Race date scheduling. Southern area.

[mikeynz]

While the people making the decisions get a fair bit of flak the decision to move Waikouiti and Omakau was the best to move a meeting to Southland instead 

Kurow have 2 Southland horses in the fields plus an emergency yet Riverton will probably have good numbers, southern trainers never really went to the two shifted meetings but the Waikouiti meeting two weeks after new year is a feature meeting now, Washdyke and Kurow are basically Canterbury meeting with a sprinkling of horses from Wingatui.

Here's a thought that might be worth a look for the northern area, Rotorua, Tauranga and Hawkes Bay have 3 very average meetings, Taupo only have 7 races on thursday so here is a thought.

Can those 3 meetings, shift Taupo to today , a holiday then run a 2 maybe 3 day circuit in Gisborne, maybe Wairoa, a big holiday area at new year, must be some merit in taking racing to the people, just a thought. 

 

[Reefton]

8 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

While the people making the decisions get a fair bit of flak the decision to move Waikouiti and Omakau was the best to move a meeting to Southland instead 

Kurow have 2 Southland horses in the fields plus an emergency yet Riverton will probably have good numbers, southern trainers never really went to the two shifted meetings but the Waikouiti meeting two weeks after new year is a feature meeting now, Washdyke and Kurow are basically Canterbury meeting with a sprinkling of horses from Wingatui.

Here's a thought that might be worth a look for the northern area, Rotorua, Tauranga and Hawkes Bay have 3 very average meetings, Taupo only have 7 races on thursday so here is a thought.

Can those 3 meetings, shift Taupo to today , a holiday then run a 2 maybe 3 day circuit in Gisborne, maybe Wairoa, a big holiday area at new year, must be some merit in taking racing to the people, just a thought. 

 

It is not just the South Mike.  The whole programming system is cocked up.  The week of the year when racing enthusiasm is sky high and two days without any meetings at all??????  The Wellington Cup Carnival absolutely stuffed through being spread over three weeks????? In the south two feature meetings in seven weeks pre Christmas then seven in consecutive weekends post Christmas??????  Meetings like Waikouaiti Omakau Tauherenikau which get huge holiday crowds dumped??????? 

There should be at least one meeting every day in NZ this week.  Including a decent feature day every second day at least.  Those holiday venues reinstated immediately. Wellington Cup week back to three days in a week and promoted as it was(one of the best weeks in NZ racing).  At least a couple of feature southern days pre Christmas and rationalisation after Christmas to give lower class horses more opportunities down here.

Even in the harness game why no Motukarara or Methven in this holiday time?  I know the Coast is on but people want things to do and getting them on course  in good weather is the way to get repeat business.

Why can't they see it?

 

[Reefton]

1 minute ago, Reefton said:

It is not just the South Mike.  The whole programming system is cocked up.  The week of the year when racing enthusiasm is sky high and two days without any meetings at all??????  The Wellington Cup Carnival absolutely stuffed through being spread over three weeks????? In the south two feature meetings in seven weeks pre Christmas then seven in consecutive weekends post Christmas??????  Meetings like Waikouaiti Omakau Tauherenikau which get huge holiday crowds dumped??????? 

There should be at least one meeting every day in NZ this week.  Including a decent feature day every second day at least.  Those holiday venues reinstated immediately. Wellington Cup week back to three days in a week and promoted as it was(one of the best weeks in NZ racing).  At least a couple of feature southern days pre Christmas and rationalisation after Christmas to give lower class horses more opportunities down here.

Even in the harness game why no Motukarara or Methven in this holiday time?  I know the Coast is on but people want things to do and getting them on course  in good weather is the way to get repeat business.

Why can't they see it?

 

Dumb prick I am. Motukarara(trots) tomorrow

[mikeynz]

6 minutes ago, Reefton said:

It is not just the South Mike.  The whole programming system is cocked up.  The week of the year when racing enthusiasm is sky high and two days without any meetings at all??????  The Wellington Cup Carnival absolutely stuffed through being spread over three weeks????? In the south two feature meetings in seven weeks pre Christmas then seven in consecutive weekends post Christmas??????  Meetings like Waikouaiti Omakau Tauherenikau which get huge holiday crowds dumped??????? 

There should be at least one meeting every day in NZ this week.  Including a decent feature day every second day at least.  Those holiday venues reinstated immediately. Wellington Cup week back to three days in a week and promoted as it was(one of the best weeks in NZ racing).  At least a couple of feature southern days pre Christmas and rationalisation after Christmas to give lower class horses more opportunities down here.

Even in the harness game why no Motukarara or Methven in this holiday time?  I know the Coast is on but people want things to do and getting them on course  in good weather is the way to get repeat business.

Why can't they see it?

 

Maybe Trentham could race on their anniversary day, maybe even a duel code meeting, who knows.

Omakau and Waikouiti were struggling for numbers, all very fine putting races on but it's still got to be a good product, some of those gallop meeting were having 4 or 5 horse fields and 6 races, that's not really what one would want.

Edited December 27, 2021 by mikeynz

[Reefton]

9 minutes ago, mikeynz said:

Maybe Trentham could race on their anniversary day, maybe even a duel code meeting, who knows.

Omakau and Waikouiti were struggling for numbers, all very fine putting races on but it's still got to be a good product, some of those gallop meeting were having 4 or 5 horse fields and 6 races, that's not really what one would want.

Actually I meant two days in this two weeks without gallops.  Re the numbers well the common theme lately has been lack of opportunities for R65 etc so should be ok there.    Small Timaru fields and many scratchings today but that is the weather.  And the average holiday attendee doesn't give an f if it is Shetland pony racing(witness Kumara). Wellington Anniversary day always was the middle day and re dual code well my understanding is Wellington is now the lowest per capita harness betting area since Hutt Park shut down BUT bit of a come down to run harness that week (though if the track turns into a skating rink ironically the trotters might be the saviour)

[Joe Bloggs]

Wouldn't you love to put a hidden camera into that bastion of thinkology NZTR at Petone, even with time lapse technology it would look like slow motion , the only plaudits go to the make up artist for hiding the lobotomy scars on the decision makers noggins.

[Huey]

3 hours ago, Reefton said:

It is not just the South Mike.  The whole programming system is cocked up.  The week of the year when racing enthusiasm is sky high and two days without any meetings at all??????  The Wellington Cup Carnival absolutely stuffed through being spread over three weeks????? In the south two feature meetings in seven weeks pre Christmas then seven in consecutive weekends post Christmas??????  Meetings like Waikouaiti Omakau Tauherenikau which get huge holiday crowds dumped??????? 

There should be at least one meeting every day in NZ this week.  Including a decent feature day every second day at least.  Those holiday venues reinstated immediately. Wellington Cup week back to three days in a week and promoted as it was(one of the best weeks in NZ racing).  At least a couple of feature southern days pre Christmas and rationalisation after Christmas to give lower class horses more opportunities down here.

Even in the harness game why no Motukarara or Methven in this holiday time?  I know the Coast is on but people want things to do and getting them on course  in good weather is the way to get repeat business.

Why can't they see it?

 

Agree and those major centres don't really need a industry race meeting this time of year , the people want to go to the country or holiday venues so for goodness sake why don't we cater for them.

The two worse things to happen to NZracing BS & his venue plan.

[billy connolly]

3 hours ago, Huey said:

Agree and those major centres don't really need a industry race meeting this time of year , the people want to go to the country or holiday venues so for goodness sake why don't we cater for them.

Yes, but if you have no socks you can't pull them up - ie: not enough horses.

In the days of plenty the southern Christmas circuit commenced at Dunedin on December 26th, followed by Timaru 28th, Kurow and Invercargill 30th, Waikouaiti and Wyndham January 1st, Reefton 5th, Omakau and Kumara 8th. Omakau and Hokitika 10th, Greymouth 14th

Timaru, Kurow, Waikouaiti and Omakau always had big crowds (of mainly holidaymakers) in attendance, Kumara also had a crowd but they were mainly Cantabrians. The atmosphere at these meetings was phenomenal, something we'll never see again here.

I made Timaru's Crown Hotel my base over Christmas and when not at a race meeting was at Caroline Bay (in the company of bikini clad women) singing ragtime and winning chocolates.

 

[mikeynz]

4 minutes ago, billy connolly said:

Yes, but if you have no socks you can't pull them up - ie: not enough horses.

In the days of plenty the southern Christmas circuit commenced at Dunedin on December 26th, followed by Timaru 28th, Kurow and Invercargill 30th, Waikouaiti and Wyndham January 1st, Reefton 5th, Omakau and Kumara 8th. Omakau and Hokitika 10th, Greymouth 14th

Timaru, Kurow, Waikouaiti and Omakau always had big crowds (of mainly holidaymakers) in attendance, Kumara also had a crowd but they were mainly Cantabrians. The atmosphere at these meetings was phenomenal, something we'll never see again here.

I made Timaru's Crown Hotel my base over Christmas and when not at a race meeting was at Caroline Bay (in the company of bikini clad women) singing ragtime and winning chocolates.

 

But times have changed, sadly.

No Canterbury horses at all at Riverton, long way to go for one day but with Timaru and Kurow, enough to keep them going, as I explained before no southerners bar a couple at Kurow, few went to Waikouiti so this date change is a good one, whether new years days is exactly the right day well that's open for debate.

[Doomed]

One thing to note in this discussion, NZTR has effectively paid Waikouaiti $160,000 in additional stakes to move and the same with Banks Peninsula. I would love to see some figures that justify this additional expenditure on the basis of increased turnover and industry savings. I note that neither club contributes any of their own money to the stakes, unlike Riverton who seem to have added an extra $45,000 to their meeting this week. I'm not sure why Waikouaiti and Banks Pen got paid $160,000 to move, but Waimate didn't. Seems tough on Timaru as well when  a couple of one day clubs get a $160,000 stakes boost to race elsewhere. I don't think Hokitika got offered a $160,000 incentive to race elsewhere. I would love to know the logic behind these decisions.

[Huey]

2 hours ago, Doomed said:

One thing to note in this discussion, NZTR has effectively paid Waikouaiti $160,000 in additional stakes to move and the same with Banks Peninsula. I would love to see some figures that justify this additional expenditure on the basis of increased turnover and industry savings. I note that neither club contributes any of their own money to the stakes, unlike Riverton who seem to have added an extra $45,000 to their meeting this week. I'm not sure why Waikouaiti and Banks Pen got paid $160,000 to move, but Waimate didn't. Seems tough on Timaru as well when  a couple of one day clubs get a $160,000 stakes boost to race elsewhere. I don't think Hokitika got offered a $160,000 incentive to race elsewhere. I would love to know the logic behind these decisions.

And therein lies the issue all along, there has never been any justification for it either financial or from operational benefits to the industry , just agendas and self interest at play.

[Huey]

4 hours ago, billy connolly said:

Yes, but if you have no socks you can't pull them up - ie: not enough horses.

In the days of plenty the southern Christmas circuit commenced at Dunedin on December 26th, followed by Timaru 28th, Kurow and Invercargill 30th, Waikouaiti and Wyndham January 1st, Reefton 5th, Omakau and Kumara 8th. Omakau and Hokitika 10th, Greymouth 14th

Timaru, Kurow, Waikouaiti and Omakau always had big crowds (of mainly holidaymakers) in attendance, Kumara also had a crowd but they were mainly Cantabrians. The atmosphere at these meetings was phenomenal, something we'll never see again here.

I made Timaru's Crown Hotel my base over Christmas and when not at a race meeting was at Caroline Bay (in the company of bikini clad women) singing ragtime and winning chocolates.

 

Horse numbers may not have been an issue if the fools had left well enough alone.

[billy connolly]

On 28/12/2021 at 7:58 PM, billy connolly said:

In the days of plenty the southern Christmas circuit commenced at Dunedin on December 26th, followed by Timaru 28th, Kurow and Invercargill 30th, Waikouaiti and Wyndham January 1st, Reefton 5th, Omakau and Kumara 8th. Omakau and Hokitika 10th, Greymouth 14th

Correction, Timaru raced twice on the 27th and 29th December and there were two days at Dunedin but their first day was a week before boxing day. By my reckoning that's fourteen days racing in the South in a month, now there's seven !

Whilst horse numbers and race days have plummeted those clipping the ticket at Petone has skyrocketed, I would've thought that with today's technology many of the Petone social climbers wouldn't be required anyway.

 

[Chief Stipe]

8 hours ago, billy connolly said:

Whilst horse numbers and race days have plummeted those clipping the ticket at Petone has skyrocketed, I would've thought that with today's technology many of the Petone social climbers wouldn't be required anyway.

Is the $2m+ new computer system approved by Cameron George up and running yet?  Any Owners or Trainers seen any benefit yet?

[Ludwig]

10 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Is the $2m+ new computer system approved by Cameron George up and running yet?  Any Owners or Trainers seen any benefit yet?

I hear it's been very good for stocktaking the grog, and thus seeing what supplies need to be ordered 

[Freda]

Awesome day at Kurow yesterday.

[Ludwig]

4 hours ago, Freda said:

Awesome day at Kurow yesterday.

It looked a cracker.i couldn't see you in the tug of war.

[Freda]

Was in the bar watching.

[Chief Stipe]

43 minutes ago, Freda said:

Was in the bar watching.

Not too hot for rum and coke?

[Freda]

14 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Not too hot for rum and coke?

Plenty of ice, Chief. 

[Joe Bloggs]

Did anyone sight Bernie? I heard Kurow was on his bucket list, a must do........something about ''shouting the bar''.....

[Doomed]

7 hours ago, Freda said:

Awesome day at Kurow yesterday.

Good run from Light Up, fought well, and looked like a nice horse from the brief glimpse I caught of him. May get his rating up enough to get a start in a 65 one day. It's a bit sad when any horse below a 60 has to start in a 74 to get a run.

[Reefton]

5 hours ago, Joe Bloggs said:

Did anyone sight Bernie? I heard Kurow was on his bucket list, a must do........something about ''shouting the bar''.....

No but he is coming to Reefton.  Wants to know how to organise things in NZ Racing so why not talk to the third biggest know all in the game(not saying who the first two are)

Yeah Right!

For all that I have always found Bernard pleasant and it has not always been a very palatable message he has been forced to deliver.  At the end of the day he even made a trip down to talk to me about our position.  The major issue arises out of lack of accountability at Board level.

They should however put an epitaph on Bernard's Headstone 'The status quo is not an option'

 

[Joe Bloggs]

I know what I'd like to put on his headstone, however there would be no room should Kate Goodrich choose to scribe her thoughts!

[Mark D]

Anyone tell me the reason for moving HB - a traditional New Years day meeting for as long as I remember - to New Years Eve a normal work day this year?