Why???

[Huey]

12 hours ago, Special Agent said:

There is nothing stopping them from saying "In light of the feedback and obvious errors in judgement we have had a rethink and welcome any further ideas from anyone interested.  No ideas too small for consideration."

I suspect youv'e had little to do with them SA if you think that will work, they will not listen and worst of all will not act on anything unless it suits the agenda. 

The first couple of years you sit back and watch in astonishment as everything you and others suggest comes to fruition, after that you just become numb and blaze to it all and after that you kind of just pull up a deck chair and watch it all fall apart (which is happening at an accelrating rate now).

There is no initiative, no innovation and no active listening to the majority of the industry.

I find it humorous how so many in the industry are blaming the TAB for the state its in, yes they are a huge part of it, but our leadership in particular NZTR have had us on the road to destruction for years now. The last two leaders were at best incompetent , the current leader is out of his depth and probably taking poor advice.

The industry just refuses to make the correct changes that would enable it to have a future and just continues doing the same thing over and over again, despite the fact its proving to not work... but hey so long as they get their Karaka Millions Night everything in the industry is just wonderful ...right?

[Huey]

16 hours ago, Mark D said:

NZTR have virtually given up on the "holiday hotspots" and it is a bad strategy.  There's a place for them as much as the "big money days".  Take a leaf out of Harness's book - but closing down these courses means they've painted themselves into a corner.

Agree wholeheartedly , I've attended a number of race meetings over the summer and something is missing, the atmosphere is dry at best dead at worse. People on course just don't seem interested or seem to care, alot of that is down to the fact that these meetings are just another race day at an NZTR approved club and thus there is no atmosphere and nothing special about them the entir character and charm of the holiday spots or country clubs has gone.

[Huey]

13 hours ago, Doomed said:

I was reading a report about the Timaru meeting. Apparently they have two meetings next year, April and Oct from memory. How bloody stupid is that? $15m odd on an AWT just to stop Timaru racing. And people are paid big money to make these decisions. Sadly, the industry deserves everything it gets. They have allowed incompetents to run just about every aspect of it.

Worse still they are a type of agenda based incompetent.

[Huey]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

Yes.  That is beyond sad..but, nowhere - apart from on here and, occasionally, the other websites - can one find any informed opinion and progressive ideas.  Hell, any ideas, even regressive ideas might be better, looking back to when things worked may not be so bad after all.

I watched an interview with Daniel Nakhle recently, where he was being commended for his innovation wrt the Jockey's academy, and also his part in bringing out the two classy S.A riders.  But - and I'm sure we all appreciate his innovation and financial support to the industry - he was giving Sharrock and George glowing credit for their leadership and forward thinking.  Really ?  or was it tongue-in-cheek ?  I haven't quite decided.

He is listened to and given a voice like a few in this industry because of his wealth ... its great the initiative he is doing with Mansour, but in reality its happened because its started to impact even those at the top so they've had to do something about it.

As for George and Sharrock I'm sure he is only paying lip service , after all they all said Bernard was doing a good job while he was in charge as well.

[Doomed]

20 minutes ago, Huey said:

I suspect youv'e had little to do with them SA if you think that will work, they will not listen and worst of all will not act on anything unless it suits the agenda. 

The first couple of years you sit back and watch in astonishment as everything you and others suggest comes to fruition, after that you just become numb and blaze to it all and after that you kind of just pull up a deck chair and watch it all fall apart (which is happening at an accelrating rate now).

There is no initiative, no innovation and no active listening to the majority of the industry.

I find it humorous how so many in the industry are blaming the TAB for the state its in, yes they are a huge part of it, but our leadership in particular NZTR have had us on the road to destruction for years now. The last two leaders were at best incompetent , the current leader is out of his depth and probably taking poor advice.

The industry just refuses to make the correct changes that would enable it to have a future and just continues doing the same thing over and over again, despite the fact its proving to not work... but hey so long as they get their Karaka Millions Night everything in the industry is just wonderful ...right?

I really couldn't have put that better myself. I do find you lose interest very quickly when you realise how quickly things are deteriorating.

[Doomed]

3 hours ago, Freda said:

Where does the Timaru Cup sit?   it's bad enough that it has now been lobbed into an industry day.

It has always been on an industry day. They hate Timaru for some reason. But if they offered to go to Riccarton they would suddenly have a feature day just like Banks Pen and Waikouaiti, but fewer people on course just like those other two. All too silly for words really.

I bet they are praying Ashburton doesn't have any problems. There is no plan B if Riccarton and Ashburton are both out of action.

[Newmarket]

I went to Motukarara yesterday with a group of about 20 people, most follow and are are involved in gallops. 
They all commented how well the day was organised, unlimited byo grog  yet crowd well behaved, in fact they are returning on the 8th instead of looking around for a gallops meeting. They are pretty pissed off with the Riccarton Cup Day debacle, and 3 that are members are not renewing membership this year. 
 

Just goes to show, they had a record crowd yesterday, all there to watch probably the most average bunch of horses I have seen race at a Xmas meeting. 

[Doomed]

7 hours ago, Newmarket said:

I went to Motukarara yesterday with a group of about 20 people, most follow and are are involved in gallops. 
They all commented how well the day was organised, unlimited byo grog  yet crowd well behaved, in fact they are returning on the 8th instead of looking around for a gallops meeting. They are pretty pissed off with the Riccarton Cup Day debacle, and 3 that are members are not renewing membership this year. 
 

Just goes to show, they had a record crowd yesterday, all there to watch probably the most average bunch of horses I have seen race at a Xmas meeting. 

Quality not quantity. For that type of racing people want to see competitive racing with good divis, not $1.10 favs.

[Doomed]

4 Timaru trained winners at Kurow today I see. That's not part of the grand plan; makes Riccarton look bad.  Better close them down as quick as possible before they cause anymore embarrassment.

[Freda]

40 minutes ago, Doomed said:

4 Timaru trained winners at Kurow today I see. That's not part of the grand plan; makes Riccarton look bad.  Better close them down as quick as possible before they cause anymore embarrassment.

I came in not long ago to watch...my thoughts exactly.

[Special Agent]

Although I love Kurow why is it that this once a year venue is okay to stay over the likes of Timaru?

[Doomed]

24 minutes ago, Special Agent said:

Although I love Kurow why is it that this once a year venue is okay to stay over the likes of Timaru?

None of us know the answer to that one. Even Waikouaiti was favoured over Timaru originally, but they changed their mind on that one: the only time they have changed their mind on anything.

[Doomed]

An interesting piece of bias coming up tomorrow as well. 22 noms for a matamata race, but they are happy to split it into 2 races. Timaru by contrast had a race with 25 noms, but no chance of splitting that. I'm amazed the trainers assn never comments on such things. They split a northern race a few days before Xmas and ended up with 5 starters in one of them. You can see why people have largely given up.

[Special Agent]

11 hours ago, Huey said:

I suspect youv'e had little to do with them SA if you think that will work, they will not listen and worst of all will not act on anything unless it suits the agenda. 

The industry just refuses to make the correct changes that would enable it to have a future and just continues doing the same thing over and over again, despite the fact its proving to not work... but hey so long as they get their Karaka Millions Night everything in the industry is just wonderful ...right?

I know exactly what those in charge are like.  That does not mean you should give up on what you believe.  You owe it to the industry you are a part of to persist.

Children would not have chuckled along to the words of Dr Seuss and imagine the world without Harry Potter had their respective authors given up after almost 30 rejections.

NASA failed about 20 times to launch craft into space, Henry Ford went bankrupt 5 times before founding the Ford Motor Company, Michael Jordan wasn't considered good enough for his school basketball team ..... etc.

To talk to like minded (and not so like minded) people is great but, without action nothing will change much.  If you have tried and you are now tired gee up someone with energy and possibly youth to take up the baton.  I'd have to be dead to stop pulling a shirt tail or two.

[Doomed]

Interestingly, about 30 years ago if those in charge were incompetent the various clubs and industry bodies would have come together and done something about it. It appears to me, without really knowing any of the people concerned, that that level of industry management is now fairly impotent and not really engaged. So there are just no checks on incompetent and possibly corrupt upper management. It's a terrible and unfortunate combination.

[Special Agent]

There were a couple of industry meetings about that time span back.  One was the Summit Meeting, I can't remember the name of the other one.

[curious]

7 hours ago, Special Agent said:

There were a couple of industry meetings about that time span back.  One was the Summit Meeting, I can't remember the name of the other one.

Might have been the Valley Meeting SA? Seems that must have prevailed given the direction of the industry ever since.

[Freda]

9 hours ago, Doomed said:

Interestingly, about 30 years ago if those in charge were incompetent the various clubs and industry bodies would have come together and done something about it. It appears to me, without really knowing any of the people concerned, that that level of industry management is now fairly impotent and not really engaged. So there are just no checks on incompetent and possibly corrupt upper management. It's a terrible and unfortunate combination.

I think - and only my understanding, others may have more factual info - that when the 2003 Racing Act came into being, the old Racing Conference became NZTR, with 'corporate' management.   What the industry needs, we were told, was a modern, professional administration.  Get out of the dark ages.  All that stuff.

But, under the old club delegate/ district committee system, at least there were opportunities, at local level, to discuss with club members issues that were of concern.  There were still complaints, of course, the bigger clubs had more leverage with their greater number of racedays.

But at least there was a chance to interact.  Since the 'flash harry' sorts got into the driving seat, things have gone downhill at an ever increasing rate.

You can contact individual people, and some [ a few ] are very good,  but as one told me recently, sorry, I can't help you there, I don't play in that sandpit.     Generally it is hard to even get an answer on the phone,  emails go unanswered,  so where does one turn?  The Trainers' Assn?  heavily loaded towards the Waikato mafia..  Breeders? hardly.

So where then?  

[curious]

I was talking to a gentleman last night who I am about to race a horse with next year. Hadn't seen him in a decade. I said "Do you remember me?" "Yes" he said. "We had a number of conversations back then about where the industry was headed and what needed to happen". "Yes we did and what has happened?" "Exactly what we said would" he said. He's now in his late 80s. Only further comment he made is in line with Freda's comments above. "We needed elected representation. It's all been done by appointment. Never could work".

[Chief Stipe]

34 minutes ago, curious said:

Only further comment he made is in line with Freda's comments above. "We needed elected representation. It's all been done by appointment. Never could work".

Does "elected representation" work any better?

[Doomed]

6 minutes ago, Chief Stipe said:

Does "elected representation" work any better?

I think asking the house cow to wag its tail to indicate yes or no would work better than the current lot, so surely electing representatives who actually know something about racing would have to be better than the current system.

[KickintheKods]

The current lot in Petone are sadly lacking in any "racing reality mentality". Many are from many years of previous Government department roles which immediately stagnates any original thought initiative.  

It's a sad situation which is becoming more transparent by the day. 

Dim and direct less dullards running a once great industry into the dirt.

 

[Special Agent]

4 hours ago, Chief Stipe said:

Does "elected representation" work any better?

I would have thought ideas and people from within the industry must be better all round.  Trying to stay positive, I have to point out that even reps from each sector group do tend to have their own agendas and it takes special leadership to keep them on common ground and working together towards a better outcome for all.

It's like getting a below average horse with behavioural problems to train.  You have to work with what you have to bring out the best it can produce.  As many a battling trainer will tell you these horses take some outside the box thinking, mostly keeping them healthy and happy, and staying within the rules.

The corporate bods spoken about above have replaced good people at club and provincial level who really love racing for what it was and should still be.  These corporates are selfish like most who work for a wage and will be paid no matter what, until their contract ends.  All trainers and jockeys to pick just two of the sector groups, successful or with limited results (we all know how fickle form can be), run a business and are absolutely reliant on every decision made on their behalf.

So, I think my answer to your question is mostly yes.  Of course it depends upon the quality of elected representation so, choose wisely.  Cutting edge ideas will not come from crusty overpaid cronies, or Flash Harry's either.  Too much over thinking and not enough common sense, as has been said on here over and over.  Most horses that perform when moved into a new environment either do so from kindness, or a smack around the arse.

[KickintheKods]

Well said 99.

I agree with the vast majority of what you have written. Your point about leadership is the most salient one, in my humble opinion. In recent times, the man at the top has been a licorice assortment of Australian rejects, and everyone of them were totally bloody useless. 

At least we now have a Kiwi who has had a bit of pedigree in the game, who is approachable and listens and seems, to all intent to want to bring about some change.

His problem is convincing the dullards in Petone that change is good - they have been brain washed, after years of working in a government bullshit bubble, that change is not necessary to keep the tax churn budget on target. Ask any of them to point out the Dock on a horse, and they would be all at sea. They wouldn't have a clue.

I like your positivity and I hope it rubs off on many of the younger members of the industry.

This old dog has lost his zest for NZ racing. My tail wags when the Aussie maiden races are worth $24,000.

 

Edited December 31, 2022 by KickintheKods

[Chief Stipe]

4 hours ago, Special Agent said:

All trainers and jockeys to pick just two of the sector groups, successful or with limited results (we all know how fickle form can be), run a business and are absolutely reliant on every decision made on their behalf.

In my opinion both Trainers and Jockeys have had ample opportunity to collectively drive  change.  Trainers especially however they are driven by self interest, lack vision and balls to act collectively.  Hence they get what they deserved.

South Island race programming is a case in point.