Major Changes Ahead

[Philocon 1]

Ok i sincerely apologise Jape, i did read it wrong but i have a real problem when people say that travel is too far going south as i see the trainers get paid a good renumeration on the travel costs from owners, in my mind some get paid to much you add up the money involved with the public trainers when costs at their choice and possibly owners amounts to on average 70 +dollars to travel to the lower end south per dog you see why i call it the (gravey train ) good on them they may deserve it. thats not my point. Look at the trainers that have moved south to cater for less travel and live between Omaru and Dunedin they deserve some recogintion for there pro active thinking to cut their costs, and have brought as many as 50 greyhounds with them and i am sure they would be devasted if not decimated financelly wise. The work done over the years by people from the South who struggle with costs to travel and to entice new people into the industry cant ever be a real go as their dates are few and far between. Also uncertanty with the industry direction doesnt help them plan theiR future structure . It was suggested to me i wasnt a kiwi, i am deplored that this trivial Kiwi V Aussie crap is consistently thrown in my face and others, i am not a Kiwi my 16 year old daughter has lived all her life in this country and has represented New Zealand in athletics. I coach 40 athletes at the moment 3 of them are overseas competing against Australia this Thursday in Sydney . Possibly 2 will go onto represent their country in the year 2016 rio olympics i am comitted to do 4 night 3hours a sesion coaching a week at no cost only to myself and my choice. Watch for their names Rebbeca Greene and Anna_lisa Utterley in the future, at the moment they are so good all the American UNIVERSITYS want them when they leave high school. So how many Kiws have done anything from this industry that makes them more entitled to call New Zealand my home beside my wife most know is a Kiwi, So you see that people that have their own agendas and selfishness in any thing to improving the lot of KIWIS will bring anything down not just greyhound racing, i know the reference was meant to be a joke but in my mind thats kiwis weakness rip into everyone at the cost of being a smartarse when Rome was burning i believed he fiddled well this person needs to leave his or her fiddling alone and do their job they are being paid for and to all the other people from the South i am amazed that no one has come on here and voiced their opinion against or for whats happening. anyway i have said my bit. Like all imports i am Aussie bred will allways be Aussie but i choose to live here but at times i wonder CHeers Jim

I am surprised that the discussion re another track in the northern southern region, or downgrading or losing existing racing in the deep south has been so one sided with little input from those down there who might feel they are adversely affected or otherwise. Any new venue is going to have an effect on existing ones and not always positive. Has the demise of greyhound and harness racing tracks in Wellington been a good thing for CD racing? You'd be hard pressed to argue it has.

In fact there doesn't seem to have been a lot of thought go into this apart from the travelling factor for people in the north. Not having a local focal point is not good as regards encouraging interest among potential new owners and punters & retaining existing ones; irrespective of the advances in improved communications, Trackside TV, internet and phone betting etc.

I would hope the comments re your origin were flippant and not intended to be taken seriously, I know mine were (flippant that is) and would hate to see this forum descend into even the mildest form of xenophobia.

Immigrants can be like converts, they can become even more fanatically supportive of their adopted country because unlike those of us born here who had no choice, they have made a conscious choice because they wanted to come here. (I have the reverse view of all our in-laws - I had no choice but to be born in to my family but you'd have to be nuts to have deliberately chosen to join it).

Some British immigrants used to refer to England as "the mother country" but that was only because Nelson began his famous speech to his men before the Battle of Trafalgar with the words "England expects..." (although he never told them when she was due).

No one still has addressed how we counter the issues originally raised (assuming people are not entirely comfortable with them, then again perhaps they are?) namely the possible demise of dual code meetings; restriction of NZ greyhound meetings to no more than 12 races per meeting;break between races being 18 minutes.

Also if people are unhappy with the proposed changes and if as Mike D suggests that the impetus for change is coming from above GRNZ not the Board itself how do we ensure that any proposed adverse changes are modified or even stopped and only genuinely beneficial ones are those that get through? - or at least try to.

Getting fired up over possible new tracks in the northern southern region or closing local tracks in the deep south seems like a red herring given the original posts and hasn't really helped address the original questions. In fact it has diverted the discussion and hindered it. While maybe worthy of discussion, it is probably a topic for a separate thread.

[Jape 344]

You ask, terryc, how the CGRC is going to be more affected. As I see it there are at least 3 major changes:

1. For a number of seasons now we have had 48 or 49 Tuesdays. In the current draft I understand there are 11. On most Tuesdays we run 20 races, and occasionally 15. Under the new policy 12 will be the maximum.

2. For a number of seasons we have had many dual-code meetings and this season there are 25. I understand the new policy is that there are to be none By the way, there is is some misinformation out there about Harness not wanting dual-codes. This is not the case. Right back at the beginning, about 11 years ago, there was some apprehension on their part but this has gradually dissipated and things have been quite harmonious for some seasons.

3. The CGRC pays a rental to the Met of $1550 per meeting, irrespective of the number of races. Under the new policy this would appear to mean that the CGRC will be paying a considerably greater amount for rental over the whole season.

These are very significant changes.

[Jape 344]

As alway (i.e. nearly always), Philocon, you are on the mark here. We have been getting sidetracked and should be focussing on these projected changes.

[terryc 0]

You ask, terryc, how the CGRC is going to be more affected. As I see it there are at least 3 major changes:

1. For a number of seasons now we have had 48 or 49 Tuesdays. In the current draft I understand there are 11. On most Tuesdays we run 20 races, and occasionally 15. Under the new policy 12 will be the maximum.

2. For a number of seasons we have had many dual-code meetings and this season there are 25. I understand the new policy is that there are to be none By the way, there is is some misinformation out there about Harness not wanting dual-codes. This is not the case. Right back at the beginning, about 11 years ago, there was some apprehension on their part but this has gradually dissipated and things have been quite harmonious for some seasons.

3. The CGRC pays a rental to the Met of $1550 per meeting, irrespective of the number of races. Under the new policy this would appear to mean that the CGRC will be paying a considerably greater amount for rental over the whole season.

These are very significant changes.

question jape will there be an increase in races overall to cgrc, and are you sure there will be only 12 tuesday meetings

[mike dallas 1]

You ask, terryc, how the CGRC is going to be more affected. As I see it there are at least 3 major changes:

1. For a number of seasons now we have had 48 or 49 Tuesdays. In the current draft I understand there are 11. On most Tuesdays we run 20 races, and occasionally 15. Under the new policy 12 will be the maximum.

However Jape are you not well served by having another 12 races on Fridays starting at midday. Also there is 50 new meetings for the 2010/11 year of which you are well served.

2. For a number of seasons we have had many dual-code meetings and this season there are 25. I understand the new policy is that there are to be none By the way, there is is some misinformation out there about Harness not wanting dual-codes. This is not the case. Right back at the beginning, about 11 years ago, there was some apprehension on their part but this has gradually dissipated and things have been quite harmonious for some seasons.

There has always been a rumor that trots at chch did not like the dual coding, also if they bought in the 18 minute gap it would be awkward to cope with the timing between trot and dog races.

3. The CGRC pays a rental to the Met of $1550 per meeting, irrespective of the number of races. Under the new policy this would appear to mean that the CGRC will be paying a considerably greater amount for rental over the whole season.

Only because you have more dates and dual coding made costs per meeting for you considerably less than other clubs allowing you to build a good balance sheet. I also believe that all of this will be renegotiated as one racing concept will fail because of the unity between Trots and Greyhounds against it. On the other side of the coin we are hooked into the new channels in OZ and greyhounds are the cheapest product to operate and export, perhaps that is why all this shuffling and negotiating. As much as you say there is no more RIB new name same faces just mean same horse different rider.

These are very significant changes.

You now all have the new dates as you state perhaps clubs should have a meeting and thrash it all around and come to some sort of agreement and then put it to the powers to be whoever they are.

[Lion 0]

Jape

R the other 40 odd tuesdays going.

Lion.

[sea 0]

if you get your club president to take his club hat off and put his south island reps on and start doing something for south island racing we might get some where.

[caution 0]

You ask, terryc, how the CGRC is going to be more affected. As I see it there are at least 3 major changes:

1. For a number of seasons now we have had 48 or 49 Tuesdays. In the current draft I understand there are 11. On most Tuesdays we run 20 races, and occasionally 15. Under the new policy 12 will be the maximum.

2. For a number of seasons we have had many dual-code meetings and this season there are 25. I understand the new policy is that there are to be none By the way, there is is some misinformation out there about Harness not wanting dual-codes. This is not the case. Right back at the beginning, about 11 years ago, there was some apprehension on their part but this has gradually dissipated and things have been quite harmonious for some seasons.

3. The CGRC pays a rental to the Met of $1550 per meeting, irrespective of the number of races. Under the new policy this would appear to mean that the CGRC will be paying a considerably greater amount for rental over the whole season.

These are very significant changes.

these are 3 changes for the club but south island trainers i think will have many more major problems if these date are set in stone. south island to have around 36 races and in the cd + north to have around 60. on last count 700 odd race dogs in the south 800 odd in the north ?????

[Philocon 1]

if you get your club president to take his club hat off and put his south island reps on and start doing something for south island racing we might get some where.

Comment like that seem to not only explain the problem but are probably a major part of the problem.

Surely the debate is about what we all can do to get the message across to the right people and get some change, not sitting waiting for, or, expecting someone else to do it for us.

Irrespective of the past baggage in any of the clubs and their officers, or what we think they should be doing, we should be talking about what we can do as LPs, clubs and club members etc.

Mike suggested that as clubs now appear to have the new dates perhaps the clubs "should have a meeting and thrash it all around and come to some sort of agreement and then put it to the powers to be whoever they are." Lps and especially club members can push their club officers, board and committee members etc to raise the issue and get something moving quickly. Waiting, watching and complaining is a sure way to create self fulfilling prophecies & can give a smug feeling of satisfaction ("I told you so" or "I knew they were useless") later but doesn't really change anything - in fact almost guarantees that what we don't want to happen will happen.

[Jape 344]

these are 3 changes for the club but south island trainers i think will have many more major problems if these date are set in stone. south island to have around 36 races and in the cd + north to have around 60. on last count 700 odd race dogs in the south 800 odd in the north ?????

A very good point, caution. The proposed situation simply does not make sense.

[Jape 344]

question jape will there be an increase in races overall to cgrc, and are you sure there will be only 12 tuesday meetings

I have been told there were 11 Tuesdays next season for Addington. I have not seen the Draft but I understand our CEO received this today.

I find a great irony in the CGRC losing so many Tuesdays after the Assn pushed us away once from this day, then back again. Now, after the Club has made a success of them for the code, the owners and trainers, with the 20 race programmes, the dual-code meetings, it's virtually kaput.

Further irony: for years we have endeavoured to get the Tuesdays broadcast on UHF as well as digital. No joy whatsoever. Now I gather all days are going to be on both. Amazing.

[Jape 344]

Thanks m8 I have a history in Athletics i have coached a Commonwealth GAMES winner, and i get great satisfaction from the young ones efforts for them > cheers Jim

Well done, Greyhoundrunner, with your work in athletics and I will keep an eye open for the athletes named.

There are fewer selfless tasks in sport than coaching athletics and I admire you for the dedication involved. I have paid my dues in that field and know just what is required.

Well done.

[Greyhoundrunner 0]

Well done, Greyhoundrunner, with your work in athletics and I will keep an eye open for the athletes named.

There are fewer selfless tasks in sport than coaching athletics and I admire you for the dedication involved. I have paid my dues in that field and know just what is required.

Well done.

Thankyou Jape. That is my first sport, much appreciated maybe we now have something in common to talk about and i promise not to bring up greyhounds. cheers Jim

[Philocon 1]

Well done, Greyhoundrunner, with your work in athletics and I will keep an eye open for the athletes named.

There are fewer selfless tasks in sport than coaching athletics and I admire you for the dedication involved. I have paid my dues in that field and know just what is required.

Well done.

I agree and having been a competitive athlete myself in my younger days sometime before the invention of sliced bread and just after the first ice age (or at least that's how long ago it seems now), I can say not always one of the easiest coaching tasks either. Individual athletes in a squad can sometimes be much harder to coach and reason with with individually than the collective culture & discipline that team sports have (apart from model student's like myself who never questioned the coach's advice, argued or caused problems that is......at least not when anyone was watchin' anyway). I know from my experience in a squad of the stronger middle distance and distance junior men in my club I ran for, our coach taught us to each measure our own pulse rate, take it morning and night to monitor our fitness levels & gave us each a notebook to record it in. During the week as we got fitter it was usually in the 50s to low 50s for most of us and got lower as we approached peak fitness. But every Sunday morning after the Saturday major events & their aftermaths, it would range from the high 70s to mid 80s. His unenviable task was then to get us back on track to ensure it returned to the 50s again and lower where it should be within the next few days. Not sure what caused that fluctuation on such a regular basis. Given it happened on Sunday mornings, maybe it was divine intervention.

I guess it also has its own rewards as well though but yes well done and keep it up.

[Greyhoundrunner 0]

I hear Jims daughter can out pace you now m8 seems shes a budding sprinter, and also seems to think that high jump is her future winning th schools event cheers Jim

[newbee 0]

Jape I liked going to the combind meetings at Cambridge and having had a trotter thought it worked out quite well when they were both in on the same night. But I also watch chch reg and do think that you would come across better to the public if you had your own facility like Auckland.

[terryc 0]

I have been told there were 11 Tuesdays next season for Addington. I have not seen the Draft but I understand our CEO received this today.

I find a great irony in the CGRC losing so many Tuesdays after the Assn pushed us away once from this day, then back again. Now, after the Club has made a success of them for the code, the owners and trainers, with the 20 race programmes, the dual-code meetings, it's virtually kaput.

Further irony: for years we have endeavoured to get the Tuesdays broadcast on UHF as well as digital. No joy whatsoever. Now I gather all days are going to be on both. Amazing.

has there been any further updates on dates for future meetings

[Greyhoundrunner 0]

has there been any further updates on dates for future meetings

I think the clubs have to look at the draft and then we may know something

Cheers Jim

[Philocon 1]

I hear Jims daughter can out pace you now m8 seems shes a budding sprinter, and also seems to think that high jump is her future winning th schools event cheers Jim

Sorry Jim took me a while to realise who you meant until I realised you meant my niece. Yes she is pretty quick and has a competitive take no prisoners approach which bodes well for the future. Mind you I was never a sprinter nor ever claimed to be, so she will far outshine anything I could do in that field. If she turns out to have stamina she could be a more than useful middle or long distance performer. With the abolition of amateurism there might be more money training her for a percentage of stake earnings than the greyhounds.