Kumara

[Mustang Kenny]

so with 6 weeks to go does anyone know how the Kumara track is coming along. Is it being mowed regularly, has it been maintained since last years fiasco? What are the odds of us getting to race there safely in Jan?

[Shad]

Who knows, haven't heard anything, but you wouldn't bet on anything, I did hear that they had alot of rain over the spring, with one area recorded 700 mills plus some in the period from 1st Sept till 6th November, very damp whitebait season apparently, hopefully no porkers on the loose this time.

[Reefton]

11 hours ago, Mustang Kenny said:

so with 6 weeks to go does anyone know how the Kumara track is coming along. Is it being mowed regularly, has it been maintained since last years fiasco? What are the odds of us getting to race there safely in Jan?

As far as I know it looks all right.  There has been a lot of wet weather(as usual for the Coast in Spring) up until a couple of weeks back but it has settled now and it certainly looks good from the road.

And yes I am sure it has been maintained over the winter.  It had a huge renovation project done on it in late Summer early Autumn.  

There was a newspaper article the other night saying how good it was (not that you can always believe what you read in the paper)

[Shad]

Interesting all three coast meetings crammed into a week, looks like no date for hokitika, were they offered the opportunity to race anywhere else, or are they finished for good.

[Freda]

7 hours ago, Shad said:

Interesting all three coast meetings crammed into a week, looks like no date for hokitika, were they offered the opportunity to race anywhere else, or are they finished for good.

Reefton will know for sure, my understanding however is that they wanted a date, but weren't given one.

If that is the case, it will be payback for not vesting their land/cash assets in NZTR.

 

[Shad]

Seems odd that greymouth race on a Monday, and reefton a Thursday, opposed to their Wednesday date which they have held for a few years now, only Saturday date is Kumara, weather and track dependent, haven't attended Kumara since there first cancellation, many years back, very over rated for me, to be fair they have a few cancelled since, someone will know exactly how many, my attendance at the other two meetings may be limited, due to them being on work days and a busy time of year, shame really, mind you some racing better than none, as the future for racing on the coast looks dicey.

[Freda]

Yes, I'm afraid it does.

A N.I trainer who has been a regular attendee, has family in Hokitika, has already indicated that 3 racedays squashed into six days makes the trip unviable for him.

With the vagaries of the weather on the Coast - only Reefton can be considered reliable - the possibility of either of the other two days being severely rain-affected is pretty high.

And, as the habit of factoring in the Coast to holiday racing programmes becomes less of a highlight, the die is cast.

Gisborne/Wairoa are already gone, the date now at Hastings soon to become just another unremarkable raceday with little public interest.

The Waikato glitterati won't give a sh#t, but the character of racing will be changed and not for the good I don't think.

[Freda]

I hope my comments aren't taken to indicate that I am  resistant to change.

We all know that change has to happen, the industry has been looking and going backwards for years - but a viable holiday/country circuit is part and parcel of the fabric of NZ racing,  and modification with consultation could have had most parties comfortable as well as looking ahead.

Many country/provincial meetings in Aus are considered part of the whole tourist experience, and marketed accordingly.  

Joe Bloggs will be able to attest to the popularity of many of these days, right out to the red-dirt bush tracks and the fun had by all at those days.

[Pitman]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

Reefton will know for sure, my understanding however is that they wanted a date, but weren't given one.

If that is the case, it will be payback for not vesting their land/cash assets in NZTR.

 

Which I predicted would happen at the time, I feel for all the generations of volunteers who put in over many years to have a committee come in and wipe out their racing venue, club and race days. I know Past President Gray Eatwell lobbied very hard to stop this happening. They could have given the land to the council but didn't need to give away the cash they had accumulated. By the way I enjoyed going to Hokitika, was where I trained my first winner! They reap what they sow, Greymouth next!

[Chief Stipe]

32 minutes ago, Pitman said:

Which I predicted would happen at the time, I feel for all the generations of volunteers who put in over many years to have a committee come in and wipe out their racing venue, club and race days.

Wooh backup their Pitty are you talking about Hokitika?  And you are blaming the committee?

[Freda]

40 minutes ago, Pitman said:

Which I predicted would happen at the time, I feel for all the generations of volunteers who put in over many years to have a committee come in and wipe out their racing venue, club and race days. I know Past President Gray Eatwell lobbied very hard to stop this happening. They could have given the land to the council but didn't need to give away the cash they had accumulated. By the way I enjoyed going to Hokitika, was where I trained my first winner! They reap what they sow, Greymouth next!

You may take issue ( rightly IMO ) with the machinations within the committee that dramatically changed it's makeup,  however, it is a stretch to blame that committee for the loss of the venue.

That was a done deal.

Gray Eatwell was a former NZ First member, knew Winston well, and I know he went to Wellington and met with him where Hokitika's fate was discussed.

He trusted Winston to 'look out for the regions' as was a NZF platform.

Typically, that trust was misplaced, and the moves within the club to protect their asset for the community understandable.

[Chief Stipe]

35 minutes ago, Freda said:

Typically, that trust was misplaced, and the moves within the club to protect their asset for the community understandable.

Yes and that is the problem with those driven by self-interest such as Pitman.  They have this world view that every racing club asset is a Thoroughbred Racing asset.  They aren't!  

I lived in Hokitika for the first 20 years of my life.  With a father who had a strong interest in horse racing (both codes) I acquired a similar level of interest.  I remember many a Saturday or Sunday at the course doing "jobs".  Dad had the largest panel beating/coach building business in town and like many of the local businesses donated his own time, his staff time, materials and equipment to the club.  In my teens I spent a lot of time running round that track training for sports that I was involved in.  Often the Sunday Harrier run we would do a "lap of the track" on our way to longer runs up the Spur or out to Kaniere.

The point is it was and thankfully still is a community asset NOT a Thoroughbred Racing asset.  Given the pittance it received in funding it relied heavily on the support of a town of 3,000 and those further south in South Westland.

Now to infer as Pitty has that the "Club" could have continued if the committee had put their assets elsewhere is pure revisionist history of the worst kind.  Pitty if you had been standing beside me when I read your post I would have ripped you a new arsehole and stuck the Mesara report into your new orifice.  Westland Racing Club is gone NOT because of a committee decision BUT because of the decisions made by a bunch of bureaucrats and self-interested individuals residing elsewhere who have never even painted an inside railing let alone touched one!

SO Pitty enjoy your All Weather Track while it lasts and while it sucks up the assets of viable racing clubs.  I'll rest easy watching yet another racing administration debacle unfold knowing that not a cent of Hokitika money went its way!

[mikeynz]

4 hours ago, Shad said:

Seems odd that greymouth race on a Monday, and reefton a Thursday, opposed to their Wednesday date which they have held for a few years now, only Saturday date is Kumara, weather and track dependent, haven't attended Kumara since there first cancellation, many years back, very over rated for me, to be fair they have a few cancelled since, someone will know exactly how many, my attendance at the other two meetings may be limited, due to them being on work days and a busy time of year, shame really, mind you some racing better than none, as the future for racing on the coast looks dicey.

That Greymouth meeting is on a holiday,one wonders if the dates are restructured and maybe a couple of days elsewhere would be better maybe Reefton,Wednesday,Kumara Saturday another on the Tuesday?the way the days fall can create congestion,maybe Greymouth race 2 days elsewhere,maybe next week would be a good idea just a thought.

 

[Huey]

3 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

 

  Westland Racing Club is gone NOT because of a committee decision BUT because of the decisions made by a bunch of bureaucrats and self-interested individuals residing elsewhere who have never even painted an inside railing let alone touched one!

SO Pitty enjoy your All Weather Track while it lasts and while it sucks up the assets of viable racing clubs.  I'll rest easy watching yet another racing administration debacle unfold knowing that not a cent of Hokitika money went its way!

It's also gone as are other venues because of attitudes like this prevailing across the industry, particularly amongst the bigger trainers.

In some regards I think those attitudes have come about through desperation and fabricated promises of course only time will tell but imo those decisions will only make it worse!

[Reefton]

Insofar as I know Westland did want a day and did get refused and you can only say it is pay back from Petone.

they have however very generously offered sponsorships to both us and Greymouth.

As far as you Michael Pitman whingeing about them giving the money to the Council I have said before the Council would not accept the land without the money and at the end of the day that money came from land sales (up the hill at the back of the racecourse) not any racing activities.  Your complaint Michael should be to the hoi polloi in Petone and further north who arbitrarily moved to shut Westland down.  Had they been patient they would have got the lot. The loss of that asset to the industry is on their account and their account alone. 

I suppose they had to fill that week in given they stopped Waikouaiti and Omakau so jammed Grey Reefton and Kumara all in a week.  Not sure why they could not have out Grey on Sunday us on Wednesday and Kumara on the Saturday but hey we are pleased to get any day - I was 110% sure we were going to lose it completely so grateful for any date.  If they want Grey on a weekend and don’t want to give Westland a date then it gets a bit hard doesn’t it?  

[Reefton]

The people of Hokitika built that asset not the NZ racing industry and who can blame them for giving the finger to NZTR and the NZRB when they shit on them?  

For all that none of the West Coast tracks are up to it though we have thoughts(and the room) to extend our track to at least 1400 and maybe a mile.  The trouble will be getting NZTR support and then stopping them poking their ‘experts’  noses into the way it is done(because you can guarantee if they do want a say they will cock it up). The other issue of course is why would we bother trying to improve  things for NZ racing when all we get from the hierarchy is the sort of shiite that has been dished up in the last two to three years.  It drains the enthusiasm of both the committee and me personally and everyone knows my enthusiasm levels are not particularly high anyway. 

[mikeynz]

What's happening to the Wairoa and Gisborne days,do they still exist?

[Freda]

1 hour ago, mikeynz said:

What's happening to the Wairoa and Gisborne days,do they still exist?

No.  Keep up.

[mikeynz]

39 minutes ago, Freda said:

No.  Keep up.

What I was meaning,are they racing in Hastings?

[mikeynz]

Wairoa are Sunday Feb 21,Poverty Bay haven't found their day if there is one yet.

[Chief Stipe]

1 hour ago, mikeynz said:

What I was meaning,are they racing in Hastings?

YES.  Not only that but Hawkes Bay have convinced them to hand over the dosh aka assets!

Racing is no longer coming to a community near you.

[Tesio]

One thing that surprises me in the debate of race tracks clubs and race dates is the lack of thought from an owners perspective. I’m pleased Hokitika didn’t get a date this year, as a horse owner i would have refused for any of my horses to go a support  that club this season or ongoing.....why would i support them when they didn’t support OUR industry.

Secondly....do i really want my horses travelling all over the country for rubbish stakes ....no ..its a joke. 

Chuck out the old racing calendar....start again with a new program  that actually works for where the horses are located and keep travel for owners to an acceptable level.

 

[nomates]

19 minutes ago, Tesio said:

One thing that surprises me in the debate of race tracks clubs and race dates is the lack of thought from an owners perspective. I’m pleased Hokitika didn’t get a date this year, as a horse owner i would have refused for any of my horses to go a support  that club this season or ongoing.....why would i support them when they didn’t support OUR industry.

Secondly....do i really want my horses travelling all over the country for rubbish stakes ....no ..its a joke. 

Chuck out the old racing calendar....start again with a new program  that actually works for where the horses are located and keep travel for owners to an acceptable level.

 

I'll leave you to Reefton , i'm sure he has plenty of coast history to update you with regarding who supports who in the industry .

[Chief Stipe]

46 minutes ago, Tesio said:

I’m pleased Hokitika didn’t get a date this year, as a horse owner i would have refused for any of my horses to go a support  that club this season or ongoing.....why would i support them when they didn’t support OUR industry.

Are you taking the piss or do you actually believe what you are posting?  Do you have a horse racing with Pitty?  The Westland Racing Club supported the industry for decades WITHOUT any support from the industry.  They did it with local community support and nothing else.  They WERE the industry.  They should BE the industry.  Obviously you have no understanding of history nor respect for it.

51 minutes ago, Tesio said:

Secondly....do i really want my horses travelling all over the country for rubbish stakes ....no ..its a joke. 

 

Who decides what the stakes are?  Not Hokitika!  However you are happy to pitch up with your horse on a substandard track which is detrimental to the health of your horse because NZTR decides who has what stakes?  Their decision has nothing to do with with what the races produce in terms of revenue.

54 minutes ago, Tesio said:

Chuck out the old racing calendar....start again with a new program  that actually works for where the horses are located and keep travel for owners to an acceptable level.

 

Are you a BGP member?

[Huey]

59 minutes ago, Tesio said:

One thing that surprises me in the debate of race tracks clubs and race dates is the lack of thought from an owners perspective. I’m pleased Hokitika didn’t get a date this year, as a horse owner i would have refused for any of my horses to go a support  that club this season or ongoing.....why would i support them when they didn’t support OUR industry.

Secondly....do i really want my horses travelling all over the country for rubbish stakes ....no ..its a joke. 

Chuck out the old racing calendar....start again with a new program  that actually works for where the horses are located and keep travel for owners to an acceptable level.

 

I thought  all these types of fools had disappeared, FFS get educated!