A Vote of NO Confidence in NZ Racing

[Midget 4,489]

I believe it time to issue a vote  of no confidence in the NZRB,NZTR.

The straw the broke the camels back was the fiasco on Saturday at Awapuni.

I was vocal in my disgust at the same track when Touche almost fell.Then yesterday the chief Steward  J Oatham decided that the track was safe for racing when it clearly wasn't.His own words were the horse was lucky to stay on it's feet.

Well he is the lucky one because if the horse had fallen and J Parkes injured,he would be the person charged with criminal negligence and rightfully so.The buck must stop with him and to a degree with NZTR..

It is very well to say after the event that rider safety is paramount,well Mr Oatham it was also paramount prior to the first race and you were neglect in your role allowing the meeting to proceed.I assume you did a track inspection prior to the commencement of the meeting,I will look forward to your answer in the review..

We just lost another rider today R Black RIP and their could of been a similar result on Saturday,so I would say you are very lucky there wasn't.

To the NZRB,I AM COMPLETELY DISILLUSIONED with your performance and the minister will receive a letter outlining my concerns regarding your performance and governance

SNR.

[gubellini 3,994]

Both organisations are so totally dysfunctional that they should be put into administration.

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

14 minutes ago, Midget said:

I believe it time to issue a vote  of no confidence in the NZRB,NZTR.

The straw the broke the camels back was the fiasco on Saturday at Awapuni.

I was vocal in my disgust at the same track when Touche almost fell.Then yesterday the chief Steward  J Oatham decided that the track was safe for racing when it clearly wasn't.His own words were the horse was lucky to stay on it's feet.

Well he is the lucky one because if the horse had fallen and J Parkes injured,he would be the person charged with criminal negligence and rightfully so.The buck must stop with him and to a degree with NZTR..

It is very well to say after the event that rider safety is paramount,well Mr Oatham it was also paramount prior to the first race and you were neglect in your role allowing the meeting to proceed.I assume you did a track inspection prior to the commencement of the meeting,I will look forward to your answer in the review..

We just lost another rider today R Black RIP and their could of been a similar result on Saturday,so I would say you are very lucky there wasn't.

To the NZRB,I AM COMPLETELY DISILLUSIONED with your performance and the minister will receive a letter outlining my concerns regarding your performance and governance

SNR.

I was thinking the same thing yesterday Morty as I and half the RJC committee scrubbed bird shit off the seats in the Reefton grandstand. Not sure why we bother as clearly Nathan, Glenda, John and Greg treat the whole industry in the same way those birds treat that grandstand.

[Midget 4,489]

1 minute ago, TOM(the other Molloy) said:

I was thinking the same thing yesterday Morty as I and half the RJC committee scrubbed bird shit off the seats in the Reefton grandstand. Not sure why we bother as clearly Nathan, Glenda, John and Greg treat the whole industry in the same way those birds treat that grandstand.

 

1 minute ago, TOM(the other Molloy) said:

I was thinking the same thing yesterday Morty as I and half the RJC committee scrubbed bird shit off the seats in the Reefton grandstand. Not sure why we bother as clearly Nathan, Glenda, John and Greg treat the whole industry in the same way those birds treat that grandstand.

You should have asked Campbell Moncur to come down and give a hand after all he did cost the club Thousands insisting that Stewards stands be brought up to standard and then they never used them.

[TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774]

4 minutes ago, Midget said:

 

You should have asked Campbell Moncur to come down and give a hand after all he did cost the club Thousands insisting that Stewards stands be brought up to standard and then they never used them.

Today's tragedy puts it all into perspective Morty but it is pretty bloody hard to stay motivated in the industry as it stands. Campbell will be far too busy getting that 'required height for Club toilet roll holders' circular written up.

Anyway if the NZTR staff are as good at scrubbing bird shit as they are at running NZ racing we would certainly not want them at a working bee.

[Ohokaman 5,825]

[Muritai 14]

57 minutes ago, Midget said:

I believe it time to issue a vote  of no confidence in the NZRB,NZTR.

The straw the broke the camels back was the fiasco on Saturday at Awapuni.

I was vocal in my disgust at the same track when Touche almost fell.Then yesterday the chief Steward  J Oatham decided that the track was safe for racing when it clearly wasn't.His own words were the horse was lucky to stay on it's feet.

Well he is the lucky one because if the horse had fallen and J Parkes injured,he would be the person charged with criminal negligence and rightfully so.The buck must stop with him and to a degree with NZTR..

It is very well to say after the event that rider safety is paramount,well Mr Oatham it was also paramount prior to the first race and you were neglect in your role allowing the meeting to proceed.I assume you did a track inspection prior to the commencement of the meeting,I will look forward to your answer in the review..

We just lost another rider today R Black RIP and their could of been a similar result on Saturday,so I would say you are very lucky there wasn't.

To the NZRB,I AM COMPLETELY DISILLUSIONED with your performance and the minister will receive a letter outlining my concerns regarding your performance and governance

SNR.

You are spot on Midget,a vote of no confidence must occur.Who do you see leading this?Should be relatively easy to get support from within the industry.The Racing Board need to be put on the line accept accountability and we should witness resignations.We have had enough of the politically appointed no hopers who have no experience or passion for our industry.Its been a rugged weekend.RIP Rebecca.

[Insider 3,945]

2 hours ago, Ohokaman said:

NZTR and NZRB have certainly been effected by their antics. Most of them [the seagulls] were so forgettable I cant even remember their names but they all had the same trait.

[Catalano 951]

17 hours ago, Midget said:

To the NZRB,I AM COMPLETELY DISILLUSIONED with your performance and the minister will receive a letter outlining my concerns regarding your performance and governance

Would it be appropriate to share a copy of your letter so we can all send the same message to the Minister? Or will that dilute the message?

It would be easy for him to ignore one message, but several hundred might get some attention...

[Phantom 494]

Could not agree more. 

[Midget 4,489]

Ok I will put the letter up on Cafe

 

[slam dunk 1,317]

1 hour ago, Midget said:

Ok I will put the letter up on Cafe

 

As an ex jockey your input will be beneficial. However us non-jockeys don't get answers to many questions even from jockeys. 

If track staff and trackwork riders use the course daily why is it they don't produce alerts leading up to races?

Should an experienced mounted rider accompany pre race inspections?

Should the running rail be positioned based on inspection of the track rather than a pre determined position?

Should the person making final decision on racing inspect the track or just evaluate the evidence and advice received.?

[Guest 2Admin2]

40 minutes ago, slam dunk said:

As an ex jockey your input will be beneficial. However us non-jockeys don't get answers to many questions even from jockeys. 

If track staff and trackwork riders use the course daily why is it they don't produce alerts leading up to races?

Should an experienced mounted rider accompany pre race inspections?

Should the running rail be positioned based on inspection of the track rather than a pre determined position?

Should the person making final decision on racing inspect the track or just evaluate the evidence and advice received.?

Dunk the fundamental cause of the  Awapuni issue hasn't been fixed therefore wouldn't matter much who inspected the track.

[globederby12 1,495]

2 hours ago, Midget said:

Ok I will put the letter up on Cafe

 

Have heard of this ploy being used before but in a more tangible way.

It is easy just to delete an email before reading it ,but being swamped by a bag load of mail and having to open them in case there is some important info inside might also get the message through, and I mean swamped. As long as all the mail doesn't look the same ,it would confuse most people.

We could all contribute individually by posting a certain no of letters each of your diatribe. that might get the message across it is a NZ wide problem.

Just a thought.

[Midget 4,489]

I'd write the letter to the Trainers Association and the Jockeys Association ( I would include the owners but they're so disorganized it's not worth petitioning them, however I'd respectfully ask them to join up in the described goals, as I would the punters and the breeders ).

It's the trainers and jockeys who hold the power and who can make a constructive difference but they do seem to lack vision, and in the case of the trainers they cannot often see the big picture politics but tend to focus on short term irrelevant matters. Symptoms rather than causes if you know what I mean.

I would ignore NZTR, they've had their day as a useful functioning entity and unless you're looking for muddling incompetence married to ignorant indifference they're not worth wasting time and energy on. That said I think NZTR in its current emasculated form might actually want someone else to do their "heavy lifting" and dirty work for them because clearly they're being bent over and buggered, without lube, without even a kiss on the back of the neck, by the NZRB and I'm sure they don't like it any more than we do.

Let me know if you want me to write something though, I'll oblige and you can adapt it and send it to whom you wish.

[Phantom 494]

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/racing/news/article.cfm?c_id=53&objectid=11769383

[Ohokaman 5,825]

Jeez, Dillo has grown a small pair. Wonders never cease.

[awego 182]

You have my vote, I will happily email bomb them until they have to listen, strength in numbers people! I would like the whole lot of them to resign so we can have a chance to vote in our own leaders. They shouldn't be worried if they are any good they would get voted back in, it's quite simple really.

[Ohokaman 5,825]

Follow up article....the Trainers making noise at last.....

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11769902

[Midget 4,489]

26 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

Follow up article....the Trainers making noise at last.....

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=11769902

I agree with all of them in different ways but yet again they all seem fixated with "symptoms", and they choose to ignore the "cause".

You can treat "symptoms" as much as you like, waste time and money you haven't got, but you'll never ever achieve anything until you treat (successfully) the "cause".

What they need to define is exactly what is the cause of our problems?

It may be a multitude of things but I'd have thought the two main obvious issues are the lack of investment in infrastructure and facilities ( that's directly corelated to wasting money on stakes ) and you could argue that the structure of the NZRB and the Racing Act are equally responsible because they're not investing in this code ( and they're arguably guilty of wasting money elsewhere ) as they're legally obliged to do under the Racing Act ( s9, welfare and wellbeing of those who derive a living....) and NO ONE makes them accountable, and that's where the trainers and jockeys should've acted a long time ago.

[Blue 1,095]

So many straws.................so many camels.

[Ohokaman 5,825]

At least John Bary is being a little more direct....let's see more of that.

And just building a Strathayr track won't be the panacea for NZ Racing either....a total rethink needed from the top down.

[Midget 4,489]

38 minutes ago, Ohokaman said:

At least John Bary is being a little more direct....let's see more of that.

And just building a Strathayr track won't be the panacea for NZ Racing either....a total rethink needed from the top down.

It's a pyramid, you always build/rethink from the bottom up otherwise the foundations are weak and it eventually colllapses.

Our current model is built top to bottom and that's the problem.

[Leggy 4,076]

5 hours ago, Midget said:

I agree with all of them in different ways but yet again they all seem fixated with "symptoms", and they choose to ignore the "cause".

You can treat "symptoms" as much as you like, waste time and money you haven't got, but you'll never ever achieve anything until you treat (successfully) the "cause".

What they need to define is exactly what is the cause of our problems?

It may be a multitude of things but I'd have thought the two main obvious issues are the lack of investment in infrastructure and facilities ( that's directly corelated to wasting money on stakes ) and you could argue that the structure of the NZRB and the Racing Act are equally responsible because they're not investing in this code ( and they're arguably guilty of wasting money elsewhere ) as they're legally obliged to do under the Racing Act ( s9, welfare and wellbeing of those who derive a living....) and NO ONE makes them accountable, and that's where the trainers and jockeys should've acted a long time ago.

Completely agree. Some of us have been going on about this fundamental infrastructure issue for 5 or 6 years or more and I note that some of those now complaining about it may have been the same ones who at that time were advocating for the money to be spent on stakes. Has Dillo had a brain transplant? Others had spent it or subsequently chose to on other ventures. Although I thought the Racing Act was a disaster waiting to happen when it was still a bill in 2001, I'm not sure the Act itself is the problem rather than the way it has been implemented. The accountability systems are there, at least almost, and I agree they could/should be stronger but participants have failed to ensure that those mechanisms were actioned. I fear it may now be too late.

[biff 2,158]

Tony Pike as head of the TA is a lame duck, if he doesn't know it, then someone needs to tell him! Owners will only take so much, pretty lucky if you have an owner that has bottomless pockets. Owners need to consider sending their horses to Oz where they pay you to turn up, and race on great surfaces summer and winter, for great prize money, and you can watch live and back your horse with a corp bookmaker and get odds way beyond what NZ TAB are offering, is this a no brainer, well it should be until the correct changes are made here, and we all know what they should be.