PICK 28

[Poisoned Dwarf]

All the tracks to close ( about 20 ) will cause all kinds of depression in the ruralities---but will also bring a new betting opportunity:

Pick correctly the 28 tracks that will remain  by    dd/mm/yyyy  !

[Portfolio]

I didnt see live, 

But thought on TV3 , presenter said even though actual racetracks will close over certain period, clubs can still stay as one?? 

WTF are they going to do, get members to grow carrots? 

[Poisoned Dwarf]

yes. Like Thames JC can race at  Te Aroha and Stratford RC will remain but race at New Plym etc

[Reefton]

Suspect clubs are clinging by a thread enthusiasm wise and will not continue but just fold.  I know down here there is not a hope in hell of us (or Greymouth or Westland) transferring to another venue - we will just shut the gate and walk away.  And I certainly won't be reaching into my pocket to cough up $1000(plus GST!)  to sponsor a race anywhere else 

[Reefton]

2 hours ago, Poisoned Dwarf said:

All the tracks to close ( about 20 ) will cause all kinds of depression in the ruralities---but will also bring a new betting opportunity:

Pick correctly the 28 tracks that will remain  by    dd/mm/yyyy  !

its in the report who is staying and who is going

Major casualties Avondale Woodville Timaru Gore

Note they also are strengthening the codes ability to grab the proceeds of clubs which close down

So the money will go to the big clubs to piss up against the wall in the traditional manner.

 

 

[Dazzer]

The interesting point for me is the land grab.  Pretty much every club constitution will have a clause about what happens to the club's assets if the club is wound up - generally, they are to be used in the local community etc

Quote

Clarify legislation to vest Race Club property and assets to the Code regulatory bodies for the benefit of the industry as a whole.

I suppose a lawyer would point out that the club is not actually winding up - it's clear they think that clubs will continue but my experience with clubs is that if they tried this approach, any goodwill will be shot.  It's literally a form of nationalisation of assets.

[Reefton]

9 minutes ago, Dazzer said:

The interesting point for me is the land grab.  Pretty much every club constitution will have a clause about what happens to the club's assets if the club is wound up - generally, they are to be used in the local community etc

I suppose a lawyer would point out that the club is not actually winding up - it's clear they think that clubs will continue but my experience with clubs is that if they tried this approach, any goodwill will be shot.  It's literally a form of nationalisation of assets.

that one was done to death a year or so ago on the other channel but the reality is virtually every club has changed their constitution to give NZTR control over the disbursement of assets on windup.  They offered an incentive(financial) to all the clubs to change their constitution.We were a notable exception - I told them to get stuffed basically but if Winnie gets this through then he will override that  anyway.  Giving my Club assets to the NZ racing industry is bullshit - the people of Reefton own those assets not the NZ racing Industry. 

[Dazzer]

14 minutes ago, Reefton said:

that one was done to death a year or so ago on the other channel but the reality is virtually every club has changed their constitution to give NZTR control over the disbursement of assets on windup.  They offered an incentive(financial) to all the clubs to change their constitution.We were a notable exception - I told them to get stuffed basically but if Winnie gets this through then he will override that  anyway.  Giving my Club assets to the NZ racing industry is bullshit - the people of Reefton own those assets not the NZ racing Industry. 

Ahh, my apologies for being behind the times.  I must admit my enjoyment of racing increased exponentially when I got out of club administration and governance ? 

[Newmarket]

7 minutes ago, Reefton said:

that one was done to death a year or so ago on the other channel but the reality is virtually every club has changed their constitution to give NZTR control over the disbursement of assets on windup.  They offered an incentive(financial) to all the clubs to change their constitution.We were a notable exception - I told them to get stuffed basically but if Winnie gets this through then he will override that  anyway.  Giving my Club assets to the NZ racing industry is bullshit - the people of Reefton own those assets not the NZ racing Industry. 

Reefton, 

So who owns the land that the west coast tracks race on? 

Talking to a mate the other day, was still dirty on how the Greymouth Harness track ended up. People got too greedy, everything pulled down, yet nothing is still sitting on that site, shame. 

 

Got an idea reefton, run your xmas races without betting? Get local business to sponsor say 6 races, 3 of each code for local horses. Instead of betting, sell raffle tickets or similair. Have a range of good coast food & drink,good band and entertainment. I bet you would get suppory. I always support country racing gallops & harness, especially xmas. 

[Reefton]

8 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Reefton, 

So who owns the land that the west coast tracks race on? 

Talking to a mate the other day, was still dirty on how the Greymouth Harness track ended up. People got too greedy, everything pulled down, yet nothing is still sitting on that site, shame. 

 

Got an idea reefton, run your xmas races without betting? Get local business to sponsor say 6 races, 3 of each code for local horses. Instead of betting, sell raffle tickets or similair. Have a range of good coast food & drink,good band and entertainment. I bet you would get suppory. I always support country racing gallops & harness, especially xmas. 

Food for thought Newmarket - going back to the good old days of the country sports days.  Seriously though we will just walk away I think - I haven't got the heart for the fight and it is just another example of city people dictating to the rural community.  So much for the champion of the regions Winston.

The Coast courses are all freehold.  In the case of the Greymouth Trotting Club it's land was leasehold from the local Iwi the Mawhera Incorporation and simply could not afford to pay the rent.  The Iwi would not reduce the rent so the club folded and the area has turned quickly into a wasteland.  But they were really like us and every rugby golf cricket or whatever sporting club in NZ - struggling for membership and committemen.  It's life in the fast lane that society has turned into.

We will walk away but I will be doing my damnest to prevent the club assets being diverted elsewhere in this industry to be wasted.

[Chief Stipe]

The assets should go to the Community not pissed away by those who have shown their expertise at doing so.

I remember playing rugby in the middle of the course in the winter and winning the West Coast 800m and 1500m secondary schools champs in the summer.

Of course I  will never forget my Dad's pacer winning easily either.

There is still a place for these courses more so than a dirt track at Riccarton.

As for the Mawhera Corporation there is a classic case study in property ownership, capitalism vs socialism.  Compare the state of Greymouth to Hokitika.  The latter is tidy, bright, clean and relatively modern.  I'd suggest all by virtue of the fact it was built on the north side of the river unlike Greymouth.  Not many New Zealanders know of the Maori being given many decades ago the land on the south side of most rivers and the fact that it is leasehold.

[Newmarket]

59 minutes ago, Reefton said:

Food for thought Newmarket - going back to the good old days of the country sports days.  Seriously though we will just walk away I think - I haven't got the heart for the fight and it is just another example of city people dictating to the rural community.  So much for the champion of the regions Winston.

The Coast courses are all freehold.  In the case of the Greymouth Trotting Club it's land was leasehold from the local Iwi the Mawhera Incorporation and simply could not afford to pay the rent.  The Iwi would not reduce the rent so the club folded and the area has turned quickly into a wasteland.  But they were really like us and every rugby golf cricket or whatever sporting club in NZ - struggling for membership and committemen.  It's life in the fast lane that society has turned into.

We will walk away but I will be doing my damnest to prevent the club assets being diverted elsewhere in this industry to be wasted.

Its a shame, how many xmas holidays we all have around racing dates, the coast was a great place. 

What does it say to those that train horses in the coast  area, bad luck? To close all tacks  in an area is pretty arrogant. 

Timaru closing is crazy also, reading report stupidly said if it closed, trainers could race at winton, or even ashburton?? FFS, how stupid. 

I agree tabcorp running the puntin side, but they need to revisit the tracks closing. 

THE COAST NEEDS A TRACK!!. 

[Boxie]

I was always told to sit in the front row!

[Turny]

Not one of these initiatives will bring one extra person on course - and there lies the issue - racing is like bowling clubs - old hatt, no appeal to the young, will die naturally.

What one of the 17 initiatives will get the 25 year olds on course?

All disappointing really

Edited August 30, 2018 by Turny

[curious]

I think the asset grab issue is hopeless, but it will be interesting to hear the response of clubs racing on courses scheduled for close down. Obviously if a club is going to close down they can change the disbursement rule with a single Special General Meeting in most cases, so what it says in the constitution now is irrelevant. The only power NZTR has is issuing licences to clubs. I suspect that clubs required to race at other venues (where their own courses are to be closed) which have significant assets will probably just give up their race dates and no longer be under the control of the Racing Act or NZTR etc. so that the community assets can be retained in the community.

I don't see anything in the Messara plan likely to increase revenue though the restructuring may reduce costs and duty relief will generate more money for the codes. However, as far as I can see, the aim is to continue to waste all that on stakes.

I support the consolidation of tracks in principle, but if no money is allocated to maintaining them properly when the fact is that almost all the remaining tracks are long since stuffed. If they don't raise the capital they expect from the closed courses, where is the money coming from to fix them so they can conduct more racing and training than they already can't cope with?

I'm also skeptical about the synthetic tracks even if the taxpayers agree to fund them. I still don't see any feasibility plan or rationale suggesting any economic benefit. Seems like a big waste of money to me.

Probably not even a Tom Thumb Mardi, more like a damp sparkler.

Edited August 30, 2018 by curious

[Justamugpunter]

3 hours ago, Reefton said:

 

We will walk away but I will be doing my damnest to prevent the club assets being diverted elsewhere in this industry to be wasted.

I presume many in the deep south will be holding similar views! 

[Justamugpunter]

3 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Its a shame, how many xmas holidays we all have around racing dates, the coast was a great place. 

As teenagers back in the early 70's it was a right of passage for us doing the Coast circuit! Sleeping in the grand stands... living off beer and racecourse pies!  ?

Edited August 30, 2018 by Justamugpunter

[Justamugpunter]

1 hour ago, Boxie said:

I was always told to sit in the front row!

looking at that lot some might say very much the problem not the answer! 

[Reefton]

Over racing on any one course or courses will certainly do nothing to bring punters or people onto the track.  They will need to do more than install an all weather at Riccarton for a start to make an attractive entertainment venue.

Familiarity breeds contempt!

And whats more Winston and John lets do a study into the return on investment with these retained tracks.  For what they are worth we would be better off ditching Riccarton Ellerslie Hastings and Te Rapa and moving out to model facilities in the rural areas with good transport links(think Darfield!).  Train the  punters out to the track and back home  so they can have a day on the piss

In Curious's case not sure if the railway line runs past Foxton but turn Trentham in quarter acre sections(and bank the money!) nd run the meetings there.  They already have a plastic running rail and new set of gates!

 

[curious]

1 minute ago, Reefton said:

In Curious's case not sure if the railway line runs past Foxton but turn Trentham in quarter acre sections(and bank the money!) nd run the meetings there.  They already have a plastic running rail and new set of gates!

Not any longer but I guess we could put it back in, or clean out the river loop and barge them from Awapuni?

[Reefton]

3 hours ago, Newmarket said:

Its a shame, how many xmas holidays we all have around racing dates, the coast was a great place. 

What does it say to those that train horses in the coast  area, bad luck? To close all tacks  in an area is pretty arrogant. 

Timaru closing is crazy also, reading report stupidly said if it closed, trainers could race at winton, or even ashburton?? FFS, how stupid. 

I agree tabcorp running the puntin side, but they need to revisit the tracks closing. 

THE COAST NEEDS A TRACK!!. 

It has one under the new idea Newmarket - being Winston's baby Kumara.  

BUT Kumara has no training track and no stabling so if horses come here there will be nowhere to stable them.  Winnie might use a million dollars of industry money to build stables but is that wise use of industry funds?  There will certainly only be one days racing because the other Clubs here will fold not relocate.

We need to take control of our own destiny and , I hate to say it, reduce the clear influence the breeding industry has had on the powers that be.  This Messara report has Chittick's fingerprints all over it for a start.  Clearly a good studmaster but he was  dismal failure as head of the RIB the last time they tried this stunt.

Why do we need a Racing Minister anyway.  We have had a succession of idiots in the role.