Barry Lichter 179 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 Harness racing in the Central Districts will be retained next season - we gave you a heads-up on today’s announcement. https://www.lincolnfarms.co.nz/stories/harness-racing-in-the-cd-will-be-given-a-reprieve-in-todays-rita-announcement/ Patiti 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 The situation at Palmy is a little different than forbury.if they are still gunna have the dogs racing then the track is still in use the trots will only be a success if they get good days and I spose if horses turn up in numbers,recently they have had poor fields and poor dates,same as forbury really Hawera at Easter has a long history so why not them too? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie 325 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 The CD's 6 full race meetings will be 3 x 2 day meetings I predict Marlborough will get dates reinstated as well Mikie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, Mikie said: The CD's 6 full race meetings will be 3 x 2 day meetings I predict Marlborough will get dates reinstated as well Mikie This is where the problem lies though say with blenhiem,do you keep a track open for 2 days a year,Alexandra Park Addington get lots of racing so what do you do then if it's good enough for Westport then is it' good enough for Blenhiem,it is a hard one really. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie 325 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 13 minutes ago, mikenz said: This is where the problem lies though say with blenhiem,do you keep a track open for 2 days a year,Alexandra Park Addington get lots of racing so what do you do then if it's good enough for Westport then is it' good enough for Blenhiem,it is a hard one really. Sometimes I really struggle with your posts mikenz What do you mean "do you keep a track open for 2 days a year"? (my emphasis) If the local Committee and Community are bearing the costs of keeping the Track open what is the detriment to the wider racing industry? The old acorrn about travel doesn't really apply now does it, as with so many race days at Addington those that travel don't have to , they like to Mikie Keneperu 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stables 577 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 The cost of travel to places like Blenheim and Palmerston North is a negative, but the main attraction to owners and trainers is the chance to take their lesser performing horses to a place where they have a chance of getting some prize money. It is bloody hard to win a race at Addington unless you've got a very good horse. We're Doomed and Keneperu 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 1 minute ago, Mikie said: Sometimes I really struggle with your posts mikenz What do you mean "do you keep a track open for 2 days a year"? (my emphasis) If the local Committee and Community are bearing the costs of keeping the Track open what is the detriment to the wider racing industry? The old acorrn about travel doesn't really apply now does it, as with so many race days at Addington those that travel don't have to , they like to Mikie True there is a lot of tradition in these isolated clubs,I guess palmy will be on trial next year,however if all the racing is at Addington,Auckland etc etc from now on will some travel,that what will be determined in the future,time will tell.For some of the out of town clubs to be really successful they really need the weekend they race to be a clear window,will that or would that happen who knows. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie 325 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 1 minute ago, mikenz said: True there is a lot of tradition in these isolated clubs,I guess palmy will be on trial next year,however if all the racing is at Addington,Auckland etc etc from now on will some travel,that what will be determined in the future,time will tell.For some of the out of town clubs to be really successful they really need the weekend they race to be a clear window,will that or would that happen who knows. Everyone will know if they have a 'clear window', they can read the Dates schedule mikenz Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 3 minutes ago, Mikie said: Everyone will know if they have a 'clear window', they can read the Dates schedule mikenz So you think palmy will get a clear window or just race two days before or after Cambridge,that is the key,in recent times they have been poked in here and there,Forbury Park the same. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie 325 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 I didn't say what I thought, I just said that everyone will be able to see The dates are out now Have a look at them Mikenz Mikie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 7 minutes ago, Mikie said: Everyone will know if they have a 'clear window', they can read the Dates schedule mikenz Quality needs to replace quantity,they have in last few years scheduled some pretty poor dates.The greyhounds seem to have heaps of days ,seem they are just a filler sometimes for tv,if race club turnover was as poor as they are they wouldn't race. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikie 325 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 6 minutes ago, mikenz said: Quality needs to replace quantity,they have in last few years scheduled some pretty poor dates.The greyhounds seem to have heaps of days ,seem they are just a filler sometimes for tv,if race club turnover was as poor as they are they wouldn't race. Given that On-course T/O's have fallen to $7000 at ATC (no doubt affected by RITA decisions in part) I wouldn't be pointing the finger mikenz Mikie Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 2 minutes ago, Mikie said: Given that On-course T/O's have fallen to $7000 at ATC (no doubt affected by RITA decisions in part) I wouldn't be pointing the finger mikenz Mikie The stakes they pay for dog races are a reflection of the turnover but then I spose in reality the cost of training feeding and travelling is probably all relevant. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john legend 735 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 At least there must be someone who retains some commonsense in the industry. To those who have allowed some compassion for the horsemen/women in the central districts I personally say thankyou. To those who wanted to wipe out the 100years of central districts harness racing and have failed, I say try some other sport or recreation as you are surplus to requirements. Its not a time for arguments however but a time for making the racing a success for future years. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljay 1,711 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 Biggest injustice imo is Hawera Taku Umanga and john legend 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taku Umanga 194 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 18 minutes ago, eljay said: Biggest injustice imo is Hawera Agreed - is there an Easter weekend carnival anywhere now? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikenz 1,071 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 Easter at Hawera is like xmas on the coast,some traditions need keeping. Taku Umanga 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljay 1,711 Report post Posted July 3, 2020 Looks like Taranaki is a dirty word. No Hawera, no Stratford, no New Plymouth. This area (from a punting perspective) will join the Hawkes Bay Taku Umanga and john legend 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,824 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 On 7/4/2020 at 7:11 AM, eljay said: Looks like Taranaki is a dirty word. No Hawera, no Stratford, no New Plymouth. This area (from a punting perspective) will join the Hawkes Bay The HB has hardly ever been a hotbed of harness racing. Didn't they once used to set up a temporary track at the Showgrounds? Possibly back in the 80s or 90s. JJ Flash 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ripples 33 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 2 hours ago, We're Doomed said: The HB has hardly ever been a hotbed of harness racing. Didn't they once used to set up a temporary track at the Showgrounds? Possibly back in the 80s or 90s. Yep thats right Hawkes Bay Trotting Club raced at Tomoana Showgrounds (two day meeting) and set up a race track from scratch each year, from tote facilities to running rail. . On Course only betting and turnover sometimes exceeded 200k. John Butcher, Errol Wallis Eric Ryan, Sam Pluck, Eric Mathews etc etc would send big teams to the Bay. Under pressure from the Showgrounds Board and NZ Trotting Conference the Club shifted to Hastings racecourse which eventually led to the demise of the Club. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
eljay 1,711 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 Yes and later raced grass at Hastings. Once the area closed down racingwise the number of trainers in the area diminished to now being non existent and the Bay punters lost interest in harness. Many stories can be told of the pilgrimages to the HB Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stables 577 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 Eljay, if as you say that punters have lost interest in Harness Racing in the Hawkes Bay and trainers in the district were non existent, how can any allocation of dates to this region be justified JJ Flash 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
john legend 735 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 As usual people with no understanding that night follows day miss the point. Just come down for great Harness Racing CD. I do feel bad for Hawera .have been attending most Easters there with horses from Auckland in the 70s and up to last year with cd horses. great racing big crowds, special kids carts racing and great country atmosphere.(workouts most sundays)Sadly missed and yet another bad decision. The Taranaki will go the same as Hawkes Bay. Roll on RITA, HRNZ. eventually the cake will be so small may as well close the canvas. Quote Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasman man 11 979 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 50 minutes ago, john legend said: As usual people with no understanding that night follows day miss the point. Just come down for great Harness Racing CD. I do feel bad for Hawera .have been attending most Easters there with horses from Auckland in the 70s and up to last year with cd horses. great racing big crowds, special kids carts racing and great country atmosphere.(workouts most sundays)Sadly missed and yet another bad decision. The Taranaki will go the same as Hawkes Bay. Roll on RITA, HRNZ. eventually the cake will be so small may as well close the canvas. Sadly John the cake has been shrinking and getting smaller every year......decay and rot in some cases. Last season betting on Harness was down around 13% , which should equate to less funding. Something needs to be done ,but Harness folk can't agree exactly what. The halcyon days of 1970's won't be repeated ,if they were in fact so good.......... What would you do the improve profitablity of Harness and future-proof of the sport ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
JJ Flash 2,115 Report post Posted July 5, 2020 46 minutes ago, tasman man 11 said: What would you do the improve profitablity of Harness and future-proof of the sport ? Start at the top . HRNZ board and senior management are amateurs trying to run a multi million dollar business with lots of competition. None of them have proven to be up the the job especially at board level. No innovation and almost a jobs for life attitude which exists no where these days in private sector. Greg john legend 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...