Leave racing clubs all over the place and rural... without the ability to pay for the skilled folk required to look after them. The world is always a changing place and fond memories of the past are great, but failing to replicate them does not make for fond memories in the future... have a look at the average age of our community minded folk who are keeping the current situation alive with their valued voluntary contributions. Where is the understory to come through that canopy?
Why not think of rural NZ communities with churches closing, banks gone, post offices gone, police gone, schools closed...you may see this as a bad thing, but it is a reality and racing not being a part of this movement means that the hole gets deeper and deeper each year for the future of racing. This is a technological age and the change in our rural communities has been obvious since 1950's - folk live where there is work and the old club structure with separate ownership and control is not serving the racing world that has to also move and adapt to the current world.
It is a Mulberry bush, until people who can make the overhaul required do it.
I don't have that ability so for my part, I will start to move my race horsing to Australia, as many others already have... where the rural racing communities are supported by the metropolitan racing that draws big crowds and big community/ marketing support. The costs over there are no longer significantly higher than here - but at least I can get a horse to the races and enjoy watching it in the comfort of my home.
Why wouldn't the genuis' move to Wellington when parochial thinking in the provinces is the best you can put forward... Let's hope some of them care about our breeding and racing industry!