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JJ Flash

Farewell to Steve Lock

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One of the great participants has some pertinent words on his departure from the sport

Final hurrah for Steve Lock

 
 

Harness racing trainer Steve Lock’s last runner as a trainer went around at Addington last night when Honour Scroll (Washington VC) faded into eight place after racing deep on the fence in the hands of driver Jo Herbert.

Steve-Lock-350x250.jpg Steve Lock (Harness Racing Unhinged Photo)

Lock is retiring from training after deciding that he can no longer afford to carry on in a sport that has been his life for the last 35 years.

Like a lot of smaller hobby trainers Lock has become disillusioned with the harness racing industry.

 
 
 

“The last year or two I feel we the small guy have been, well I call it shafted by the industry and I just can’t afford to carry on,” Lock told Nigel Armstrong from Harness Racing Unhinged last night.

 

“Harness racing has been good to me, I have met a lot of lovely people, great people.”

“I will miss the circuit, especially the Coast circuit, and a lot of the people in it,” Lock said.

“To me it is the old story. If you can’t stand the heat in the kitchen you get out, so I am opting to hop out,” he said.

“Some of the things are out of the hands of HRNZ like the cost of fuel and feed, but we are getting less and less back.

“They took 25% off last year to build up their reserves, and that money used to help us to keep horses going, to fill fields and line up in races just so they could hold the races, but that lands on deaf ears,” Lock said.

“I don’t think they really care,” he said.

“If you are a tall poppy they will listen to you, but they want to remember the wee guys, after all that is what the industry was built on,” he said.

Lock started training in 1987 and has started 3377 horses, winning 80 times, with a lot of his wins spread around many tracks in the South Island.

Along the way came many highlights.

“Winning the Greymouth Cup in 1997 was one (with Eb’s Fella), Ivan Schwamm drove it,” Lock said.

“Ivan Schwamm was basically like a mentor for me and said a way back in the early days, boy if you are going to do any good you have to travel and that was the start of the end for me,” Lock said with a smile.

“Winning at Forbury was always a highlight,” he said.

To view the Harness Racing Unhinged interview with Steve Lock, click here.

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14 hours ago, JJ Flash said:

One of the great participants has some pertinent words on his departure from the sport

Final hurrah for Steve Lock

 
 

Harness racing trainer Steve Lock’s last runner as a trainer went around at Addington last night when Honour Scroll (Washington VC) faded into eight place after racing deep on the fence in the hands of driver Jo Herbert.

Steve-Lock-350x250.jpg Steve Lock (Harness Racing Unhinged Photo)

Lock is retiring from training after deciding that he can no longer afford to carry on in a sport that has been his life for the last 35 years.

Like a lot of smaller hobby trainers Lock has become disillusioned with the harness racing industry.

 
 
 

“The last year or two I feel we the small guy have been, well I call it shafted by the industry and I just can’t afford to carry on,” Lock told Nigel Armstrong from Harness Racing Unhinged last night.

 

“Harness racing has been good to me, I have met a lot of lovely people, great people.”

“I will miss the circuit, especially the Coast circuit, and a lot of the people in it,” Lock said.

“To me it is the old story. If you can’t stand the heat in the kitchen you get out, so I am opting to hop out,” he said.

“Some of the things are out of the hands of HRNZ like the cost of fuel and feed, but we are getting less and less back.

“They took 25% off last year to build up their reserves, and that money used to help us to keep horses going, to fill fields and line up in races just so they could hold the races, but that lands on deaf ears,” Lock said.

“I don’t think they really care,” he said.

“If you are a tall poppy they will listen to you, but they want to remember the wee guys, after all that is what the industry was built on,” he said.

Lock started training in 1987 and has started 3377 horses, winning 80 times, with a lot of his wins spread around many tracks in the South Island.

Along the way came many highlights.

“Winning the Greymouth Cup in 1997 was one (with Eb’s Fella), Ivan Schwamm drove it,” Lock said.

“Ivan Schwamm was basically like a mentor for me and said a way back in the early days, boy if you are going to do any good you have to travel and that was the start of the end for me,” Lock said with a smile.

“Winning at Forbury was always a highlight,” he said.

To view the Harness Racing Unhinged interview with Steve Lock, click here.

Interesting view he has. I don't think he can blame HRNZ really. His horses are slow and unfit that is why it is costing him money. I hope he has a great retirement. One things for sure Mr Lock will not be the last to leave the industry in the coming months. When the recession hits in 2024 things will not be pleasant...

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23 hours ago, Shad said:

Regardless of his racing team, he's be a stalwart for many a years, supporting many clubs and the industry with horse numbers filling fields, and also giving a chance to horses that would have been retired, sad to see him go.

Perhaps but if a horse with an easy run drops out at the 800m there is something wrong. OK they are there to make up the numbers but clearly there is something wrong with the horse, unfit, health issues, unsound or temperamental issues (many slow horses give up). Sorry, I think that it is cruel to start a horse like this. Unfit horses should not be racing and they add nothing to a field in my opinion.

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17 hours ago, Shad said:

He may not be the only one to have horses drop out with issues.

I don't get your point? I don't think racing an unfit horse is funny, just the opposite. Horses that are as unfit as Mr Lock's charges would be in a lot of pain during the running of a race. If you don't believe me, go out for a run with someone who can run faster and can go further than you and try and keep up... you'll soon be in a lot of pain. A horse is the same.

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My point is just because a horse drops out, must believe its totally due to un fitness, possibly a number of other factors, no laughing matter from me either, don't we have stipes and vets on course for this reason, to cast an eye over runners, soundness probably a bigger factor regards to race day performance, 

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37 minutes ago, Shad said:

My point is just because a horse drops out, must believe its totally due to un fitness, possibly a number of other factors, no laughing matter from me either, don't we have stipes and vets on course for this reason, to cast an eye over runners, soundness probably a bigger factor regards to race day performance, 

I agree there could and probably are other reasons. Many horses like this do not want to race, and who can blame them. The trainer has not got them fit enough to keep up with the slowest horses going around. So every time the horse lines up it knows it is in for a lot of pain. It's cruel for the poor horse. This horse should be retired. If it is a kind, tractable horse it can be trained to a hack or trail horse. Just stop being cruel to so many slow horses it's shameful.

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15 hours ago, Shad said:

Fair call, but in his defense he ends up with mostly horses that no one else wants and gives them a second chance, and believe me some would could end up in a much worse place.

I understand but should these horses be racing? It is cruel and inhumane. Michael House made a similar comment on Facebook yesterday. I agree with him. They should have races for slow, slow horses maybe with stakes $2-3000, but even then some would not pay their way. I think Mr Lock's horses would fall into this category. Many horses end up at the abattoir for various reasons. Is that worse than torturing the poor animal for seasons on end?

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On 8/2/2022 at 3:29 PM, Shad said:

I'm sure the stress of  truck trip to the abbatoir and the fear when they smell that blood, they know what's coming, and after viewing the Australia documentary on what happens at these places, was very graphic, you decide, 

Sure. But a responsible and humane owner would get the portable abbatoir to dispose of horse. I'm not sure if they shoot or inject the horse but death instant and  painless.That would be my option but of course it costs much more.

Sadly, the trainer/owner who has already slogged a horse for 50 or 60 starts is likely to be concerned about the welfare of the horse and will take the option that you illustrate. Shameful disrespect for an animal they are supposed to feed, house, happy and healthy. 

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