Mikie Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 Over the vlast month we have had a thread with multiple replies about 'Aveross Spitfire' Entertaining at times but not a matter that strikes at the very core of racing's future I would suggest W=e hear on nearly every thread that Brodie is a "Restricted Punter'. Obviously of great interest to him but (although he may disagree) it is a matter that again is not critical to our sport's future We have JJ Flash telling us repeatedly that Dean/RITA are wonderful and are fixing the mess they inherited. He shies away when it is pointed out that RITA had 18 months to do something and they did nothing. He virtually crawls up his own backside and hides when it is pointed out that RITA were technically insolvent despite Dean's protestations to the contrary. These matters may well be a critical factor in our survival (by our, I mean Harness Racing) Let's consider what is really important that has happened over the last couple of weeks (I apologise for using round figures, I have been out of action for a week so I have not had time to obtain figures to the last cent, but I am sure that I am pretty accurate) #1 HRNZ have appointed Phil Holden full-time as the CEO. No advertising of the position, no consultation, nothing. Just at a Board meeting it was "hey Phil's wonderful and he's offered to do 2 full days a week in Christchurch instead of 1.5 On that basis let's make him a permanent fixture. all in favour? Aye Aye. Job done. So now we have a full-time CEO with permission to only be in Christchurch on 2 days a week, another 2 days a week in his home office in Wairarapa, plus 1 day of golf. Isn't that farken brilliant #2 HRNZ are now having a Conference of Clubs but won't that be a spectacle. Due to their Constitution any Remit can be voted down by just 3 Clubs. Yes, that's right the ATC, NZMTC & Cambridge can vote down any proposal they want simply because their voting numbers are generated by their raceday numbers #3 HRNZ have decided on their 20/21 funding policy. Stale news you say since the Funding levels are the same as 19/20? Wrong you are. Their fantastic new Policy is as follows (a) every Club gets $9000 per race funding except ATC and NZMTC who get $15000 per race. (B) ATC and NZMTC then get more money for Group Races and the (c) there is a Training Track Subsidy that goes to Clubs that cater for a certain number of horses trained on the Racecourse, unless you are ATC or NZMTC who don't have horses trained on their courses but qualify for the highest level of Training Track Subsidy Let's take a look at one effect this utterly stupid Policy will have 1. A Club like Westport who is asked to race on Boxing Day with all the additional costs will receive the same funding as a Timaru Meeting in the middle of winter 2. A Club like Westport who generate 2-3 times the Gross Profit to the Industry than the ATC do, is given $9000 per race while ATC is given $15,000 Let's take a closer look at the Training Track Subsidies. Here's where HRNZ have tried to safeguard their support base by buying in favours ATC get $120k a year for having horses trained there ....they have a Board Representative Cambridge get $70k a year ....they have a Board Representative NZMTC get $120k a year....they have a Board Representative Rangiora get $70k or $120k a year ....they have va Board Representative Motukarara get $30-40k a year ...they have Ken Spicer Winton get similar....they have a Board Representative Starts to smell? Reeks of self-indulgence The overall position One 2 day Club whose figures I have used, not Marlborough, would receive 25% less funding than in 19/20. This means that every race they run for $8000 would drop to $6000. No if's, but's or maybes Now Tasman Man, some of you aren't that clever But the long term effect will be that only ATC and NZMTC (ok, perhaps Cambridge for a while) will survive. For those of you who think that's great, the Industry can cut costs by only racing at 2 Tracks you better remember that the small Tracks are subsidising the big 2 Tracks already, so if they aren't around to do that then the 2 big Tracks will end up in trouble as well. Why has it come to this? Easy enough to answer since the Funding received for this season is equal to or slightly more than the previous season. The people at Board level are incompetent, and the 2 staff in charge of producing the Funding Model (Bishop & Holden) have absolutely no clue I don't really care if a Board Member is a success in his own business sphere, all that proves is that he/she should stick to that business because they have no clue as regards harness This Funding Model, if it proceeds, will mean the end of harness racing anywhere but ATC & NZMTC within 5 years; and then those 2 Clubs will be like the orchestra on the Titanic playing music whilst going under The 3 architects. Bishop. Holden and Spicer ably supported by Hair, the ATC rep, the NZMTC rep and McNaught (I've left the Cambridge rep out as I'm assured that he is ok, and just caught between a rock and a hard place) Don't play the man JJ or Tasman Man. Try to refute anything I've posted above Mikie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 38 minutes ago, Mikie said: #1 HRNZ have appointed Phil Holden full-time as the CEO. No advertising of the position, no consultation, nothing. Just at a Board meeting it was "hey Phil's wonderful and he's offered to do 2 full days a week in Christchurch instead of 1.5 On that basis let's make him a permanent fixture. all in favour? Aye Aye. Job done. So now we have a full-time CEO with permission to only be in Christchurch on 2 days a week, another 2 days a week in his home office in Wairarapa, plus 1 day of golf. Isn't that farken brilliant He is only a caretaker at present isn't he? He didn't seem to want the job when he spoke about it. He is not permanent is he? He is not the answer to any of harness racing problems. You can tell that by the way he talks hot air. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 What do you make of this, Mikie? Supports what you are saying. It is from Stu Bailey's twitter account. Is it true? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Mikie said: #2 HRNZ are now having a Conference of Clubs but won't that be a spectacle. Due to their Constitution any Remit can be voted down by just 3 Clubs. Yes, that's right the ATC, NZMTC & Cambridge can vote down any proposal they want simply because their voting numbers are generated by their raceday numbers That is a joke and bad for the industry. There seems to be no coherence or cooperation in harness racing administration at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 56 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: He is only a caretaker at present isn't he? He didn't seem to want the job when he spoke about it. He is not permanent is he? He is not the answer to any of harness racing problems. You can tell that by the way he talks hot air. Sorry Happy, I’m not joking He was made permanent this week, Tuesday I think It took a lot of negotiating to get it over the line Phil had to agree to 2 full days in the HRNZ Office HRNZ had to agree to a regular work free day for Phil’s golf, to airfares each week, plus taxis meals and accomodation (well I jest in this paragraph, but it would be a great bet that some of it is correct). Perhaps more likely they beefed up his salary to cover these expenses so no focus could be put on them later Mikie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 48 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: What do you make of this, Mikie? Supports what you are saying. It is from Stu Bailey's twitter account. Is it true? I don’t have or follow a twitter but this post very accurate. As Stu put it, it will be a battle like no other Mikie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 34 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: That is a joke and bad for the industry. There seems to be no coherence or cooperation in harness racing administration at all. Plus no thought, no ideas, (well no rational ones anyway), no leadership and now a CEO who is part time and has no relevant background and no clue I ask you this....why shouldn’t HRNZ pay Mark P.’, Robert D.’ and/or Mickey Mouse a training track subsidy? Under HRNZ criteria they would qualify Mikie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Mikie said: A Club like Westport who is asked to race on Boxing Day with all the additional costs will receive the same funding as a Timaru Meeting in the middle of winter Dead right. It's a little thought of fact, with the extra costs of conducting business on a stat day. Great post Mikie, some very valid and important points made. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Noodlum Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 Post of the new season. Well done. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 3 minutes ago, Rusty said: Dead right. It's a little thought of fact, with the extra costs of conducting business on a stat day. Great post Mikie, some very valid and important points made. Thanks Rusty I missed another pearler of a decision in HRNZ Funding Proposal ”We shalt also need to steal more from the poor and give to the rich. The Cup carnival isn’t enough for myself as CEO to be seen parading myself Gimme $600,000 to pay the Jewels stakes boys” OK Phil Mikie 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Mikie said: He was made permanent this week, Tuesday I think I can't believe that. Was it announced? 1 hour ago, Mikie said: Phil had to agree to 2 full days in the HRNZ Office You are joking aren't you? Serious question. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trotsfan Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Mikie said: Plus no thought, no ideas, (well no rational ones anyway), no leadership and now a CEO who is part time and has no relevant background and no clue I ask you this....why shouldn’t HRNZ pay Mark P.’, Robert D.’ and/or Mickey Mouse a training track subsidy? Under HRNZ criteria they would qualify Mikie Davey Butt up for a fortune would have close to 200 horses trained on his place. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie Posted August 15, 2020 Author Share Posted August 15, 2020 (edited) 20 minutes ago, Happy Sunrise said: I can't believe that. Was it announced? You are joking aren't you? Serious question. No Happy, I appreciate you are struggling, but it is apparently correct I think I was told early Wednesday, so early it might still have been Tuesday, but I was taken away in a shiny white van on Wednesday morning and only got home last night. Mikie Edited August 15, 2020 by Mikie 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 3 minutes ago, Mikie said: No Happy, I appreciate you are struggling, but it is apparently correct So he has to be in the office for only 2 days a week while trying to fix what seems to be an industry with a multitude of complex problems? But he has given up all his other positions to solely concentrate on harness racing hasn't he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
With A Dream Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 If this is true (there has been no announcement on the hrnz website) then it is simply unacceptable that HRNZ is being governed in this amateur manner. Each and every board member needs to hang their head in shame. 3 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brodie Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 I wonder if this was one of the reasons Greg O’Connor walked? It was never going to be temporary! Full of BS! If he is the best HRNZ can get, then no one can resuscitate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Sunrise Posted August 15, 2020 Share Posted August 15, 2020 1 hour ago, Brodie said: It was never going to be temporary! Who Holden? I sensed from one of his initial interviews he didn't want it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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