Mid Week Seniors - booked out

[slam dunk 1,317]

Club somewhere in Australia club running seniors day. Booked out. Similar days in UK. Quite successful.

Here in NZ seniors attending midweek racing are sneered upon by some whilst the "progressives" all sing how important its promoting young people. I don't buy this young/old debate but it makes sense promoting midweek racing to seniors and weekends for all comers.

Promotion can be along simple reunions no matter how small. Ex jockeys like David Walsh or Noel Harris could be the focal point for reunions around previous big wins and connections from the stables. Somewhere there exists a winning formula.

[Stables 577]

Why not at least seniors usually have money to spend, kids generally are always waiting for the next pay day

[Pam Robson 1,547]

The recent North Canterbury meeting ( Riccarton)  had attendance from social club and senior citizens groups from around the Rangiora / Oxford areas.

Buses were arranged to collect the people and take them home again,  and guest speakers supplied some entertainment during the day as well.

I am told the proceedings went very well, and it's just possible that some of those present may wish to come back again.

And all it took was  thought and a wee bit of effort. 

[Jape 344]

14 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

The recent North Canterbury meeting ( Riccarton)  had attendance from social club and senior citizens groups from around the Rangiora / Oxford areas.

Buses were arranged to collect the people and take them home again,  and guest speakers supplied some entertainment during the day as well.

I am told the proceedings went very well, and it's just possible that some of those present may wish to come back again.

And all it took was  thought and a wee bit of effort. 

Yes, Pam, it was a grand day out for 22 members of our Racing Section from the Kaiapoi Club (formerly Kaiapoi WMC).

Mark Donald of Blue Springs Polo and Equestrian Centre and a Steward of the North Canterbury Racing Club was the organiser and our bus trip incorporated some from Oxford and Rangiora, as you mention. Well done, Mark.

We were well served throughout the programme in the Phar Lap Room and the comments I received on the way home were all very complimentary.

 

[slam dunk 1,317]

17 hours ago, Pam Robson said:

The recent North Canterbury meeting ( Riccarton)  had attendance from social club and senior citizens groups from around the Rangiora / Oxford areas.

Buses were arranged to collect the people and take them home again,  and guest speakers supplied some entertainment during the day as well.

I am told the proceedings went very well, and it's just possible that some of those present may wish to come back again.

And all it took was  thought and a wee bit of effort. 

Its a formula that can be duplicated at every meeting.

There is a huge untapped reservoir of sponsorship money tied up with retirement complexes and their development. Isn't the owner who races in the yellow colours one of NZ biggest retirement operators?

[Pam Robson 1,547]

Sure is.

There were 137 people in the designated room at Riccarton;  as you say,  it is a theme that could be easily built upon.

[Jape 344]

Anyone know if Banks Peninsula RC have anything organised for Sunday, 3 November? 

It is reputed as being the last-ever gallops meeting at Motukarara so I thought "they" would be looking for a big one.

Our RS will probably have 20-24 and I am pretty sure the Coasters' Tavern Social Club is heading that way.

[We're Doomed 4,855]

12 minutes ago, Jape said:

Anyone know if Banks Peninsula RC have anything organised for Sunday, 3 November? 

It is reputed as being the last-ever gallops meeting at Motukarara so I thought "they" would be looking for a big one.

Our RS will probably have 20-24 and I am pretty sure the Coasters' Tavern Social Club is heading that way.

Where are all these meetings going to go? I can't see Riccarton wanting another meeting the week before Cup Week. If our wonderful leadership get their way and shut down Timaru as well that will only leave Ashburton in Canterbury outside of Riccarton. Incredible really, with literally dozens of horses who can't get a start every week. With Ashburton and Riccarton favouring a max of 12 starters for many of their low key meetings they are going to have to run 15 race cards.

I find it hard to get my head around the fact that the SI has heaps of "product", but somehow can't afford to run meetings.

[Pam Robson 1,547]

Timaru is running 11 races tomorrow, closing the place down will be a masterstroke, won't it?

As good as shutting down Winton and forcing Gore to shag it's track while the favoured Ascot Park is unusable.

[We're Doomed 4,855]

17 minutes ago, Pam Robson said:

Timaru is running 11 races tomorrow, closing the place down will be a masterstroke, won't it?

As good as shutting down Winton and forcing Gore to shag it's track while the favoured Ascot Park is unusable.

And Timaru had enough horses to run 13 or even 14 races. My own personal view, for what little it is worth, is that Timaru is the track that should have money spent on it so it is able to provide regular racing. Its central location and good winter surface make it seem a no brainer for industry investment. I would much rather see the money allocated to the SI all-weather track spent on Timaru. But much more intelligent and informed people than me have decided that Timaru is to be closed and Waikouaiti is to become the centre of racing south of ChCh.

I also understand that there was once a recommendation that Winton was to become a centre of racing in Southland, but it was eventually decided to spend money on Ascot Park instead.

On a totally unrelated subject, certainly unrelated to the original discussion about getting seniors to the races, I understand the Southland Guineas is going to have a stake increase of $20,000, purely in the hope of attracting more NI horses. It will be interesting to see how that works out. My theory is that NI horses are largely attracted by the listed status and the stake level is secondary. There are probably other races that would have benefited more from an extra $20,000.

[Pam Robson 1,547]

I agree wrt Timaru.

Central, good track, good facilities for public and horses alike.

As for the all weather - I guess we will have to wait until the Cambridge one is ( or isn't ) in operation to have an opinion one way or another about that.

[slam dunk 1,317]

5 hours ago, Jape said:

Anyone know if Banks Peninsula RC have anything organised for Sunday, 3 November? 

It is reputed as being the last-ever gallops meeting at Motukarara so I thought "they" would be looking for a big one.

Our RS will probably have 20-24 and I am pretty sure the Coasters' Tavern Social Club is heading that way.

Clubs who don't have the marketing resources must make it attractive for sponsors to encourage inviting their customers, staff etc along. Therefore clubs must forget about fleecing their guests via the tote. I proposed a betting format that guaranteed sponsors guests could not lose betting wise but possibly gain quite substantially. I proposed the scheme to the TAB some time ago. Didn't fly there but its a goer for a club. Just needs receptive ears.

[We're Doomed 4,855]

6 hours ago, slam dunk said:

Clubs who don't have the marketing resources must make it attractive for sponsors to encourage inviting their customers, staff etc along. Therefore clubs must forget about fleecing their guests via the tote. I proposed a betting format that guaranteed sponsors guests could not lose betting wise but possibly gain quite substantially. I proposed the scheme to the TAB some time ago. Didn't fly there but its a goer for a club. Just needs receptive ears.

Sounds fascinating. I'm sure we would all love to hear about your idea.

[slam dunk 1,317]

18 hours ago, We're Doomed said:

Sounds fascinating. I'm sure we would all love to hear about your idea.

If you knew how hard getting new ideas into racing is you wouldn't wonder why racing is struggling so much. Even here I can only post with considerable time delay before "approval"

Most people would say its impossible having a betting format that guarantees no losses. Well it isn't but sorry this isn't the place to explain it.