Reply With QuoteJaimie, I loved the old grass track racing.....We may well see a return to it (not Richmond) but elsewhere down the track ....
C'mon now Lee. You have given yourself up quite some time ago in this thread by way of bemoaning the cessation of NSWSS Racing at Muswellbrook. The only way anyone may seek to surpass such a comment is if they happen to come out in support of a return to racing on grass around that old & infinitely deplorable track out at Richmond.
By far & away THE BIGGEST LEAPS FORWARD the NSW Industry has taken in my lifetime encompass HRNSW ditching the (in terms of the Standardbred Breed) genetically destructive NSW Sires Stakes scheme, its subsequent replacement by a Mares Based System in the shape of The NSW Breeders Challenge, the rationalisation/closure of a number of self-evidently prehistoric/tin pot tracks that came with upkeep bills which were costing the Industry a fortune and last but by no means least the visionary move of the NSWHRC to sell off & close Harold Park in favour of that wonderful, world class facility at Menangle.
Jaimie, I loved the old grass track racing.....We may well see a return to it (not Richmond) but elsewhere down the track ....
Will also plead guilty to that Fred...they seem to do it so well in NZ and attract large crowds in the process.
Of course, there can be the occasional hiccough though! http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times...huddering-halt
The ensuing rolling start wasn't too bad either.
And of course this, just today announced for Griffith http://www.areanews.com.au/story/122...for-our-trots/
Could be the start of a revolution???
There are a few boxes to tick before it goes ahead but who knows?
Well There You Go....
Really do not think that the latest initatives will do a much to stimulate the industry.
I really do not understand the logic of only rewarding people that did not breed with their mare last year. I personally did not, but if you were 50/50 about putting a mare back in foal then I think you would no say why bother. Surely this should be given to all breeders not just new breeders thic season.
I persoanlly do not like the idea of having to use a NSW based stallion to be eligble. There are 40 odd stallions listed on the breeding website, but if the mare is based and served and domiciled in NSW I cannot see why the stallion can be from anywhere in Australia. If we are trying to improve the horse quality in NSW surely the stallion that you see is most compatible with your mares bloodlines should be acceptable. I can see a possible false increase in foals numbers in NSW on the card. There are numerous stallions with service fees under $500 in NSW. There could be a substantial increase in mares being put into foal to these stallions and this will do nothing for the quality of horses in NSW.
As for the $500 vs the sustaining payments, why not just have the initiative bred in NSW no payments to be eligble for the scheme. Therefore there will be no rorting the payment or any administartion of this scheme. It is simple have a NSW bred foad and you are eligble.
Jaimie, I was interested that you brought up 3 local sires Classic Garry (1978), Courage Under Fire and Christian Cullen both Kiwis. I also am personally becoming a big fan of Elsu also I never really thought I would as well as horses like Attorney General who has done a super job given his oppurtunities. Considering Classic Garry was foaled 35 years ago its a long time since we have had a dominant or even high quality Australian sire. I have always had a soft spot for The Unicorn (NZ bred but Aust based) and I really like Saab as a sire given his limited oppurtunities. I am not really sure in the short term if we will have a dominant Australian bred sire. A horse like For a REason that was a very fast and well bred son of Art Major had hardly any oppurtunities and has been put back into work.
I refer to my comments above. How do you make the NSW breeding industry the best. The initiatives that have just been announced in my opinion will do little to change the numbers of foals bred and will certainly not encourage the breeding of the best quality foals.
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