Foxton Trials ???

[nomates]

Just had a friend tell me they seen on Facebook that Entain were stopping live commentaries at the Foxton trials and would just dub it on later .

Are things really going that bad ???

They relay the trials live in Aus but here you have to commentate your own trial if your there .

Anybody heard this rumour .

[scooby3051]

This is nonsense if its true...WT absolute F

[nomates]

Just now, scooby3051 said:

This is nonsense if its true...WT absolute F

It was Facebook so as reliable as a Trump press release .

[scooby3051]

I am a committee member of Foxton Racing Club. We don’t hold races but we do hold most of in the Central Districts.

I was extremely dismayed to hear this week that Entain has decided there will be no commentator at trials in the future. Trials will now be commentated from the central location and voice over the film from the trials.

So now owners and trainers will be coming to the trials and watching the horses run in absolute silence. What are commentators really costing Entain? $400 or $500 a time? And no travel costs for Justin Evans as he lives in Foxton.

Just another kick in the guts for central districts racing.

I thought NZTR was running racing in New Zealand but obviously not it looks like Entain will be running the whole shooting match. This is my own opinion and not that of the entire Foxton Racing Club committee.

[SameOld]

All trials, harness and gallops. Not just Foxton

[scooby3051]

Geez budget must be tight need to pay all the extra staff so much but the industry participants get screwed properly as usual.

 

[nomates]

7 minutes ago, SameOld said:

All trials, harness and gallops. Not just Foxton

What EVEN the Northern ones ??

If true then we really are becoming amateur faster than I thought .

And be sure of one thing , when Entain says jump NZTR ask how high .

[nomates]

1 minute ago, scooby3051 said:

Geez budget must be tight need to pay all the extra staff so much but the industry participants get screwed properly as usual.

 

IF budgetary constraints are the reason then turnover must really be struggling , doesn't auger well for the future , especially the end of Entains 5year contract .

[chiknsmack]

There's nothing to stop Justin wandering down to the track and calling the trials for those oncourse, unless he's worried he'll get the sack for moonlighting (and if Entain/NZTR are being this stingy there's a chance they're looking for excuses to sack all the callers bar one and have that one call all races from a studio). If Justin isn't keen on calling for a hundy or a box of beers, it's a great opportunity for anyone who wants to give racecalling a go to rock up. Presumably the club have permission to use their own sound system at their own event for the benefit of those oncourse; Trackside can mute the raw audio and dub their own calls over the top so it's no skin off their nose.

[Insider]

Reduce the number of the people in the Studio on racedays. 

Problem solved. 
 

 

[nomates]

8 minutes ago, Insider said:

Reduce the number of the people in the Studio on racedays. 

Problem solved. 
 

 

They're working on it , Jaynes leaving .

[Tesio]

But NZTR are working towards a ‘Global Reputation for Excellence’…….what a joke, i look forward to a reduction in my trial fees.

[We're Doomed]

3 minutes ago, Tesio said:

But NZTR are working towards a ‘Global Reputation for Excellence’…….what a joke, i look forward to a reduction in my trial fees.

Half way there. They already have a global reputation.

[gubellini]

Tony Lee lives in Foxton. Jason Teaz has offered to call the Trials if the Foxton Club pay his travel expenses.

[coro fan]

It is a part a horse gaining education and experience, going to the trials and hearing the loudspeakers! 

[SingaporeSling]

40 minutes ago, coro fan said:

It is a part a horse gaining education and experience, going to the trials and hearing the loudspeakers! 

Good point Coro fan, maybe they are looking for trainers to use future technology  for experience ha 

[Grey Ghost]

Rumour on the street is Tony Lee will be back calling at Foxton trials

[stodge]

Serious question from 13,000 miles away - for whom do the commentators or callers work? Are they self-employed or do they work for NZTR?

Over here, the race commentators work for Race Tech which is owned by the racecourses and provides all the infrastructure for a day's racing from the stalls, stalls handlers, photo finish equipment, judges etc, etc.

Race Tech

Race Tech provides the pictures seen by the Stewards as well as pictures for terrestrial and satellite television.

 

[Toblerone]

I strongly suspect this decision is due to a couple of harness trials commentators that are well, well below the acceptable standard.

What I don't understand is, the commentators are usually paid by the clubs, so it can't be be a cost-cutting exercise.

[Zakhu]

What makes this even more absurde is the fact Justin Evans, who calls the Foxton trials, actually lives in Foxton. So, he would only have to travel about 5-10 minutes to get there. Hardly a driving cost at all. It's not like he lives 3-4 hours away and then the decision would be somewhat more understandable.

[Farnarkler]

16 hours ago, gubellini said:

Tony Lee lives in Foxton. Jason Teaz has offered to call the Trials if the Foxton Club pay his travel expenses.

Easy solution, have a whip around each trial day and I bet ALL the participants would throw in and pay Jason T's travel exes........in appreciation, they CANT sack Jason, you can't kill someone twice.

[Zakhu]

Surely it will either be Tony or Justin. I saw Tony at the recent trials at Foxton and was in great spriits.

[JTeaz]

On 1/10/2026 at 4:06 PM, chiknsmack said:

There's nothing to stop Justin wandering down to the track and calling the trials for those oncourse, unless he's worried he'll get the sack for moonlighting (and if Entain/NZTR are being this stingy there's a chance they're looking for excuses to sack all the callers bar one and have that one call all races from a studio). If Justin isn't keen on calling for a hundy or a box of beers, it's a great opportunity for anyone who wants to give racecalling a go to rock up. Presumably the club have permission to use their own sound system at their own event for the benefit of those oncourse; Trackside can mute the raw audio and dub their own calls over the top so it's no skin off their nose.

Would happily call any trials as long as my costs were covered. Have offered to call trials in the Waikato for free but was rejected 

[Zakhu]

32 minutes ago, JTeaz said:

Would happily call any trials as long as my costs were covered. Have offered to call trials in the Waikato for free but was rejected 

Have you been asked to call at Foxton Jason?

[JTeaz]

27 minutes ago, Zakhu said:

Have you been asked to call at Foxton Jason?

No. And i dont expect to be