scooby3051 10,695 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/127332945/new-horse-training-facility-could-cost-up-to-10-million Why could they not use Stratford or Hawera, surely they would cost a lot less to set up and either would make a great training facility...or am I off the mark here....seems totally ludicrous to want to waste up to 10M on a new facility. crustyngrizzly, Insider and Sobeit 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whyisit 227 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 1 hour ago, scooby3051 said: https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/127332945/new-horse-training-facility-could-cost-up-to-10-million Why could they not use Stratford or Hawera, surely they would cost a lot less to set up and either would make a great training facility...or am I off the mark here....seems totally ludicrous to want to waste up to 10M on a new facility. Remember it was sell up Stratford and Hawera and all the funds go to New Plyn=mouth to make great racing facility for the good of the Taranaki region. Now the tide has turned for the good of the racing in Taranaki we will build our own training track.Stuff Hawera and Stratford Why not upgrade the other two courses to accommodate the trainers and their horses. It would be the most sensible thing to do. It"s a different story when the boots on the other foot. Patiti and We're Doomed 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
arjay 447 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 Strange are the decisions, and I admit to knowing very little about the issue. I know New Plymouth is track is nearly in town, so a further thought does a track like Riccarton need to move as well. Riccarton has sold all it's land that used to be carparks, and yet have a new all weather track, but no real public grandstand. Am not complaining, but where is the forward thought. Addington is in the city too, but I don't think many trained on course. Waverley is 30 mins away, seems logical to go there. Growth is still going on, Takanini had to yield years ago, and it was huge for training. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby3051 10,695 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 They dont even own the track its leased...just seems totally nonsensical that they are talking building a NEW training facility when there is one or two readily available ....and why does he say it MUST be north of New Plymouth...is that just to stop any talk of Stratford or Hawera being put on the table...cant see any other reason??? Insider, JJ Flash and Patiti 2 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phar Lap Fan 103 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 N.P. on leased land and no room to expand any facilities or increase the size of the track. Perhaps there is a cunning plan to (re)introduce racing to Urenui or Awakino - might be some flat land there after the roadworks have finished. Mt. Messenger by-pass hasn't started. Needs to be North of N.P. as the next track in that direction is not at Taumarunui - when did that close? Then Waipa or Te Rapa, because there is no course at Whangamomona. A proposal from D.o.D.O. - Department of Daft Objectives? Black Kirrama 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerula 1,389 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 Hawera cold as a frogs tit. Stratford a better bet. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby3051 10,695 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 1 hour ago, Nerula said: Hawera cold as a frogs tit. Stratford a better bet. He said in the article people staff dont want to move south of New Plymouth...where would they pull staff from if it went north of New Plymouth...Mokau and Awakino....it makes no sense not to use Stratford...its the correct sensible solution...but nothing they ever do makes sense so 100% they will not even consider it...muppets run the show. Baz (NZ) 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nerula 1,389 Report post Posted December 22, 2021 NP to Stratford 39 km takes 30 minutes. I like Stratford track although its a long time since I've been on it. New Plymouth is a poor track - no more than 10 minutes from any where in the burg. i' rather drive another 20 minutes. Parochialism rears its head still. The problem with 'Naki, they think the world starts at Awakino and ends at Waitara. They are insular. JJ Flash and We're Doomed 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby3051 10,695 Report post Posted December 23, 2021 I agree Nerula Stratford is a much better track than NP. Not sure the thinking they are using on this is making much sense other than as you say parochialism and not wanting to even think of Straford as an option. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tauhei Notts 1,403 Report post Posted December 23, 2021 Stratford; that grind from the 600 metre peg to the winning post; it can find out a few horses. I backed a thing that was two lengths clear at the birdcage gate and it didn't make the first three home. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insider 3,883 Report post Posted December 23, 2021 The Board and Management of NP have (over a number of years) got themselves into one hell of a mess, while at the same time they have sat on the sidelines and watched the shit fight between Dr Murray Blue and his Stratford Committee with NZTR. In fact they were probably fuelling the fire! Going forward I don’t think that they will be man enough (or eat humble pie) to say that Stratford is of course the correct and only solution to the ness that they (NP) have got themselves in to. Go Stratford, Kama is a wonderful thing. Nerula, Sobeit, Pam Robson and 4 others 7 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Craig hitchcock 60 Report post Posted December 25, 2021 Stratford is the best track in the Naki , just a crying shame it isn’t used anymore. scooby3051 and Sobeit 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archer 296 Report post Posted December 25, 2021 10 million for a training track ? just crazy in the current climate, especially with the available (under used) tracks. meomy 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sobeit 99 Report post Posted December 25, 2021 It is a crime that Stratford is no longer used as a racing surface (particularly during the drier months) & is under-utilised as a training track. Hawera & Waverley are also good tracks for country racing, IMO, so like others I don't see the need to spend the $10m. I see it as the TRI and North Taranaki in general, seeing themselves as better than their central & southern Taranaki counterparts. The gulf is wide & would take a great leader and compromise to narrow it sufficiently for the greater good . My greatest concern in regard to Stratford is that the current leadership are relics of the past and will never allow the Club and the track to progress as they are so entrenched in what has been. The Club as an entity has been tarred by the issues that brought the Club so much bad press (read embarrassment). While a mouth-piece for the past leader remains at the helm & many of the members are easily baffled by bs and swayed by it when it comes time to elect committees, then the Club will struggle to move forward. There are exceptions on the committee and I admire their committment to their roles given the people they have to contend with. We're Doomed 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whyisit 227 Report post Posted December 25, 2021 1 hour ago, Sobeit said: It is a crime that Stratford is no longer used as a racing surface (particularly during the drier months) & is under-utilised as a training track. Hawera & Waverley are also good tracks for country racing, IMO, so like others I don't see the need to spend the $10m. I see it as the TRI and North Taranaki in general, seeing themselves as better than their central & southern Taranaki counterparts. The gulf is wide & would take a great leader and compromise to narrow it sufficiently for the greater good . My greatest concern in regard to Stratford is that the current leadership are relics of the past and will never allow the Club and the track to progress as they are so entrenched in what has been. The Club as an entity has been tarred by the issues that brought the Club so much bad press (read embarrassment). While a mouth-piece for the past leader remains at the helm & many of the members are easily baffled by bs and swayed by it when it comes time to elect committees, then the Club will struggle to move forward. There are exceptions on the committee and I admire their committment to their roles given the people they have to contend with. You seem to have a finger on the pulse there Sobeit . The trouble is that do the NZTR crack the big whip under the venue rationalisation scheme sell parts of Stratford and Hawera to help fund Carey’s ideas.. Although I think that court hearings would delay the such action and would delay things worse than the current Mt Messenger debacle. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berri 2,131 Report post Posted December 25, 2021 The problem is that no one is looking very far into the future. If they all got smart they’d be joining forces and utilising their assets to produce an amazing green fields solution. Doesn’t mean that racing clubs need to sell their assets….more amortising the value of them and producing something meaningful for the future. hedley, meomy and Baz (NZ) 1 2 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whyisit 227 Report post Posted December 26, 2021 17 hours ago, Berri said: The problem is that no one is looking very far into the future. If they all got smart they’d be joining forces and utilising their assets to produce an amazing green fields solution. Doesn’t mean that racing clubs need to sell their assets….more amortising the value of them and producing something meaningful for the future. What assets do Taranaki Racing have ? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
meomy 971 Report post Posted December 26, 2021 When will those who are holding the purse strings wake up to the fact they are the problem Horse Racing has gone into the decline it is? NO right thinking person 'sells off assets and closes down community facilities". We should be ensuring those who keep making these short sighted and irrational decisions are held to account and kicked out of our industry. Some of these plonkers, who sit inside in offices all day, have been running our industry to the ground for over 30 years. Ellerslie Racecourse is a classic example of stupid short-sighted decisions, including selling of land and changing tried and true traditional Race dates without factoring into account 'consequences' using very flawed 'modelling' and statistics that come straight out of the same Academic institutions that have instigated the serious issues we have had thrust into our lives the last nearly 2 years - the same people who use Negative psychology practices instead of focusing on the positive outdoor and healthy pursuits have. We well recall the slant back in the 1990's that anyone involved in Horse Racing was a fraudster, thanks to the high flyers in Finance and Property development, which to this day sadly has impacted negatively. Until there is some positive psychology and forward thinking, and an understanding about the wider roles of ''Town Planning' like they used to in the 1800's when creating Towns/ cities etc and the benefits of Green Open places for the Public Health of the whole of communities those wise one's thought of for our longer term benefits (including so we wouldn't be impacted on with ongoing financial expenses I might add) there will be problems with the industry and it will continue to be hit in the guts. Why the heck sell off original Racecourses, which incidentally were created where they are bc the land is NOT suitable for housing or other buildings, and sell off assets that are community focused assets? It's the encroachment of housing and construction, along with overpopulation of people in the world that is what needs to be addressed. Leave our Recreational places alone that are there for the Betterment of our Communities and Wellness and were set aside in Perpetuity back in the 1800's under The Domains Acts. Aaron Bidlake, napier, Insider and 3 others 3 3 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grey Ghost 36 Report post Posted December 27, 2021 On 12/22/2021 at 2:21 PM, scooby3051 said: https://www.stuff.co.nz/taranaki-daily-news/news/127332945/new-horse-training-facility-could-cost-up-to-10-million Why could they not use Stratford or Hawera, surely they would cost a lot less to set up and either would make a great training facility...or am I off the mark here....seems totally ludicrous to want to waste up to 10M on a new facility. Because we had an Australian (who never looked at a track) who sent a consultant over who didnt even go to all tracks including Foxton but decided to close them with no knowledge of who owned the land etc. Yet there all open in Australia! Midget 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,824 Report post Posted December 27, 2021 4 minutes ago, Grey Ghost said: Because we had an Australian (who never looked at a track) who sent a consultant over who didnt even go to all tracks including Foxton but decided to close them with no knowledge of who owned the land etc. Yet there all open in Australia! Unfortunately Messara took all his advice from people with vested interests so his report wasn't impartial, and despite what some people claimed, he wasn't an independent expert casting an expert and unbiased eye over our industry. Some people think his report is great as it supports all their biased views. Most of the bits I have read are rubbish so I give it no weight at all. This industry has had an appalling record at choosing light-weight incompetent administrators to run the show. But really, those at the coal face probably have only themselves to blame. dock leaf, Huey, Memphis3 and 1 other 3 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,824 Report post Posted December 27, 2021 I do find it amazing that people are quite happy to demolish one of the newest grandstands in the whole country. Perhaps they could ship it in parts to Riccarton and reassemble it. tasman man 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
We're Doomed 4,824 Report post Posted December 27, 2021 I find it interesting that at the same time as the Aussies are building new grandstands at several of their major tracks , the NZ attitude is that nobody goes to the races anymore so we don't need flash facilities. If that is the case why do we need to spend money on tracks in major metropolitan centres? Close New Plymouth and move everything to Stratford and Hawera; close Trentham and move it to Foxton; close Riccarton and move to Timaru. The industry would be miles better off selling many of those major tracks. They are all selling off anything that moves anyhow and it won't be long before they all end up like the Auckland trots. dock leaf, Huey, napier and 1 other 4 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ardentbuzz 31 Report post Posted December 29, 2021 Taranaki Racing have a lot of workers?? Dont know what they all do??? see attachment from covid 19 payments to the club Baz (NZ) and dock leaf 1 1 Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
scooby3051 10,695 Report post Posted December 30, 2021 shit thats a lot. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...