Stratford loses prime 31st Dec. date

[foxycon 0]

In todays paper

http://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/sport/3443613/Stratford-loses-its-race-date

.

[THE TORCH 672]

Ridiculous.

Quote:

"My thoughts on that is that we want the Stratford Cup to be run at Stratford. The people of Stratford do not want the meeting to be run at New Plymouth. We know that. If we did go up there, TTR would want us to pay $10,000 rental, I imagine, and we've got a better course here than New Plymouth, so why should we go up there and race?

"We've got a good course here, a true stayers' course, that is under-utilised and we're trying to get more race days here."

Obviously there was too much common sense out of that statement. I know the NP committee are trying to keep everyone happy but what has happened here?? Could someone care to put their side of the story forward??

[Kloppite 318]

[Daveski 13]

The CJC and all south of it should be made to pay a similar price for their treachery toward the One Race ideal.

Which ideal is that zzz?

The one espoused in the original motion? The first amendment? Or the face saving third amendment that was not circulated prior to the meeting?

If racing is to move forward - and it needs to - you need to move on from blaming others and accept that there were major problems with the analysis, the presentation of the concept, and especially the management of the politics. I realise some of these people are close to you but that's where we need to start if the concept is to be revisited.

[Daveski 13]

Com'on zzz, drop the abuse and focus on the key issues here.

Yes, there is lot to like about One Racing. I've acknowledged this on multiple occasions.

But you miss my point. Those who presented it failed to do the job and rather than damning those who weren't prepared to vote for an amendment they hadn't seen previously, you need to take it on the chin that the One Racing public proponents made a mess of the politics. If the ideal hasn't changed, what does the mess with the motions tell you?

It tells me more that you ignore that part of the discussion and introduce irrelevant points to deflect the issue I raised.

[Properispomenon 1]

In Auckland we are preparing for a little sports event called the Rugby World Cup.

We can't agree how to schedule our entertainment based activities though because we have the waterfront which is controlled by the left wing ARC (Mike Lee), the Auckland City Council (John Banks) which is centre right C&R controlled, and federal government which is supposedly right wing but acts more centre left.

The 3 entities are tax payer funded (just as our codes are funded by a common source), one by taxes, 2 by rates, and they fight and bitch with each other, just as our codes do, refusing to co-operate with the inevitable consequence that we will have no 'party central' for the World Cup and the world will laugh at us because we fiddled as Rome burned.

I'm sorry you can't understand that ideal, but then again I have very low expectations when it comes to country/provincial racing administrators, and I still find I aim far too high.

As I said earlier, the sooner we get an iron fisted leader the better because sadly the little clubs like yours do, as they say in the metaphor, 'the tail wags the dog'.

I say you should not even be consulted on matters of such gravity, you should just be told what to do as you have far too much say and far too little vision.

Sometimes there's just too much 'democracy', I reckon, TPS...

All of this 'consultation' process rarely works.

Eventually it all boils down to a plain ol' first-past-the-post vote ... and yet the minorities will still bleat.

'We told them our views and they still outvoted us 90-to-10. Unfair!', e.g..

So why bother with the consultation, eh?

We have a citizen in Wellington - unemployed, on the benefit, living in a Council flat - who has made it 'his duty' to stall our duly-elected Council at every step. His latest action - a plea to some planning committee at a cost of over $70,000 to the rates-paying citizenry who voted this Council in - will mean that some innocuous plan about bus routing won't now happen until after the Rugby World Cup that it was designed to be in place for. He's been rumbled after bragging that he chooses to be unemployed but his one voice has effectively stymied the (again, duly-elected) Council's decision.

The Greens are particularly good at this. They 'won' 5% of the vote at the last election. Meaning, right?, that 19 New Zealanders in every 20 didn't want a bar of them. If I were Mr Key I'd be stressing this. Often. 'The people of New Zealand elected us to govern. In under 2 years they'll get a chance to judge us. Until then, our 55% of Parliament will govern. You and your 5% can go knit in the corner. Now, our votes on this bill come to 63. Where do your 6 votes go? Against? Oh, quelle surprise! Now, ain't democracy great?'

We needed - but didn't have - a Government last year to say 'Right, Auckland, your bickering is totally peeing us off. You will have a Waterfront Stadium - New Zealand needs a national stadium - and we are legislating for that tonight.You will have a Party Central and this is the one we have chosen. Go away and work out how you are gonna fund your share of the costs which we reckon is $x.'

If they'd have done that, I'd even have tolerated their naming it Helen Clark Stadium!

On Party Central, TPS, have you (or other fine citizens in the trade, so to speak, like yourself) been asked for any input?

That ginormous Rugby Ball by the Eiffel Tower for the 2007 Rugby World Cup was brilliant, for example. Of course, if that were proposed for Auckland in 2011 we'd have all the waterfront apartment owners bleating 'We can't see or views anymore!', the ARC saying 'We weren't consulted!' and John Banks saying 'My ego won't fit inside something that small'...

[Properispomenon 1]

....how did you get that silly bloody name?.

Well, Properispomenon was only my second choice of silly name...

My first choice - The Prodigal Son - had already been taken...

[Daveski 13]

As for your analogy, One Racing is a jumps race. Surely it's better to clear the first fence safely than plough through the first in front of the stand?

[Contentious 616]

I could remind you of a bit of cricket/golf vernacular, "it ain't how, it's how many that counts".

.

Is that one of Tiger's quotes?

[Stig 0]

Be very careful Proper....how did you get that silly bloody name?

Anyway you're clearly intelligent, and you show ample common sense, and that puts you in a very small marginalised minority here.

In answer to your question yes I have a role in the 'party central' planning but it's incredibly frustrating and I've pretty much walked away from it all.

I thought your comments above were very accurate, they had resonance with anyone blessed with intelligence, and probably sum up why the majority have a right not to know and not to be listened to.

What a load of drivel, the only reason you've pulled your head in is because you were told by Guy and/or Alice that you were hindering, not helping. Don't make yourself out to be a mover and shaker zzz, you're an embarassment

[Stig 0]

Ridiculous.

Quote:

"My thoughts on that is that we want the Stratford Cup to be run at Stratford. The people of Stratford do not want the meeting to be run at New Plymouth. We know that. If we did go up there, TTR would want us to pay $10,000 rental, I imagine, and we've got a better course here than New Plymouth, so why should we go up there and race?

"We've got a good course here, a true stayers' course, that is under-utilised and we're trying to get more race days here."

Obviously there was too much common sense out of that statement. I know the NP committee are trying to keep everyone happy but what has happened here?? Could someone care to put their side of the story forward??

Old news, Guy neede Taranakis vote to get re-elected so promised them this prime date in return for their vote. It was raised on a thread a month ago

[Freda 0]

Sometimes there's just too much 'democracy', I reckon, TPS...

All of this 'consultation' process rarely works.

Eventually it all boils down to a plain ol' first-past-the-post vote ... and yet the minorities will still bleat.

'We told them our views and they still outvoted us 90-to-10. Unfair!', e.g..

So why bother with the consultation, eh?

We have a citizen in Wellington - unemployed, on the benefit, living in a Council flat - who has made it 'his duty' to stall our duly-elected Council at every step. His latest action - a plea to some planning committee at a cost of over $70,000 to the rates-paying citizenry who voted this Council in - will mean that some innocuous plan about bus routing won't now happen until after the Rugby World Cup that it was designed to be in place for. He's been rumbled after bragging that he chooses to be unemployed but his one voice has effectively stymied the (again, duly-elected) Council's decision.

The Greens are particularly good at this. They 'won' 5% of the vote at the last election. Meaning, right?, that 19 New Zealanders in every 20 didn't want a bar of them. If I were Mr Key I'd be stressing this. Often. 'The people of New Zealand elected us to govern. In under 2 years they'll get a chance to judge us. Until then, our 55% of Parliament will govern. You and your 5% can go knit in the corner. Now, our votes on this bill come to 63. Where do your 6 votes go? Against? Oh, quelle surprise! Now, ain't democracy great?'

We needed - but didn't have - a Government last year to say 'Right, Auckland, your bickering is totally peeing us off. You will have a Waterfront Stadium - New Zealand needs a national stadium - and we are legislating for that tonight.You will have a Party Central and this is the one we have chosen. Go away and work out how you are gonna fund your share of the costs which we reckon is $x.'

If they'd have done that, I'd even have tolerated their naming it Helen Clark Stadium!

On Party Central, TPS, have you (or other fine citizens in the trade, so to speak, like yourself) been asked for any input?

That ginormous Rugby Ball by the Eiffel Tower for the 2007 Rugby World Cup was brilliant, for example. Of course, if that were proposed for Auckland in 2011 we'd have all the waterfront apartment owners bleating 'We can't see or views anymore!', the ARC saying 'We weren't consulted!' and John Banks saying 'My ego won't fit inside something that small'...

Notwithstanding excellent points, it would be a pity to see you fall into the TPS vernacular.

Poor decision-making is not solely the province of limited intelligence, any more than omniscience is guaranteed by a 'superior' capability.

The arrogance of intellect is not attractive.

On a lighter note, I managed to acquire ' Infinite Jest ' and am happily addressing it.

Great stuff.

[Nerula 1,403]

Nominations for an independent director to go on the NZRB are required to be in the racing ministers hand by 6 April.

Catch is you will need to top a PHD and have a more than stellar record in business management. After all we are going to need real brains and management skill to take racing forward

Q Are any of our naysayers up for this post?

A What a stupid Q

[Nerula 1,403]

Ah Freda, That will keep you going for a long while. I found it inspirational, tedious, repellent, fascinating all at the same time.

I had to put it down many times. Seen it described as tossingly bad. Brain food definitely

TPS way is not for many. The underlying desire to see change to a better place for our interest is easy to share though. DFL he isnt, but there is a similar vibe for thinking folk and you are one of those.

Yes I agree that there is an arrogance of intellect in a lot of places. And there are a lot of brilliant idiots in this world. Intelligence is a different currency to wisdom. If there is both that has been demonstrated by a track record in outstanding management, well thats what we need to run the show. They do exist but are outnumbered by the tall poppy pluckers and this causes others to react. In different degrees you will have noted

[Properispomenon 1]

On a lighter note, I managed to acquire ' Infinite Jest ' and am happily addressing it.

Great stuff.

It's a great read, Freda...

I am slowly re-wading through it all - and also reading up on some excellent essays on its author.

I wasn't really suggesting there be no consultation process in my post - just pointing out that it rarely results in the ideal of all parties being left satisfied!

[hedley 1,900]

..gee i admire a group of greater strength, killing their neighbours., and doing it through the use of Hegelian protocolia too . . .Gee!..Aren't You just the clever boys Eigh Nackeredtarry...i mean Taranaki., no th'Nackered Tarry is now the lot of STRATFORD's community., whole bunch of Decade-Toil...turns 'tarry' on them as a loving neighbourly Present from TTR., like an 'ethnic cleansing' bomb.

That NewYear's Eve's date..is the hallowed allproviding Plank-of-commerce for STRATFORD . .th'NAKI NACKERERS..K N E W that!...but did their wee corporate pirroette of compliance..double-jeopardice Guilden in the 2 obvious Outcome expediences for having Done so.

..what a filthy decimation TO ourselves..BY ourselves.. . . ."ShameShame-shame...on you all............."

[hedley 1,900]

..speech just televised on TRACKSIDEch36, recounting the great efforts of the entirely voluntary communion the Waverley club functions as...their great toil'n'graft to present such a grand community occassion[profoundly patronised in support and revelrey]..that yet another WAVERLEY-Cup day's presented its accommodation[industry pinning] as.,

..might've for analogy's sake, been the STRATFORD president..or equivolently, another president of a club that is up for the Chop from the eminations of OneLot'sRacings[sp?:tcheek:]...the 'LEGGO' men of gerrymander, closure., design'n'Click-on.

..just Look at this NAKI treachery..already eminating from the earliest stages of the nefarious quest! :n:

[THE TORCH 672]

Well done Bill Thurlow and the Waverley Club - ALWAYS a great occassion at their course.

Interesting to see they have picked up one of the New Plymouth meetings in April. Couldnt their track handle the meeting? Even with trots there April 18th and 20th you couldnt call it a congested month of action. Is it true Hawera were asked to tak the meeting? If so could anyone blame them for turning it down? Ironically Waverley have now picked it up. A Taranaki meeting "outside" of the province (one of the great geographical debates) seems a bit weird. Anyone care to elaborate?

[Theysay 0]

Ah Freda, That will keep you going for a long while. I found it inspirational, tedious, repellent, fascinating all at the same time.

I had to put it down many times. Seen it described as tossingly bad. Brain food definitely

TPS way is not for many. The underlying desire to see change to a better place for our interest is easy to share though. DFL he isnt, but there is a similar vibe for thinking folk and you are one of those.

Yes I agree that there is an arrogance of intellect in a lot of places. And there are a lot of brilliant idiots in this world. Intelligence is a different currency to wisdom. If there is both that has been demonstrated by a track record in outstanding management, well thats what we need to run the show. They do exist but are outnumbered by the tall poppy pluckers and this causes others to react. In different degrees you will have noted

Nerula...so who would you nominate?

[moz1047 93]

Well done Bill Thurlow and the Waverley Club - ALWAYS a great occassion at their course.

Interesting to see they have picked up one of the New Plymouth meetings in April. Couldnt their track handle the meeting? Even with trots there April 18th and 20th you couldnt call it a congested month of action. Is it true Hawera were asked to tak the meeting? If so could anyone blame them for turning it down? Ironically Waverley have now picked it up. A Taranaki meeting "outside" of the province (one of the great geographical debates) seems a bit weird. Anyone care to elaborate?

Interesting Nathan and havent actually heard whether Hawera were offered it or not. However with New Plymouth now aligned to Northern area (through lack of support from CD trainers) this actually means that New Years Eve meeting is now predominately a Northern Meeting while the April meet becomes CD again. The New Plymouth crowd would argue that they have their Wheelers and Sharrocks, etc but the question must be asked what will happen when they retire, move on or whatever. You are well aware of the once strong Hawera trainers with Wally & your Father, Deacs, Hayters, etc compared to what it is now. What goes around comes around and sometime in the future NP will also find this out. They are struggling to fill their fields now (when, if ever have they had 10 races of near capacity fields) and this will be worse when/if Wheels & Alan move on. Not a good decision from NZRB imo and be interesting to see what fields/support they get for 31/12.

[foxycon 0]

.

..what a filthy decimation TO ourselves..BY ourselves.. . . ."ShameShame-shame...on you all............."

There were several other clubs vying for that date as well Hawkes Bay I believe to be one, which under the present NZTR policy that exists can apply for that date.

Carey Hobbs and the TTR have done a good job in maintaining the good date stays in Taranaki.

Stratford were always going to be threatened with removal from that date once the court + judicial cases were resolved

[JohnnyG 0]

Nathan

I am happy to elaborate. A club outside of Taranaki, had shown interest in the Dec 31st date. We felt that the date needed to stay in Taranaki. We applied for the date so that if Stratford were to lose the date we would have equal opportunity to at least pick it up. We spoke to Stratford on our intentions. We spoke about the benefits of running their day at NP (we believe at least an extra 30k in profit). If they kept the date we would support it as racegoers, like we do every year. They chose to make it a TTR/Stratford issue. We plan to run 3-5 industry days elsewhere. we have spoken to Stratford and Hawera and both have declined. Waverly and TTR are running April 7th, it will not cost them money. We have a race day April 1st, 18th and 20th so it makes sense not to run on track on 7th! More importantly if Waverly were to pick up the other days because Hawera and Stratford chose not to, it would be there community that would benefit from racing. Carey intends to reply to the article this week. Just as a side note, one of their committee members told me that he would rather have Startfords day run anywhere but New Plymouth!! Personal opinion - maybe? With that attitude its no wonder Taranaki, as a region, struggles to move with the times. One last thought - we DIDN'T make the decision to take it off Stratford, we just chose to keep it in Taranaki.

[Nerula 1,403]

Theysay I wouldnt nominate anyone myself

I am aware of one name going forward that nobody I know could trump

[Theysay 0]

Vince Siemer! :cool:

[JohnnyG 0]

Interesting Nathan and havent actually heard whether Hawera were offered it or not. However with New Plymouth now aligned to Northern area (through lack of support from CD trainers) this actually means that New Years Eve meeting is now predominately a Northern Meeting while the April meet becomes CD again. The New Plymouth crowd would argue that they have their Wheelers and Sharrocks, etc but the question must be asked what will happen when they retire, move on or whatever. You are well aware of the once strong Hawera trainers with Wally & your Father, Deacs, Hayters, etc compared to what it is now. What goes around comes around and sometime in the future NP will also find this out. They are struggling to fill their fields now (when, if ever have they had 10 races of near capacity fields) and this will be worse when/if Wheels & Alan move on. Not a good decision from NZRB imo and be interesting to see what fields/support they get for 31/12.

Moz you should have been a reporter your that good at sensationalism! Firstly TTR are not aligned to the North, however, they do support us well. Just for your info. we had more starters from Central Districts (excluding Taranaki) than the North at our last meeting. The comment you make on Wheeler/Sharrock is as usual, rediculous. Any area would feel the affects of losing a large trainer like them not just NP. We have done what we can to attract trainers to NP ie. stabling complex, all weather track, walkers and even stakes money. Most meets are struggling to provide large numbers if you have a look at the last two months. But an oncourse t/o of $260k is pretty smart if you compare with most NZ clubs, even with the numbers that you want to focus on. Oh, and remember thats how clubs make their money! We have a good racing population (including Stratford and Hawera people), and when you understand that, you will accept why it is working. It is people like you who make it an us and them!