The Need For Change - Clubs in NZ

[Messenger]

There has been a great deal of debate in a couple of different threads on this forum about the future of harness racing which leads me to believe that John Curtin's editorial about 'The Need For Change' may have gone unnoticed by many

As with all articles on the New Zealand homepage, the News Bot has made it into a thread in the 'Harnesslink News NZ' sub forum. There is no way of knowing if it has been read by many or very few on the NZ homepage but I do know that as a thread on the 'Harnesslink News NZ' sub forum it has only had 16 views and no posts. It seems to me that many of the articles made into threads on this sub forum do not receive the attention they deserve as it has been a long time since anybody has replied/discussed one of them

So, if you don't mind TeeCee, I have linked the editorial again and created this Aussie board thread for it

http://www.harnesslink.com/New-Zeala...in-New-Zealand

The linked editorial is only 2 screens long so click above and let us know what you think

To stir your interest I include this excerpt:

"I have given up defending the structure of harness racing in New Zealand and have become a strong advocate for major change in how our industry is governed. How can it be in 2014 that we have a system of governance for our industry that is manifestly inappropriate for a business in the 21st century.

Currently we have a system that is controlled by the trotting clubs of New Zealand. Any major changes to the administration or structure of ANYTHING within the trotting industry requires the approval of a majority of those clubs. They meet once a year which means change within the industry happens at a glacial pace. The Executive of Harness Racing New Zealand can tinker at the edges but for anything major they need to take the proposal to the annual meeting of trotting clubs for their approval."

John Curtin

[teecee]

This is not significantly different to the views expressed in many forums with the industry in NZ all at a time when the topic of governance and other structures is being considered by the executive of HRNZ. The interesting point IMO is that they first need to restructure themselves and that is not an easy thing for some to contemplate.
It's no different in Australia IMO. and when NZ Harness racing does things because "that's what happens in Australia", it's well past the considering and talking about it stage.

[Mister JayKO]

It's hard to pass comment without knowing the ins an outs of NZ in detail, all I know is that like everywhere else it will soon be totally gambling driven and certainly in this part of the world, that's not always been the main driver. For me the industry is really caught between two parallel universes - total professionalism and maintaining the backbone of the industry the hobbyist or part timers - who quite frankly keep the game going. Most clubs are run by hard working volunteers and honestly there is not enough money in the game for it to be run professionally. Of the administrators that I have worked and known, most work for an effective hourly wage that is well below the minimum wage, they do it because they love it, but in the end the sport takes much more from them than it ever gives back.

So while I encourage progress it has to be balanced against the cost to the industry. Personally I think the industry has headed down the wrong track. Prize money and general interest in the game is at an all time low. Big new tracks haven't engaged new participants - in my case it's driven me away, there is no atmosphere - save the small half mile tracks. Personally if every club goes there own way like America - you'll get the same results. For years we have heard about how great American racing is ra ra, now thru sky wall to wall racing we get it live whenever we want and guess what...it's not!

Look what we have done to the Inter, it should just be shelved rather than run in a cardboard cut out format of what it once was and now we have clubs / states effectively running against each other with the Miracle Mile being shifted to what is traditionally an inter timeslot. Again look to America, the owner of the Meadowlands bans the worlds best driver because he won't race exclusively at his track,bravo Brian Sears.

Continue to follow America and the game will not survive. Bookmark it!

[Viv Strangman]

It's hard to pass comment without knowing the ins an outs of NZ in detail, all I know is that like everywhere else it will soon be totally gambling driven and certainly in this part of the world, that's not always been the main driver. For me the industry is really caught between two parallel universes - total professionalism and maintaining the backbone of the industry the hobbyist or part timers - who quite frankly keep the game going. Most clubs are run by hard working volunteers and honestly there is not enough money in the game for it to be run professionally. Of the administrators that I have worked and known, most work for an effective hourly wage that is well below the minimum wage, they do it because they love it, but in the end the sport takes much more from them than it ever gives back.

So while I encourage progress it has to be balanced against the cost to the industry. Personally I think the industry has headed down the wrong track. Prize money and general interest in the game is at an all time low. Big new tracks haven't engaged new participants - in my case it's driven me away, there is no atmosphere - save the small half mile tracks. Personally if every club goes there own way like America - you'll get the same results. For years we have heard about how great American racing is ra ra, now thru sky wall to wall racing we get it live whenever we want and guess what...it's not!

Look what we have done to the Inter, it should just be shelved rather than run in a cardboard cut out format of what it once was and now we have clubs / states effectively running against each other with the Miracle Mile being shifted to what is traditionally an inter timeslot. Again look to America, the owner of the Meadowlands bans the worlds best driver because he won't race exclusively at his track,bravo Brian Sears.

Continue to follow America and the game will not survive. Bookmark it!

I think you need to read the article before going off half cocked.
Clubs run the industry in NZ and it is not working and hasn't been for 50 years.
There needs to be a debate about how to change the structure in Nz which is killing this industry.
Positive contributions would be greatly appreciated.

[Viv Strangman]

This is not significantly different to the views expressed in many forums with the industry in NZ all at a time when the topic of governance and other structures is being considered by the executive of HRNZ. The interesting point IMO is that they first need to restructure themselves and that is not an easy thing for some to contemplate.
It's no different in Australia IMO. and when NZ Harness racing does things because "that's what happens in Australia", it's well past the considering and talking about it stage.

Kind of like turkeys embracing xmas TC. Its not going to happen so change is going to have to be driven by the people from within the industry, not by the administrators .

[teecee]

Kind of like turkeys embracing xmas TC. Its not going to happen so change is going to have to be driven by the people from within the industry, not by the administrators .

I love your analogy. Wish I had thought of it that way as I struggled to put my ideas on the screen.
Cheers