Ground Control to HRA - re your homepage?

[Messenger]

Come on HRA, your homepage is supposed to be promoting our industry

The 3 featured Video Highlights at the bottom of the page have been there for weeks and weeks and weeks

http://www.harness.org.au/index.cfm

[Messenger]

I had feedback from HRA that they have had staff cutbacks (But expect improvements soon)
BUT NO EXCUSE
Someone has to look at the HRA homepage every morning - sheez if I can check the forum as a volunteer surely some paid employee can check HRA's homepage
Eg Today we have as one of their 3 rotating stories at the top of the page "Kilmore meeting tonight will go ahead" even a change to "Kilmore Meeting Last Night went ahead" would be something (and of course we still have the months old same 3 Video Highlights at the bottom of the page)
Wake Up - you represent our industry

[Messenger]

The Kilmore story got dropped BUT it was replaced with a story about a NZ horse debuting at GP - also last night's news

[gutwagon]

They should try to recruit a few volunteers to help run the web site. And bring the Trading Ring back.

[Showgrounds]

I can't believe it! Sometime today Paul Kahlefeld's weathered mug disappeared from the bottom of the home page.

The two other stale videos are hanging in there though.

[Messenger]

It is a start Trev. You wouldn't think it would be hard to replace the other two with whatever - nostalgia race videos or a in depth driver/trainer interview .....

[Messenger]

YES!
They have done it - 3 new stories in the Video Highlights section

http://www.harness.org.au/index.cfm

[Showgrounds]

You mean different stories Kev, I'm getting they will be very stale before they get replaced.

[Messenger]

I have another thing for HRA to fix.
Isn't it time to do away with people needing to log in to get stallion details (and be registered first)
You know when you do a Horse Search and want to click on Progeny for a Sire
We don't have to do it for the dam so lets streamline this process too

http://www.harness.org.au/ausbreed/reports/index.cfm?action=main.search

[Messenger]

Another thing to fix on the homepage
The 3 featured stories (rotating pics) should only require a left click to open (not a right click and choose open in new window)

[Messenger]

I have another thing for HRA to fix.
Isn't it time to do away with people needing to log in to get stallion details (and be registered first)
You know when you do a Horse Search and want to click on Progeny for a Sire
We don't have to do it for the dam so lets streamline this process too

http://www.harness.org.au/ausbreed/reports/index.cfm?action=main.search

I have heard back from HRA and they have told me it is to block automated robots from scraping HRA’s breeding data

[Messenger]

I have heard back from HRA and they have told me it is to block automated robots from scraping HRA’s breeding data

I wonder whether NZ have got around this problem as you don't need registration with them. I don't think HRA are interested in finding out however

[Showgrounds]

The website is starting to resemble a movie set, all shiny and smart out front but held up by props behind. It's very old now and in need of a rebuild, not a makeover.

[Messenger]

Some of the performance history for horses is questionable too. I was looking up one tonight that won the WA Nugget, WA Derby and The Chariots Of Fire (all this century) and yet none of them are listed as Gp wins in his HRA record. ClassicFamilies credits the three as Gp1's so I will believe them

[gutwagon]

It's Tuesday and Sundays Maryborough trial results or replays are still not up ! I know they were abandoned after one trial but owners would still like to see the trial !

[Messenger]

I have a suggestion for the HRA homepage that I think would be popular
I got the idea off the USTA site, although even they could improve how they present it
They have a table Today's Feature Races
They have it at the bottom of their homescreen (I would have it higher)
and also on their Entries/Results page (this is the one I have attached below)

On the Entries/Results page they also have a link
Yesterday's Top 10 races
which is a fantastic way to see who won the 10 richest races and who ran the 10 fastest times

[Messenger]

On second thoughts the way they present it on their homepage with a slider would have advantages as far as space (especially when we have a big Friday or Saturday night)

[Messenger]

I thought I would never be able to complain about HRA, HRV , .... after seeing the Canadian Fields and Results - you even have to enter the date if you want to see today's fields
But NO, the trick is to click on Traditional View (just above the Entries, Results, .... tabs)
The entries and results however are so basic that they look like they are typed on a typewriter

https://standardbredcanada.ca/racing/classic

is better than

https://standardbredcanada.ca/racing/direct