Hawera at Easter

[eljay 1,719]

It is with complete alarm and disgust I read in the latest edition of the weekly that the Hawera HRC annual easter carnival has been savagely attacked by officialdom. Nine races Easter Saturday and only eight races on the Monday. My first question is why only 9 on the Saturday - there have been 10 in the past with the same time restraints imposed by big daddy so how come this reduction?

But the big sock between the eyes is the Monday. Sure - Anzac and Easter Monday are the same day and racing cannot start before 1 pm. What is wrong with 25 minute intervals anyway - say 1.10, 1.35, 2.00, 2.25, 2.50, 3.15, 3.40, 4.05, 4.30, 4.55 - all over by 5 pm and by my count thats 10 races. Now don't give me the cr## about fitting in the Aussie races - we still live in New Zealand and the authority who dictates what is done is the New Zealand Racing Board, (not the Australian or Australasian Racing Board) so surely their priority must be to the local industry and where a problem like this arises their leaning has to be towards New Zealand product. The people of South Taranaki only get these two days every year to witness harness racing live at their own facility so why the hell penalise them, not to mention the disastrous financial consequences for the Hawera Harness Racing Club.

Knowing most of the officials of this club, I have full faith of their fight to get a fair deal, so I do wonder if the ruling harness body, HRNZ, has fought their case at the top level to preserve this carnival in it's entirety.

HRNZ, it's not to late to further endeavour to get the Aussie leaning racing board to re-address this situation. And as the president of the Hawera HRC says, the big losers will be the owners of the maiden trotters - who have more than enough bias against them anyway and it is these smaller grass track meetings that we are told are where these horses are looked after. Watch the Inter Doms over the next 3 weeks and in particular the squaregaiters and spare a thought that all these magnificent animals were once maidens.

So NZ Racing Board/TAB let's just reduce the import of overseas racing for this one day where this problem has arisen - anyway they have races not televised now so they can still take the betting if they so desire without dealing their sword to local racing. Oh yes, don't we have two racing channels?

[THE TORCH 665]

Damn straight LJ! What another crop of crap dished up to provincial racing. Lets not forget that the Saturday meeting has HAD TO start at around 9am for the past few years to "accomodate" other meeting around NZ. Honestly its getting to the stage where paople will turn - not only with their feelings but with their $$$ going elsewhere. You can't tell the bigwigs though - deaf as planks and very stupid to go with it.

[Pickel 45]

Eljay

You have only done a quarter of the job. Make sure you add Ellerslie, Riverton and Wanganui to your timetable before submitting it to the powers that be.

I seem to recall ANZAC Day only ever having 8 race cards at the Gallops - although didnt the New Brighton Cup meeting at Addington used to finish under lights on ANZAC Day. Also I'm pretty sure ANZAC coverage from Australia is only piecemeal because of all the NZ races.

Good on you Eljay for taking up the challenge.

[THE TORCH 665]

Amount of money being spent on these low class races over Easter weekend.

Crap fields, crap track were horses are likely to gallop, sometimes run in a bog, real early morning start and no money in the pools!!! How does that sound?

They should be thankfull that they give this meeting so much coverage on such a busy weekend..

Why dont they swap the dates, then they can open their easter eggs and watch some great racing over the easter weekend...

Remember the days Hawera used to run THREE meetings over the weekend?? On a prime track I might add Nice BIG fields as well - something a couple of other grass tracks could NOT do. Would also allow all those maideners to get two bites at the cherry in one weekend. And whats your little tizz about the gallopers?? Remember this is a course that some in the industry are trying to take gallops events away from! So theres a few blips in your wee arguement

The reason they cant run an industry day is because its been allocated to Timaru!!

[Pickel 45]

Remember the days Hawera used to run THREE meetings over the weekend??

No I dont remember that happening. I can remember having a drink in the President's room in the late 90's hearing that Hawera's betting was up nearly half a million due to Riccarton & Roxburgh moving off Easter Monday.

Eljay - how are you going with that NZ only schedule? - you havent quite got a month to get your point across.

[eljay 1,719]

No I dont remember that happening. I can remember having a drink in the President's room in the late 90's hearing that Hawera's betting was up nearly half a million due to Riccarton & Roxburgh moving off Easter Monday.

I remember them running three division races. Everyone connected to the industry used to help out by warming up the horses as the three divisions were raced at the same time (well one after the other of course). The drivers who had two or three drives were brought from the winning post back to the start on the back of a truck. The horses with whoever warmed them up and were in the second or third divisions waited up the chute. I think the tote could handle 24 numbers so horses were bracketed (i.e. 1A, 1B, 1C) so if you had a bet you had a horse running for you in each division.

Eljay - how are you going with that NZ only schedule? - you havent quite got a month to get your point across.

Who said I was doing a schedule?

[eljay 1,719]

Damn - my first comment got mixed up in the quote.

[spike 0]

We have plenty of races for maidens each week, as for me ,too many of these $3k or $5k races.

The point is turnover on these races has fallen bigtime over the last few years,all i stated were a few facts, thats just the way it is. I love the trotts but dont see it as a good betting option.

The public loves the Hawera Easter carnival - always a great turnout both days - we'll be there again this year and I'm betting the club will serve up its usual high level of hospitality!

[Pickel 45]

Who said I was doing a schedule?

Who? Eljay of course, or at least strongly inferred it with...

It is with complete alarm and disgust...Hawera HRC...savagely attacked by officialdom...restraints imposed by big daddy....the big sock between the eyes is the Monday...What is wrong with 25 minute intervals - say 1.10, 1.35, 2.00, 2.25, 2.50, 3.15, 3.40, 4.05, 4.30, 4.55...Now don't give me the cr## about fitting in the Aussie races... priority must be to the local industry...

You have already listed a schedule for Hawera, but they are not the only "local industry" participant on the day.

Ellerslie, Riverton and Wanganui must fit alongside Hawera.

Using your lead, and fitting the other NZ venues evenly in between would give you

1.10 Hawera

1.17 Ellerslie

1.23 Wanganui

1.29 Riverton

1.35 Hawera

1.42 Ellerslie

1.48 Wanganui

1.54 Riverton

2.00 Hawera

...this schedule could be called Eljay's Model.

Now for the choice;

which is better, Eljay's model or something spread out a little more, with say 30m to 35m in between?

For every four minutes that you add to the 25m gaps of Eljay's Model you get one more minute between one venue and the next.

But of course if you spread them out you wont get ten races in before sunset.

[eljay 1,719]

Just a small point Pickel, the Wanganui dogs are scheduled to commence at 4.30

[myk 4]

The public loves the Hawera Easter carnival - always a great turnout both days - we'll be there again this year and I'm betting the club will serve up its usual high level of hospitality!

The three day Easter carnival was great old days,Riverton ran the same days.Hawera cup was 1st day I think,in the '70s had a very good collect in cup on a Charlie Hunter horse driven by him or possibly John Langdon.A good local to follow was Colin Butler,some good divvies.After the cup collect,I don't think I sobered up until the following Wednesday.Hawera knew the meaning of hospitality even back in those days.

[teletubby 1]

and the division races were great...large fields,big divi's..mr hanford and his hawera syndicates were great as well.would rather support a club like hawera harness than ellerslie any day.

and no i still don't mind getting up early to have a bet in first few hawera harness races...what i don't like is anzac and nothing open until 1pm..boring old farts..

[THE TORCH 665]

Too right myk and tele.

Colin was great at Easter thats for sure! Another little fav was good old Pacman.

[Laurie Sutherland 0]

Amount of money being spent on these low class races over Easter weekend.

Crap fields, crap track were horses are likely to gallop, sometimes run in a bog, real early morning start and no money in the pools!!! How does that sound?

They should be thankfull that they give this meeting so much coverage on such a busy weekend..

Why dont they swap the dates, then they can open their easter eggs and watch some great racing over the easter weekend...

According to NZ Racing Board statistics for 2009/10 the Hawera club compares quite favourably:-

Average Starters per Day

Hawera 146.5 (5th highest of 47 clubs)

Code Average 113.1

Waikouaiti 155 (highest club)

Average Off-course per Day (excl FOB)

Hawera 738.5k

Code Average 743.7k

Geraldine 1250.0k (highest)

Auckland TC 896k

NZMetro TC 930.6

Cbge-Te Awamutu 711.7

Taranaki TC 536.5

Stratford TC 571

Wanganui TC 639

Average On-course per day

Hawera 73.5k

Code Average 83.5

Kaikoura 406 (highest)

Auckland TC 169.6

NZ Metro TC 140.9

Cbge-Te Awamutu 54.7

Taranaki TC 40.0

Stratford TC 59.0

Wanganui TC 38.0.

[tasman man 742]

.....place.

It has plenty of mug horses racing , so obviously many like a a trip there for Easter.

Is there a beach there or is the fishing or nightlife outstanding.

Hawera is below average on turnovers etc which is poor considering it has the best dates.....Easter Sat and Easter Monday when people like to enjoy themselves before winter sets in and have a bet , as there is little else to do but attend mass or go to Briscoes.

Are there shops etc in Hawera ???

But Harness could probably do better if transferred that Easter meeting elsewhere.

Oh ,Looking thru my basement I think I have a Hawera Cup here !!!!

Hmmmmmm!

[THE TORCH 665]

.....place.

It has plenty of mug horses racing , so obviously many like a a trip there for Easter.

Is there a beach there or is the fishing or nightlife outstanding.

Hawera is below average on turnovers etc which is poor considering it has the best dates.....Easter Sat and Easter Monday when people like to enjoy themselves before winter sets in and have a bet , as there is little else to do but attend mass or go to Briscoes.

Are there shops etc in Hawera ???

But Harness could probably do better if transferred that Easter meeting elsewhere.

Oh ,Looking thru my basement I think I have a Hawera Cup here !!!!

Hmmmmmm!

Yeah its a small place. About as small as the 2 doz cans the owners of Xcellent gave the stable staff after it won the Kelt.

[tasman man 742]

Yeah its a small place. About as small as the 2 doz cans the owners of Xcellent gave the stable staff after it won the Kelt.

.....but your informant must have drunk them all or be an IRD auditor.

They were told to say they got a small bag of kumaras.

Beer was expensive !!!

Doesn't answer "Where is Hawera , and why do they justify 2 days at Easter ?"

[THE TORCH 665]

.....but your informant must have drunk them all or be an IRD auditor.

They were told to say they got a small bag of kumaras.

Beer was expensive !!!

Doesn't answer "Where is Hawera , and why do they justify 2 days at Easter ?"

Na they were only a staff member.

Hawera, South Taranaki.

Two days justification: consistently big fields; an outstanding grass track (I mean even Yulestar began a campaign there!);popular enough to attract trainers ranging from the far north and down to Christchurch to bring their horses along;used to run 3 days at Hawera not so long ago; even over rated goats like Changeover would get a run there.

[hsvman 294]

Even old blossom lady won the hawera cup

[eljay 1,719]

.....

Doesn't answer "Where is Hawera , and why do they justify 2 days at Easter ?"

Like Nelson - a bit off the beaten track. And about as much to do at night as Nelson too!! But unfortunately also like Nelson it is appears to be one area the Racing Board want to dispense with.

[eljay 1,719]

Which leads to the ad in the press yesterday by the minister for an independant board member effective 1 August. The ad includes the statement "The New Zealand Racing Boarad's functions include conducting the TAB racing and sports betting, setting the racing calendar, and promoting the economic development of the New Zealand racing industry".

mmmm - perhaps the present board has lost sight of most of this!!

[Properispomenon 1]

perhaps the present board has lost sight of most of this!!

But, Lloyd, I have it on good authority that the NZRB Board's 2011/12 Mission Statement will be

In five years time we will have the most perfect sight of any Racing Board on the planet.

I understand carrots will be available for munching on at every board meeting for the forseeable future...

[eljay 1,719]

But, Lloyd, I have it on good authority that the NZRB Board's 2011/12 Mission Statement will be

In five years time we will have the most perfect sight of any Racing Board on the planet.

I understand carrots will be available for munching on at every board meeting for the forseeable future...

So who do they want to be the new board member? An optician or an astronomer - surely not an astrologer or a sceptic!

[Blue 1,095]

Already full of sceptics with their heads in the clouds - but full of integrity it must be said.

[tasman man 742]

Even old blossom lady won the hawera cup

......this is NOT correct.

Even tho raised in the area she apparently had one unplaced run there , well before she rose to greatness !!!

Try again !!!