Happy Sunrise Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 1 hour ago, Mehe said: You forgot to say it's the coldest track in the country in the winter Nearly unbearable but Addington sucks at night too. Anywhere is cold in the south island during winter. You can nearly die of frostbite at a day meeting in summer too I might add. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mehe Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 But happy we could get Brodie along those cold day and nights and I'm sure he will warm us all up with his humor We may have to pay him as he dont bet anymore lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 48 minutes ago, Mehe said: But happy we could get Brodie along those cold day and nights and I'm sure he will warm us all up with his humor We may have to pay him as he dont bet anymore lol Great idea but we wouldn't need him actually with us. I hear Brodie hides in the dunes between races at Forbury night meetings before running over to place his bet on the tote so just watching that would me make me laugh hard enough to take a layer or two off lol 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 13 hours ago, Mehe said: But happy we could get Brodie along those cold day and nights and I'm sure he will warm us all up with his humor We may have to pay him as he dont bet anymore lol I’m an investor Mehe,not a bettor 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wobbler Posted May 2, 2020 Share Posted May 2, 2020 15 hours ago, Happy Sunrise said: Is there a sense of postivity towards the future amongst the people and club when you are there? Yes I feel there are positive vibes amongst the board and club members ,but owners and trainers just hope. It is so central for us lower region trainers , and for the Forbury type horses to race there .Some say move the lights elsewhere but the cost would be prohibitive .Also most other tracks have a galloping track on the outside which makes them not really suitable for lights. I just hope they do survive ,and yes they do own the land . 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 4 hours ago, Wobbler said: Yes I feel there are positive vibes amongst the board and club members ,but owners and trainers just hope. It is so central for us lower region trainers , and for the Forbury type horses to race there .Some say move the lights elsewhere but the cost would be prohibitive .Also most other tracks have a galloping track on the outside which makes them not really suitable for lights. I just hope they do survive ,and yes they do own the land . What is needed to create more than hope for trainers? I don't think there is anywhere to move the lights either. As for closing tracks, I wonder if owning the land makes Forbury a bigger target. I also wonder where the money would go as I presume it is an incorporated society so it wouldn't go to the likes of RITA by choice. Personally, I would like Forbury to stay as I think it is important to have a harness in a major urban area. The lower North Island is battling because of it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ludwig Posted May 3, 2020 Author Share Posted May 3, 2020 It's been a really good thread. I agree with recent posters that Forbury Park is still important, it has a role to play in a major city. It's an important middle point between Canterbury and Southland. Obviously the facilities are an issue, and that comes down to money. Let's hope that there is sufficient energy and vision to make things happen, as it would be good to see it come back with a bit of oomph. After all, Otago....it's all right here Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the galah Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Had a look at profit loss on the books of forbury club in recent years. 2016 lost $279,00, 2017 profit $18,000 2018 loss $250,000 could not find figure for 2019 was, reports said it was not good. So what that clearly shows is the club obviously spends more than it gets in. 2018 reported the hospitality side of things to be a bit of a disaster. But it seems their attempts at greater income are unlikely to keep up with expenditure anyway. Part of the problem is they run meetings that have limited race numbers and often smaller fields due to getting many poor dates. So logic says if they were to close then what clubs south of Dunedin would be stupid enough to run meetings that would be very unprofitable and drag on their resources. Would southern trainers be able to make a reasonable living with racing on in only 8-9 months a year if forbury went? So part of the answer seems to be to change the model used to make payouts to clubs like forbury to take into account the negative impact poor racing dates have and factor in the greater good having forbury continue. If forbury were to receive no industry help then the continued viability of those who race there must be impacted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Newmarket Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 Has anyone really missed nz racing, all codes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted May 3, 2020 Share Posted May 3, 2020 10 hours ago, Newmarket said: Has anyone really missed nz racing, all codes? I miss harness racing. The Australian stuff is shit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted May 13, 2020 Share Posted May 13, 2020 This was in the ODT a week ago. They seemingly were not in any loop about being dumped. Forbury Park Trotting Club is not sitting on its hands The club has been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic and has lost all its winter racing dates as meetings are moved away. However, club chief executive Della Henderson and board chairman Craig Paddon had updated club supporters this week. Henderson said the club had focused its energies on improving financial performance and developing Forbury Park to be fit for racing. It had four fulltime staff who had all been put on reduced hours. The club relied heavily on racing and losing it would leave a large hole in its income. Henderson said the loss of racing would result in a 51% reduction in income for the current season. The season finishes on July 31 and the new calendar has not yet been released, but a draft schedule is expected at the middle of this month. It is hoped Forbury Park Trotting Club can make its way back on to the calendar. The board had put in place a plan to enable the club to function on a scaled-back basis for the next six months. The club had lights, the fibre technology to cater for broadcasting and was willing to adapt in the future, Henderson said. Trainers have returned to the track to work their horses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted May 14, 2020 Share Posted May 14, 2020 Media Release Peter Jensen, CEO of HRNZ met with Della Henderson, General Manager/CEO and Craig Paddon Board Chair of Forbury Park Trotting Club today to advise the following: RITA is expected to release its draft calendar of race meetings for the season commencing on the 01st of August 2020 tomorrow (Friday the 15th of May) at midday. No dates are scheduled in the draft calendar for Forbury Park Trotting Club Inc in the coming season. The calendar is subject to a submission process which closes on the 15th of June 2020. The decision has been made based on the location of the horse population and wagering performance. The Board and Management team of the Club are bitterly disappointed with both the decision and how it was made and communicated. It is the view of FPTC that this is a decision made by RITA on the fly, under self-induced pressure and without proper industry consultation and continues a history of ad hoc decision making that has plagued the racing industry as a whole for years. Although RITA has blamed Covid-19 for its most recent actions the reality is the industry has been in strife for years. FPTC has been actively engaged in the Racing Industry Review that is currently before a Parliamentary Select Committee and in our opinion, this was the correct and proper process to make final the final determination of Racing Venues around NZ, not the knee jerk reaction we have experienced this week. The Board and Management team of the Club await the release of the calendar, and will then enter a period of consideration and planning in regards to its response to the calendar and the future of the Club and Venue. The Boards thoughts are first with the staff of the Club, resident horse trainers, tenants, Club members and the wider racing community. The Board and Management team wish to thank the community both here in Otago and further afield for their ongoing support. Della Henderson, General Manager/CEO and Craig Paddon, Board Chair. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hunterthepunter Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 On 30/04/2020 at 1:35 PM, Taku Umanga said: I have a friend who started work as an investigator a few years back and he wasn't on a lot more. THE GALAH??? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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