Southland...AGAIN!

[howrude 108]

An ongoing issue! Badja Bale copped the worst of it, didn't look too happy jumping back over the fence... Cross is going to have a blast!

Hope Badja Bale is alright!!!

As a punter, I am pissed off, but as a trainer, I am outraged!! Faulty tracks causing injuries.

Why hasn't this issue been? It almost seems like the lure breaks down every meeting...

[howrude 108]

An ongoing issue! Badja Bale copped the worst of it, didn't look too happy jumping back over the fence... Cross is going to have a blast!

Hope Badja Bale is alright!!!

As a punter, I am pissed off, but as a trainer, I am outraged!! Faulty tracks causing injuries.

Why hasn't this issue been? It almost seems like the lure breaks down every meeting...

Why hasn't this issue been RESOLVED!?

[GONSTA 1,148]

Amazing in the modern age, we can go to the moon, put cameras on Mars, cure certain diseases, yet Invercargill can't get a freiking lure to work for 500m. Someone needs to be held accountable. Simply not good enough

[Luke Philips 1]

This is just beyond a joke, and to see a dog clearly badly injured as a result of incompetence by Invercargill disgust's me!

I will never race my dog down there again until something is done to resurrect a clear problem the club has.

We have had enough excuses, time for heads to roll.

[howrude 108]

Like I said above, If Aaron Cross was to see this, he would be having the time of his life!!! Writing up blogs, articles for some newspaper even appearances on Campbell Live.. If nothing can be done, simply, can racing down there!!!

NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!

[jasonmccook 26]

Like I said above, If Aaron Cross was to see this, he would be having the time of his life!!! Writing up blogs, articles for some newspaper even appearances on Campbell Live.. If nothing can be done, simply, can racing down there!!!

NOT GOOD ENOUGH!!!

Looks like trainers given the option to scratch and many have

[howrude 108]

Yes Jason, and many big name trainers as well! Good to see. No action will take place unless "action has taken place" if you understand that...

I mean, nobody will do anything about it until these big name trainers make a move, where they have in withdrawing their puppies from the race.

Good on them I say!

[Slim Shady 479]

Awesome to see that sum of those trainer's chose to scratch their dog's instead of risking serious injury. I believe that by doing this it will now end in serious action being taken. The TAB would of been burnt bigtime by these late scratchings and wouldn't mind betting they have no plan's of pouring valueable resource's into a race track that has major issue's. Kiss goodbye to Southland dog track until they can prove beyond all doubt that the bunny can go round more than 12 times without crapping out.

[jasonmccook 26]

Awesome to see that sum of those trainer's chose to scratch their dog's instead of risking serious injury. I believe that by doing this it will now end in serious action being taken. The TAB would of been burnt bigtime by these late scratchings and wouldn't mind betting they have no plan's of pouring valueable resource's into a race track that has major issue's. Kiss goodbye to Southland dog track until they can prove beyond all doubt that the bunny can go round more than 12 times without crapping out.

SURELY THEY WILL SHUT IT DOWN UNTIL THEY GET THEIR CRAP TOGETHER. COME ON NZGRA PULL FINGER

[laadeedaa 0]

Let's open a book. $50 GRNZ does not do a single thing and Southland does not loose a meeting. Your leaders will not do a thing because thes a bloke down there on the board!

[Slim Shady 479]

Let's open a book. $50 GRNZ does not do a single thing and Southland does not loose a meeting. Your leaders will not do a thing because thes a bloke down there on the board!

With all the negative publicity hanging over the sport at present they would be very very unwise not to act, time will tell I suppose. Any ounce of faith I've got in them will be lost if they don't act. There's just no excuse for this to continue week in week out.

[street king 0]

Who's the lps rep are they going to tell us whats going on.On a better note I see everyone had nice clean shoes so we are going the right way.Oh yeah and the palmy lure Dam poor dog king hit that.They tell me they have done not one thing after someone said something 3 weeks ago.Big thumbs up to the stipes .Really peoples hands should shake when they take there pay at the end on the week.

[gr8k9z 0]

Something needs to be done. Why is it taking this long?

A petition to go to the NZGRA board?

I have no idea what the lps can do other than request for change through their rep or by letters and phone calls directly to NZGRA.

Whats the southland committee think about this? Surely they're concerned??

Maybe, trainers should stop nominating their dogs... Maybe

[Cooked The Book 0]

Yeah I feel for poor bloody Badja. Did he really deserve this??

Just a joke to be honest. I got off my arse a few months ago and wrote to the NZGRA asking what they were going to be doing about the continual shambles at Southalnd and for the palce to be shut down until they could be guaranteed a race meeting would be run without fail only to be assured that Southland have worked bloody hard on fixing the problem.

This has happened to many times and inevitably a dog has paid the ultimate price.

I sent my note back to them not more than an hour ago so will be very interested in the reply I get.

Shut the place down and **** the Board member who is affiliated to Southland. Shame on you Southland for letting this happen time and time again and even more shame on our NZGRA and Board who have allowed you to let it happen again.

Sad day for greyhound racing.

Cheers, Davey Boy.

[Jamie May 0]

Would have to agree with all the comments in this thread. I am sick and tired of the Invercargill shambles, time the NZGRA pulled finger and done something about it.

[kingman 3]

The NZGRA have got me stuffed, they were always going to close tracks like Hutt Park down, come hell or high weather !! ... But just ignore the crap that occurs in Southland.

What's their game ?????

They couldn't organise a piss up in a pub.

Why doesn't this phantom Racing Integrity unit do something ???

[D'Bandross 1]

"Today racing enthusiasts, on more than one online forum, talked about how the lure stopped suddenly in a race and how a greyhound called Badja Bale crashed into it severely which resulted in his death afterwards. However on the official greyhound racing website, they declared that this dog is now "retired". This is the level of honesty that we deal with from the New Zealand racing industry. They are too ashamed to tell the truth, they know the public wont wear it, they know they commit animal cruelty on a daily basis, instead of working for a living. So they have now resorted to lying. This is not the first time.

This is the integrity of New Zealand's greyhound racing industry, or rather absolute lack of."

A further comment from the same author.

"Accountability will come the day we shut them down Phillipa. Just like the USA, dog racing is a fast dying industry, and with good reason."

Please do not misinterpret my post. Would it not make more sense to organise a meeting with Wellington, and put any concerns directly to those that can affect change? This forum won't do that.

[D'Bandross 1]

Something needs to be done. Why is it taking this long?

Maybe, trainers should stop nominating their dogs... Maybe

Awesome suggestion.

Either take a delegation to Wellington or stop nominating. There are choices here.

[debo 0]

This happens almost every week there and now a dog dies !! how sad . Something has got to be done about this, if i owned Badja Bale i'd irate .

[merv o brien 152]

What an absolute prick of a day,its time Southland forfeited there license as it appears that they cannot present the track in a safe manner which i thought was a requirement to hold a race meeting.

Feel very sorry for all concerned and of course Badja Bale.Its midnight and im still waiting for Alison to get home,poor girl long way to go for nothing

[D'Bandross 1]

What an absolute prick of a day,its time Southland forfeited there license as it appears that they cannot present the track in a safe manner which i thought was a requirement to hold a race meeting.

Feel very sorry for all concerned and of course Badja Bale.Its midnight and im still waiting for Alison to get home,poor girl long way to go for nothing

I too have deep sympathy for the family's loss. I totally understand the level of anger surrounding today's meeting. I have read much about the day's events on this and other forums. All of it negative on many levels.

My questions for you Merv are, can a solution be found that is acceptable to all? Would this solution have majority support, and could it be implemented quickly?

[aquaman 1,352]

Awesome suggestion.

Either take a delegation to Wellington or stop nominating. There are choices here.

Waste of time not nominating, Greyhound racing is full of scabs.

[aquaman 1,352]

What an absolute prick of a day,its time Southland forfeited there license as it appears that they cannot present the track in a safe manner which i thought was a requirement to hold a race meeting.

Feel very sorry for all concerned and of course Badja Bale.Its midnight and im still waiting for Alison to get home,poor girl long way to go for nothing

At least she showed principle and remained staunch. While on Southland, its not only their useless lure and running gear but also their useless boxes. Place needs to be shut down, let them have some non totes for 6 months so as to prove they are capable of being entrusted to run a full TAB meeting.

[D'Bandross 1]

At least she showed principle and remained staunch. While on Southland, its not only their useless lure and running gear but also their useless boxes. Place needs to be shut down, let them have some non totes for 6 months so as to prove they are capable of being entrusted to run a full TAB meeting.

and transfer the licenses to another track, could that track bare the load given that you are currently running two meetings a day in some instances? Can the present schedule accommodate the extra races that would need to be carded? Could a stand alone meeting be worked into the present racing schedule? Would a trackside crew be available on a different day to broadcast?

If the surface isn't an issue and the problem is with the equipment, could replacements be acquired and installed quickly? There are a raft of obstacles which need to be surmounted before a track closure could even be considered.

As for trainers supporting a temporary boycott that would be an individual choice, but every owner has a say in where their dog runs. If there is a safety concern then why risk racing on the track? There is a choice. A solution needs to be found, a workable alternative must be offered up. Screaming WTF and pull your head in isn't going to achieve anything.

[merv o brien 152]

Southland has had more than enough opportunity to solve the issues which keep recurring far to frequently.

Luckily the club president was at a RIU meeting,as after the snow affair several months ago the stipe wanted to scratch without any penalty but the club president made it clear that anyone scratching will recieve 28 days and a fine. Thank God for that RIU meeting in Wellington or you would suspect that the club president would be once again flexing his "pecks" demanding 28 day standown and a nice little fine to boot for all those who withdrew yesterday.

Clearly its time that this industry takes a very serious look at taking power from the clubs and giving the NZGRA Board complete control of the industry as some clubs are making decisions and actions that could bring the Greyhound Industry to its knees and some are making a very good job of it...

It has to be time for "Change"