Apathy and Tolerance are Killing our Industry

"RT New Zealand Trotting Cup Day should have been an occasion remembered for our heroes of the harness racing track.

Instead, the day was mired by the announcement of another licensed New Zealand trainer and an associate being caught administering on race day."



"The social license of the harness racing industry is hanging by a thread, and yet we have an apparent culture of apathy and tolerance when it comes to license holders who are prepared to administer substances to defenseless animals for nothing more than sheer greed.

The public perception of harness racing is an industry that is rife with corruption. And while that might not be the case, it’s getting bloody hard to defend this sort of behaviour.

Let me remind you that the three trainers to have been caught in the last three years have all had to be caught in the act.

I’m not saying it’s rife.

But the public perception is just that.

And when you have former Chair’s and acting CEO’s publicly going into bat for a ‘kid’ (full grown adult) with a tough upbringing who once again has shat the bed, where too now?"



"If we as an industry can’t come together and condemn this sort of behaviour publicly, a culture of tolerance and acceptance will inadvertently perpetuate and continue to rot us from the inside out.

Our own people are the single biggest threat to our industries survival. Not the left. Not the greens. And not administrative decisions made by the governing body."

https://harnesslink.com/new-zealand/...-our-industry/

If things weren't already bad enough, today PP advises trainers that by law they can refuse stewards permission to come onto their property

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Messenger

If things weren't already bad enough, today PP advises trainers that by law they can refuse stewards permission to come onto their property

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Queensland only.

Sadly Brad Reid has been compelled to write a follow up article

it has since come to light that our governing body is equally complicit when it comes to approaching this serious issue.

At the HRNZ Board meeting on the 7th of November 2022, the board of directors approved an application from Nigel McGrath to break and gait yearling horses, less than 3 years into an 8-year disqualification.

This was made possible by an amendment to Rule 1303(1) which was updated to the following:

(1) A person who is disqualified may not during the period of disqualification:

(c) Assist or be involved in any capacity in the breaking or gaiting of any
horse, without the written consent of the Board.

The underlined sentence was added to the rules and came into effect on the 20th of October 2021 without much conjecture.

There is more to read

https://harnesslink.com/new-zealand/...licenseholder/

From the Chair of HRNZ he received

A number of your questions have no factual basis. The allegations and assertions are not accepted by HRNZ and I don’t propose to respond to them.

UNBELIEVABLE

When Disqualifications mean SFA

In America they are throwing them in prison - in NZ they are throwing them a lifeline

The two most powerful men in HRNZ, Waldorf and Statler, are at it again. Disgraceful. Do they get their advice from Glenn Douglas?

Good to read the decision has caused uproar amongst NZ's training ranks
Those responsible have not responded however
It might be time for them to be removed