SI Jumps

[We're Doomed 4,855]

I am a bit confused. I had assumed jumps racing in the South was finished due to lack of interest, but on checking some upcoming programmes I noticed several 74+jumpers races coming up, such as the Marlborough Cup, at the Amberley meeting at Riccarton: which seems a bit convoluted, but that is another story. On checking further I see the Grand National meeting is locked in, but there only seem to be at best three other meetings with jumps races tentatively programmed all season in the South.

Surely that amount of racing is hardly enough to encourage a trainer to put all that time and effort into preparing a jumper? And surely they would need to be starting their preparation already? And I'm not sure what happens when Timaru gets the boot so Riccarton can make full use of their flash new expensive toy.

It looks like the National meeting will be dependent on an influx of Northern trainers supporting the jumps races. This does seem to run counter to the philosophy that Wairoa, Omakau, Marlborough and several other meetings must go as it is inefficient to have trainers and connections travelling so far to race, despite the large on course attendances they attract..

[Chris Wood 1,576]

I wasn’t oncourse Sunday, but I am picking the packed race days  at Wairoa wouldn’t have been the same at Hastings on Sunday.

Couldnt see many of the general public from Wairoa heading there.

All their work on the track was voluntary, done by committee people.

I maybe wrong, but if you don’t take racing to the people in these regions, the young ones will never know about it and the older generation are not going to be here forever!
Just an observation!

[We're Doomed 4,855]

10 minutes ago, Chris Wood said:

I wasn’t oncourse Sunday, but I am picking the packed race days  at Wairoa wouldn’t have been the same at Hastings on Sunday.

Couldnt see many of the general public from Wairoa heading there.

All their work on the track was voluntary, done by committee people.

I maybe wrong, but if you don’t take racing to the people in these regions, the young ones will never know about it and the older generation are not going to be here forever!
Just an observation!

That just sounds totally sensible Chris. I can't help thinking this whole closing down of vast tracts of the industry is all because of a tiny group pushing through a strident, unproven, extremist theory. We have never been given any cost benefit analysis of exactly what they hope to achieve from these actions. They must know what savings they expect, or else why would they take these steps that are alienating so many people and dumping many decades of loyal regional on-course support and voluntary input.

Now that we have had Wairoa, Omakau, Waikouaiti and Banks Pen, plus several others, surely we are entitled to an open disclosure of turnovers, costs, savings, benefits, attendances and any other relevant information. It would be great to hear any examples of club supporters from the likes of Marlborough popping along to help out at working bees at Riccarton.

[tasman man 742]

8 minutes ago, Chris Wood said:

I wasn’t oncourse Sunday, but I am picking the packed race days  at Wairoa wouldn’t have been the same at Hastings on Sunday.

Couldnt see many of the general public from Wairoa heading there.

All their work on the track was voluntary, done by committee people.

I maybe wrong, but if you don’t take racing to the people in these regions, the young ones will never know about it and the older generation are not going to be here forever!
Just an observation!

Decisions in Racing Chris need to be made after financials considered...racing in places with no horse population ,dragging TAB / Trackside stuff all around the country cos some clubs have had good volunteers in past ....those days over. The 80 yr old  s wear out eventually.

The young ones you say who will turn up........the cynics say they just go for the booze up!....which is it ?

Anyway the topic of this thread is SI jumps.....not Wairoa !

South Island jumps were cancelled last year once Covid lockdown scuttled the iconic Grand National week.

It still on in 2021 and SI jumps racing in spite of decline in recent years will still host some jump races leading into Grand National week.

These at  Riverton,  Washdyke and Riccarton and if numbers justify it more races could be added. However betting tends to be poor on jumps racing.

As in recent times , many of the jumps trainers in Central Districts and regular visitors to GN week.

 

[tasman man 742]

13 minutes ago, We're Doomed said:

That just sounds totally sensible Chris. I can't help thinking this whole closing down of vast tracts of the industry is all because of a tiny group pushing through a strident, unproven, extremist theory. We have never been given any cost benefit analysis of exactly what they hope to achieve from these actions. They must know what savings they expect, or else why would they take these steps that are alienating so many people and dumping many decades of loyal regional on-course support and voluntary input.

Now that we have had Wairoa, Omakau, Waikouaiti and Banks Pen, plus several others, surely we are entitled to an open disclosure of turnovers, costs, savings, benefits, attendances and any other relevant information. It would be great to hear any examples of club supporters from the likes of Marlborough popping along to help out at working bees at Riccarton.

The number crunchers who have been around in recent times to look at an ailing industry including Messara had all the numbers and as a result are taking measures to get more $$$$ back into industry to try and stop the decline.

So far they have edged up margins on increasing turnovers and got rid of some costs ,and although the numbers are not as spectacular on cutting out costs as I would personally have envisaged they seem to be making progress judging by their monthly reporting numbers.

But these numbers are not as spectacular as some of the 'hype'...eg numbers NOT going thru the roof. Some progress seems to be being made and they certainly wont be paying codes out more than what they earn as they did in recent years....and they talking of rebuilding some reserves.

In the meantime keep calm....especially if you not affected or involved other than on social media !

[Red Rum 1,833]

18 hours ago, tasman man said:

The number crunchers who have been around in recent times to look at an ailing industry including Messara had all the numbers and as a result are taking measures to get more $$$$ back into industry to try and stop the decline.

So far they have edged up margins on increasing turnovers and got rid of some costs ,and although the numbers are not as spectacular on cutting out costs as I would personally have envisaged they seem to be making progress judging by their monthly reporting numbers.

But these numbers are not as spectacular as some of the 'hype'...eg numbers NOT going thru the roof. Some progress seems to be being made and they certainly wont be paying codes out more than what they earn as they did in recent years....and they talking of rebuilding some reserves.

In the meantime keep calm....especially if you not affected or involved other than on social media !

All involved now  TM ,  anyone even the kid who does a paper round and pays 5 bucks a week tax and never seen a horse  , tax dollars prop the game up so most taxpayers would be rightly concern racing doesn't get begging bowl out again .Racing is now totally accountable to the masses . Free money comes at a cost .