Levin Surplus to Requirements

[Chief Stipe]

The battle to save a small town racing club - from its own national body

Stewart Sowman-Lund

November 29, 2025

 

 

Levin racecourse has been labelled ‘surplus’ by the national racing body and faces closure.BRUCE MACKAY / The Post https://bitofayarn.com

A quiet rural racecourse primarily used for training has become the centre of a looming showdown, as locals accuse the national racing body of gearing up for an asset grab. Stewart Sowman-Lund reports.

“It’s location, location, location. We’re right next to the shit ponds, then we’ve got the [dog] pound,” said Michael Kay.

“So, you know, basically - between the smell of shit and dogs barking all night - it’s not really that attractive.” 

Kay is talking about the Levin Racecourse. And he’s speaking tongue in cheek with his description of the land, because, as a member of the Levin Racing Club committee, he’s actually deeply passionate about it.

Tucked on the outskirts of the Horowhenua town, about an hour north of Wellington, Levin Racecourse is no longer used for commercial racing but remains an in-demand training track.v

In fact, one of the world’s top rated racehorses and fastest sprinter - Ka Ying Rising - was bred in Marton and trialled in Levin. On the strength of its performance at a jumpout day in Levin, the then-unraced three-year-old was sold and has since raked in career winnings of more than $23 million.

Despite this, there’s concern from those in the club - and trainers that rely on it - that the facility could be taken from them.

Under a provision of the 2020 Racing Industry Act, the national horse-racing body, NZ Thoroughbred Racing, has the ability to take control of any asset it deems surplus. It’s part of a nationwide strategy to consolidate the racing industry and improve profitability.

Levin is squarely in the crosshairs, club members say, though what would happen to the site is another story. It was a question from The Post about whether the racecourse could become housing that prompted Kay to note its location next to the “shit ponds”. He doesn’t know what NZTR might do with the land if it gets hold of it, though he questions what appetite developers would have to build there.

Levin Racing Club member Michael Kay is worried what might happen to the racecourse.BRUCE MACKAY / The Post

The issue first arose in April this year, after the chief executive of NZTR, Matt Ballesty, wrote to the Levin Racing Club to confirm the governing body had identified the racecourse as a “surplus venue”.

I n its letter, obtained by The Post, NZTR requested to enter into negotiations over the land, though noted that if the club refused to negotiate or a deal could not be reached then NZTR could go straight to the Minister for Racing and recommend it happen anyway.

A s talks are ongoing, NZTR told The Post it wouldn’t provide any comment “at this time”.

S ince those discussions commenced, the club has engaged a lawyer in an effort to stall NZTR’s moves.

I t’s also hoping the Racing Minister, New Zealand First leader Winston Peters, might stand in the way. 

" We are sort of his voting base,” said Kay of Peters. “It creates a precedent, really, … [that] the big incorporated society at the top could go and gobble up all the little ones. It'd be quite sad.”

An NZTR takeover would require Peters’ consent as Racing Minister.

He declined an interview, with a spokesperson describing it as an “operational matter” for NZTR and suggesting it was too premature to discuss.

“A minister wouldn’t get involved unless the matter could not be resolved between the club and NZTR,” they said. “The first step in the process is NZTR needs to formally declare that the club is surplus to requirements.”

Committee members have spoken, fearing the worst for the racecourse.BRUCE MACKAY / The Post

Kay and fellow committee members have spoken out because they fear the worst for their beloved racecourse.

“It's not surplus now, and we would argue that it's at least not going to be surplus for the next 20 years,” said Kay.

“They're trying to take what they thought might be an easy beat and then go have a crack at some of the other ones that are a bit harder. So we're David taking on Goliath.”

Club president Sean Hawkins said it had been difficult to get answers out of NZTR about why it might want the land.

“We're trying to work with them, but there's just no working with them,” said Hawkins, calling it “scary” that land could be "forcibly" confiscated in 2025.

“It sounds like they just want to take our track, take the money and run. And the problem we have is that racing down this way is in just such disorder. It's not funny. We want to ensure that whatever happens, the right thing's done down here. We're just not getting anywhere.”

Trainers Kevin Myers (L) and Fraser Auret with club president Shawn Hawkins (R).BRUCE MACKAY / The Post

The issue dominated talk at the club’s annual general meeting last weekend. Minutes from the meeting show the club has been seeking answers from NZTR over its plans for the racecourse, but that the national body was “unable to say that in the event of a takeover whether they would sell [the club’s] land immediately, retain it, lease it [or] where proceeds of sale might land.”

Oliver Bau, the Levin club’s vice president, reckons he might be the youngest racing club official in the country at the age of just 22. Five generations of his family have been involved in the racing industry.

“My main motivation for our club and for our racecourse is to spearhead and champion the efforts that previous pioneers … have done for the industry,” he said.

“Our racecourse … has been in community hands for well over 100 years. It was gifted to the community and the racing public by one of the pioneers of the Levin township, and so it has been a community gem for a very long period of time.”

Most of NZTR’s focus to date has been on commercial race tracks. The landmark Messara report of 2018 proposed sweeping changes for the racing industry, including reducing the number of racetracks from 48 to 28.

As The Post has previously reported, Auckland’s Avondale Racecourse is in the firing line, facing its own possible closure and redevelopment for housing. Meanwhile, in 2020, Stratford Racing Club in Taranaki deregistered itself from NZTR in an effort to protect its racecourse from being sold - a move the national body said was unlikely to be legally enforceable.

Levin wasn’t mentioned as a candidate for consolidation in the Messara report.

Despite this, the threat of the racecourse closing had “lingered” over the club for decades, “arguably perpetually”, Bau said.

“I think most people are just wanting to just get on with things and just be able to live their life, train their horses, carry on with what they do.”

Hawkins believed that Levin, as a training track, was a surprising target for NZTR and the national body might be overestimating any windfall.

Left to right: Committee member Michael Kay, National MP Suze Redmayne, club president Shawn Hawkins and vice president Oliver Bau.BRUCE MACKAY / The Post

“I think NZTR thought that Levin was a little gold mine because it's right beside the town. We'd tried to tell them that that's not the case, and we sent them a valuation,” said Hawkins.

“They didn't agree with the valuation… they were thinking it's worth tens of millions. It's closer to three or four.”

Horse trainer Kevin Myers said locals in the industry relied on Levin and was worried where they would go if the track disappeared, citing ongoing issues at Palmerston North’s Awapuni track.

“Every fortnight, they have jumpouts [at Levin], and there's always 15 to 27 heats every time,” he said.

“Where are they going to put all those trainers? Most of them don't have their own properties. Where are they going to set them up?”

He also questioned what NZTR was doing with any money it had made from surplus venues.

“Every time they've sold something, the money’s just diminished.”

The local MPs for both Ōtaki, the constituency which covers the course, and neighbouring Rangitikei have both expressed concern for the racing club.

Suze Redmayne, the National MP for Rangitikei, said a number of trainers in her electorate used the Levin race track and were “very unhappy” about its possible closure. “The facility is popular amongst trainers due to its central location,” she said.

Tim Costley, MP for Ōtaki, said he was waiting for the full facts but was worried about the consequences of a closure.

“It sounds concerning. I haven't heard from NZTR about this yet, so I don't know what exactly their proposal is, but from what I've heard from the local racing club, it does sound concerning from their perspective, and I'm keen to support them.

He would be “very happy” to speak to NZTR in his capacity as local MP, and said it was “certainly” on his to-do list.

Horowhenua mayor Bernie Wanden said the local council would also advocate for the racecourse’s survival, describing the track as a “signature facility” for the rural township.

He was critical of NZTR for swooping in on a small town.

“I think this is typical [of a] national organisation imposing themselves on a local organisation who have different aspirations in terms of what they each want to do,” Wanden said.

“I don't think there's been enough conversation … around working together in terms of trying to find a solution that may help both.”

Levin Racecourse is a “signature facility” for the rural township, says the local mayor.BRUCE MACKAY / The Post

The Levin Racing Club had positively contributed to the local community, said Wanden, including selling land to allow for new infrastructure.

“They've done a lot of good work in terms of being part of the community and making sure that they’re not only looking after their own interests, but looking after the community's interest.

“And that would be sad if that got lost just because of a strategic direction that the New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing industry wanted to take.”

Club president Hawkins said there are issues with the sustainability of the wider horse racing industry, but that the Levin club was comparatively self-sufficient. “We’ve done pretty well with our asset,” he said.

While “everyone else seems to be in financial trouble”, noting ongoing closures at other race facilities in the lower North Island, Levin had excess money in the bank to the tune of about $2 million.

He wondered if that had made the venue a “target” for the national body.

At the end of the day, he’s worried about what the track’s closure could mean for the people who rely on it. Trainers “winning all the millions” won’t be the ones most affected, he said, comparing Levin Racecourse to a local rugby club.

“We're the real grassroots of the whole show, really.”

 

Stewart Sowman-Lund

Stewart.SowmanLund@stuff.co.nz

Stewart Sowman-Lund is a senior reporter covering politics, pop culture and Auckland issues.