the worst failures are with those tracks that have been left far too long to renovate and trying to get it done while only missing one spring/summer season of racing.  

Succession after succession of elite NZ Racing Admin had have the opportunity to fix these venues for years and years, none of them have done a positive thing to do that. They have simply sucked the sav and moved on . Bill Murray would call it Groundhog day on steroids if he knew about it. 

Unfortunately you seem to live in fairy land @Chief Stipe where you think these people care and are actually competent enough to do something , this latest lot are just the latest lot putting another nail in NZracing coffin.

Eventually they'll really get their way then you'll know its well and truly over for the sport in this country. That being the case stop wasting time and get yourself on a racing club committee to share all the ideas that youre full of!

 

[Dark Beau]

On 18/11/2025 at 7:50 PM, Chief Stipe said:

Not all of them.  Not that many live in the country nowadays.

Well of the new converts, they certain do, as witnessed by Waipukurau.

Proof: How many from the thriving metropolis of South Auckland = 1,000,000 potential newbees' have ever turned up to Ellerslie or Pukekohe?

Don't even mention Te Rapa where Barry B's mob live because the turn out there for the transferred Hawke's Bay race was an absolute embarrassment.

I say no more!

[Dark Beau]

14 hours ago, Freda said:

If i was on a salary such as those referred to, above, I'm sure I could find some ideas.

And, as pointed out in another thread, if funds hadn't been wasted on stakes for the last two decades instead of attending to track maintenance,  we may not be quite so badly off.

Or paying idiots, bloated salaries it could have been different too. 

[Special Agent]

3 hours ago, Huey said:

 

@Chief Stipe That being the case stop wasting time and get yourself on a racing club committee to share all the ideas that youre full of!

 

You have to find a club that's not operating a closed shop first.

[Huey]

14 hours ago, Special Agent said:

You have to find a club that's not operating a closed shop first.

Who on earth would close their shop to the wealth of racing knowledge and innovation that is @Chief Stipe !

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, Huey said:

Who on earth would close their shop to the wealth of racing knowledge and innovation that is @Chief Stipe !

I think your attitude personifies all that is wrong with Clubs.

[Chief Stipe]

18 hours ago, Dark Beau said:

Well of the new converts, they certain do, as witnessed by Waipukurau.

Right.  How many were NEW and were from the COUNTRY?  I take it you did a survey?  As it was I doubt any of them were serious punters given the track bias.

18 hours ago, Dark Beau said:

Proof: How many from the thriving metropolis of South Auckland = 1,000,000 potential newbees' have ever turned up to Ellerslie or Pukekohe?

Proof of what?  Apply the same criteria to your beloved home track - Trentham!

18 hours ago, Dark Beau said:

Don't even mention Te Rapa where Barry B's mob live because the turn out there for the transferred Hawke's Bay race was an absolute embarrassment.

I say no more!

Meanwhile you sit in the stand at Trentham sipping cheap chardonnay still thinking that Trentham has a champange turf!

[Huey]

15 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

I think your attitude personifies all that is wrong with Clubs.

I think your attitude show you've neve been on a club committee.

[Chief Stipe]

2 hours ago, Huey said:

I think your attitude show you've neve been on a club committee.

I have actually and quickly worked out I was in the wrong room and that I couldn't change anything.  

[Dark Beau]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

I have actually and quickly worked out I was in the wrong room and that I couldn't change anything.  

Because no one would 😂😂😂😂 to you?

Have I read it right?

[Special Agent]

So much can be achieved if everyone is on the same page.  Ego's, hidden agendas and stupidity tend to take over in some places.

[Chief Stipe]

14 hours ago, Dark Beau said:

Because no one would 😂😂😂😂 to you?

Have I read it right?

No because I saw a room of closed minds.  A hint for you is when you hear someone say one of the following:

1. Oh we tried that in 1984 and it didn't work; or
2. That's not how we do things around here; or
3. No we don't need a maintenance budget or plan;
4. and so on.

Get the picture?  Probably not.

11 hours ago, Special Agent said:

So much can be achieved if everyone is on the same page.  Ego's, hidden agendas and stupidity tend to take over in some places.

It becomes endemic and executive committee membership often becomes an entitlement for having been a long serving member rather than for your ability to do anything.   

[Special Agent]

39 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

No because I saw a room of closed minds.  A hint for you is when you hear someone say one of the following:

1. Oh we tried that in 1984 and it didn't work; or
2. That's not how we do things around here; or
3. No we don't need a maintenance budget or plan;
4. and so on.

Get the picture?  Probably not.

It becomes endemic and executive committee membership often becomes an entitlement for having been a long serving member rather than for you ability to do anything.   

I could write a book on this subject.  It is very frustrating.  I have, however, been involved with some groups where we've given some different ideas a go.  Not all of our actions were successful but, a lot was learned from our mistakes and some of the ideas were adapted and grown.

One thing I have learned is that just throwing money at something is not a sure fire answer to most problems.

[Huey]

2 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

No because I saw a room of closed minds.  A hint for you is when you hear someone say one of the following:

1. Oh we tried that in 1984 and it didn't work; or
2. That's not how we do things around here; or
3. No we don't need a maintenance budget or plan;
4. and so on.

Get the picture?  Probably not.

It becomes endemic and executive committee membership often becomes an entitlement for having been a long serving member rather than for your ability to do anything.   

When that get said that's when you get off your butt and show them youre a "doer" not a "sayer" @Chief Stipe !

[Chief Stipe]

4 hours ago, Huey said:

When that get said that's when you get off your butt and show them youre a "doer" not a "sayer" @Chief Stipe !

Yeah and you end up at a Working Bee of one!!!

[Huey]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Yeah and you end up at a Working Bee of one!!!

You give me a yell when you get on a committee and I'll bring a paint brush.

[Chief Stipe]

11 hours ago, Huey said:

You give me a yell when you get on a committee and I'll bring a paint brush.

Too late for Committees.  The industry needs strong decisive centralised management.

 

[Huey]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Too late for Committees.  The industry needs strong decisive centralised management.

 

That's exactly what it doesn't need!

You get yourself on "Project Steal" @Chief Stipe sounds like you're silly enough to go along with it all.

[hesi]

1 hour ago, Chief Stipe said:

Too late for Committees.  The industry needs strong decisive centralised management.

 

Many other industries have gone ahead in leaps and bounds when this has been introduced and a new brand developed and marketed.

Zespri, Fonterra

[Huey]

1 hour ago, hesi said:

Many other industries have gone ahead in leaps and bounds when this has been introduced and a new brand developed and marketed.

Zespri, Fonterra

They've already tried it over and over again in racing and they have proved they can't manage it or make it work.

What do you think they have been doing throwing all their eggs in the Awapuni basket , dreaming of Hastings and mooting the greenfields/dreamfields in Waikato or Riccarton and Wingatui , then a country meeting makes them all look silly! 

Ellerslie is starting to work or so Guerin says , its a tad boring to watch the racing from there for some reason the old Ellerslie was better but maybe I'm just too old to enjoy it.

 

[Chief Stipe]

46 minutes ago, Huey said:

Ellerslie is starting to work or so Guerin says , its a tad boring to watch the racing from there for some reason the old Ellerslie was better but maybe I'm just too old to enjoy it.

FFS you seemed to be bored with life in general!

48 minutes ago, Huey said:

then a country meeting makes them all look silly!

If you are referring to Waipukurau it just shows you how silly you are.  They ran essentially a picnic meeting on a very poor track that hardly anyone wanted to punt on.  The crowd numbers have been exaggerated and were probably less than any number of Christmas at the Races at other Clubs.  If you think that is where the future of NZ racing lies then you are losing it.

[Huey]

8 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

FFS you seemed to be bored with life in general!

My paint brush is ready @Chief Stipe !

8 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

If you are referring to Waipukurau it just shows you how silly you are.  They ran essentially a picnic meeting on a very poor track that hardly anyone wanted to punt on.  The crowd numbers have been exaggerated and were probably less than any number of Christmas at the Races at other Clubs.  If you think that is where the future of NZ racing lies then you are losing it.

Rubbish , ignore this important demographic in racing will result in its ultimate demise. You can stick to your Grand Tours and your crowd of 20 on G1 days , ignoring the foundation of racing will result in a similar outcome to what rugby in this country is now experiencing.

[hesi]

27 minutes ago, Huey said:

My paint brush is ready @Chief Stipe !

Rubbish , ignore this important demographic in racing will result in its ultimate demise. You can stick to your Grand Tours and your crowd of 20 on G1 days , ignoring the foundation of racing will result in a similar outcome to what rugby in this country is now experiencing.

I think this point has some merit, but NZ racing having a 'cottage industry' approach is a strategy for failure.

Despite the technical issues at Ellerslie, Awapuni, Hawkes Bay and wherever else, people in the industry need to move on and get in behind and support the establishment of top class facilities at these key main racing centres