barryb 2,064 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 I attended today & found it the most boring and pitiful entertainment day I have been to in a long while. In fact we left after race 7 as it was to tedious to be bothered staying for the last. Its been about 5 years since I last went to a meeting at Rotorua & it will be even longer before I go back. Seriously it was Easter Monday and a reasonable crowd came along and many would have been as bored shitless as I was, virtually no crowd announcements, music, nothing. When you attend a day like that you can really see why racing is well into sunset mode, the racing alone just doesn't cut it enough now. Its time that local teams were given some assistance on providing these days, the crew come from Hamilton to man the totes, the starting gates come from Cambridge, maybe the atmosphere crew need to also be provided externally. Saturdays & Public holidays yes, midweek leave it to locals to decide on whats best. gary1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoyd 174 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Barry are you sure you went to Rotorua today? I also went to Rotorua with some friends today and had a really wonderful day. Beautiful weather, some excellent racing, excellent facilities, just a really enjoyable, relaxing day with a good atmosphere on course. And I am not talking through my pocket, perhaps unlike barryb, as I found winners hard to find. The only disappointment forme was OP scratching himself yet again. I have been to goodness knows how many dreary, boring, pointless meetings over the years - some of those midweek Te Rapa days certainly on top of the lst - but today was certainly not one of those. I have always found a good atmosphere at Rotorua. If Barry wants music then why doesn't he just pop down to his local and put a coin in the duke box and sit there all day sucking on his beer listening to his music. TOM(the other Molloy), shaneMcAlister and Insider 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb 2,064 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Ah, looks like thats hit a raw nerve, obviously heavily involved with the club or a member. I did not critic the racing or the facilities (I had no issue with either), so turning it on another venue is silly in itself. sitting for 30 odd mins between races with no nothing is conducive to an entertaining day with atmosphere?. There was virtually no crowd information, other than George saying "thank you Brendon, last couple going in". Stoyd, if you are happy with what was served up today, then enjoy the memory as thats exactly why racing won't be held there in 5-10 yrs time. Its a dying industry as it is due to many external factors and it doesn't need to hasten its decline by not being able to understand changing dynamics of what people want when attending an event, esp on a Public Holiday. Now just imagine going to a Chiefs or Warriors game with nothing other than the game being played on the paddock like occurred in the past, not going to cut it is it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
puha 2,177 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 I was at Arawa Park today and spent it on the grass catching up with friends from yesteryear. Although it did seem along time between races it was a great day relaxing in the sun and the tote windows seemed pretty busy .Usually they have a woman in the public stand playing good music between races but was glad they’ve ditched that annoying Music they used to play as the horses were entering the birdcage . If you wanted to attend a Terrible meeting Barry you should of been at Trenthams meeting the week before oaks day . Also on a big plus today which is usually uncommon was the general public clapping the winner of each race as they returned to scale. TOM(the other Molloy) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
TOM(the other Molloy) 1,774 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Remember the time poor old Tom Wood was halfway through calling the race and that terrible woman singer was still booming out over the loudspeaker? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb 2,064 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Unfortunately Puha you are not a good test case as you live and breath racing, would be hard for you to find a trying day at the races, which does say the day at Trentham you mention must have been dire. puha 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoyd 174 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 No raw nerves Barry. Just enjoyed my day today and just had to reply as your assessment seemed so much at odds with my group's experience. Actually some of us would also prefer just the game. If I want all the extras I can go down town to a night club. I am sitting here on my couch watching today's cricket in Christchurch (recorded). Everyone seems relaxed and enjoying their day in the sun there too, No load music blaring around the ground. Different strokes for different folks I guess. oh dear me 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb 2,064 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Trouble is Stoyd, like so many you won’t explore change, as I said above if we don’t explore it and bloody quickly the only racing you will be watching will be beamed from Australia. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stoyd 174 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 My ultimate wish would be private bookies on course. Plenty to keep occupied between races then but unfortunately thats not going to happen. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
barryb 2,064 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 15 minutes ago, Stoyd said: My ultimate wish would be private bookies on course. Plenty to keep occupied between races then but unfortunately thats not going to happen. That’s more like it, imagine them on the grass there today. Radical change is needed, someone is going to have to find racing’s T20 and bloody quickly. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky 900 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 I,m generally a social racegoer Baz, and like Puha and Stoyd, probably go along with family and friends for drinks and a day out. I agree, some winter / midweek dreary meetings could easily be beefed up with fancy dress prizes / age level feet tied 50 meter dashes / emerging local music talent / Magicians and bouncy castles for the kids / free sponsored hot dogs...(the mind boggles !)....FOR VERY LITTLE COST ! (and Yep...on course bookies, a no brainer) BUT in reality , the bigger (annual) group type days will always attract the bigger more social, BusIness groups. I was expecting Ellerslie over Easter...Please explain...Ive been hiding under a rock...(and don,t have time to google it,s Demise) Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
porky 900 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 Cheers Hesi....just the name I suppose, Easter Hcp...put me off the scent ,Had me expecting it on the weekend. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,866 Report post Posted April 2, 2018 2 hours ago, hesi said: The Ellerslie track is closed for renovations till later in the year. The traditional Easter Mile is on April 21 at Counties. That meeting is hardly ever at Easter, Easter can occur any time from March 22 to April 25 I am pretty sure the Easter meeting always used to fall at Easter, but since the introduction of Auckland "Cup Week" it has tended to get pushed right back. With Riccarton no longer racing at Easter either the Great Easter is about a month after Easter this year I think. Belinda 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wood 1,577 Report post Posted April 3, 2018 Messing with tradition hasnt really worked here in NZ. Possibly the Derby is the only race that this has helped, a bit more time for these horses to mature to cope with the 2400m. Baz (NZ), ivanthegreat, We're Doomed and 4 others 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
kezzy 3 Report post Posted April 3, 2018 I general I agree Chris - but I do think the move to put the Great Northern to the end of the jumps season was a sensible one. Baz (NZ) and pete 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wood 1,577 Report post Posted April 3, 2018 Yes probably right, but it was raced and won every year for over a century, the season pattern is still not as good as it was in my mind! Baz (NZ) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue 1,099 Report post Posted April 3, 2018 In those days hurdle racing started late March/ early April. In fact I recall a 'New Years Hurdle race at Ellerslie' half a century or more ago, then you had three consecutive weeks of jumps racing at Te Rapa, Maramarua Hunt meeting at Paeroa midweek, plus point to point racing and jumpers were plenty primed for three days at Ellerslie Northern meeting in a week over Queens Birthday. Like Chris Wood, sadly lost IMHO. Baz (NZ), Belinda and gubellini 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,866 Report post Posted April 5, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 7:07 PM, Chris Wood said: Yes probably right, but it was raced and won every year for over a century, the season pattern is still not as good as it was in my mind! You are suggesting there is a "pattern" Chris? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,866 Report post Posted April 5, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 7:27 PM, Blue said: In those days hurdle racing started late March/ early April. In fact I recall a 'New Years Hurdle race at Ellerslie' half a century or more ago, then you had three consecutive weeks of jumps racing at Te Rapa, Maramarua Hunt meeting at Paeroa midweek, plus point to point racing and jumpers were plenty primed for three days at Ellerslie Northern meeting in a week over Queens Birthday. Like Chris Wood, sadly lost IMHO. Geez, don't make me feel so old Blue. I think the New Year's hurdle idea was tried early 90's, or thereabouts. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,866 Report post Posted April 5, 2018 On 4/3/2018 at 1:05 PM, Chris Wood said: Messing with tradition hasnt really worked here in NZ. Possibly the Derby is the only race that this has helped, a bit more time for these horses to mature to cope with the 2400m. Tradition has never really been respected or appreciated in NZ racing, especially not in recent years. Every week we see races in Australia with time honoured names, and races named after famous horses. In NZ most of our races tend to have locality names, Auckland Cup etc. Very few names like The Stradbroke, in NZ. Some races had prestige through their name rather than the stake, but most have now been let to disappear; Haldon Plate at Riccarton, McLean Stakes at Wingatui, even the Chalmers at Trentham - I know it still exists in name only. I am always appalled that there are no races in the SI named after Grey Way, Show Gate, Phar Lap etc. That would never ever happen in Australia. Canterbury Belle is probably the only SI horse to be recognised in "recent" years. Baz (NZ) and Huey 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelseacol 2,488 Report post Posted April 5, 2018 2 hours ago, We're Doomed said: I am always appalled that there are no races in the SI named after Grey Way, Show Gate, Phar Lap etc. That would never ever happen in Australia. Canterbury Belle is probably the only SI horse to be recognised in "recent" years. Not quite true - we sponsored a race at Nelson Trots a couple of years ago named after our great pacer Chankai who had his first win on the course TOM(the other Molloy) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blue 1,099 Report post Posted April 5, 2018 8 hours ago, We're Doomed said: Geez, don't make me feel so old Blue. I think the New Year's hurdle idea was tried early 90's, or thereabouts. Old??? I thought it was twenty years before the 90s WD. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
SMD is rife 211 Report post Posted April 6, 2018 there was a hurdle race on New Year's Day as recently as 2005. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
edor 67 Report post Posted April 8, 2018 chris there once was a fence near the winning post aye a horse called paemoko prince flew that so fast a little black did you follow it Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trump 2,741 Report post Posted April 8, 2018 You are a worry BB... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...