I heard Sam Nati on the radio today and I think his comments are at best laughable.

Sam does not think a ridiculous $2200 on importing New Zealand horses is having an impact on field sizes.

Sam there are 26 of 59 horses at Menagle on Saturday night that are New Zealand bred.

If you are looking to buy a horse in the $10-$20k bracket fron NZ and that probably constitues 90% of horses for sale depending on your agent this is a massive impost.

If Sam really does not believe that it is having an imact think again. Of course it will not affect the Halls and McCarthys as they are paying huge $ but it is going to have an impact on your bread and butter every week horses.

Why don't we want to import Kiwi horses to Australia it has been working up until now.

Sam, if you really want to encourage people to spend locally, refund all the import fees to the people that have paid them as breeding bonuses to spend locally. Putting some big race on that only one person wins will have zero impact on encouraging people to spend money on the breeding inductry.

If harness racing really wants to encourage participation beyond its current boundaries importing tried horses is the best way possible. New participants do not want a horse running in 3 years time they want it to happen now. Kiwi horses fill this neice so Sam please get back to reality and stop trying to punish participants.