IDEAS on how we can improve Harness Racing

[Bonnie]

I had a first starter racing at Geelong last week and received a text from the Club . ‘ Come and watch your horse race on Easter Thursday night at Geelong. Admission, Race Book & 2 course meal for $40 per person’ . ( Note: Admission and Race Books are free for all attendees ! )
Geelong Club is at Corio , there are no restaurants or Hotels close by and we usually eat at the Club Dining Room.
We fronted up to reception and we’re asked if we had a booking. Said No, never booked before in our life. Spare tables and chairs everywhere. Lady said you must have a booking , caterer only provides enough food for those who have booked. We were directed to a Take Away area underneath the stand. A Bain Marie full of fried food , not good enough! The administration of this Club has been a disaster for the past 10 years plus.HRV needs to make major changes or shut it down. If Ballarat and Maryborough can provide good meals for patrons and participants on a walk up basis the Geelong Club needs a serious shake up.

[Messenger]

Wow that is so NOT good enough
As well as Ballarat and Maryborough you can add Stawell, Ararat, Hamilton, Yarra Valley, ...... (probably every club)
On top of that it was not just any night it was Thursday - the start of the Easter break
If the club could not promote/back themselves in to fill up their dining room without bookings then they were not trying and missed a big opportunity. Compared to some of these other clubs they have the whole of Geelong on their doorstep, we're talking about 250k compared to some of these other clubs with not even a tenth of that

[Showgrounds]

I've long harboured the thought that HRV, instead of building what we have at Melton, could have taken over Geelong, spent a couple of million bringing the facilities up to scratch and banked the rest.

[Messenger]

On the AHRI facebook page, after giving the Eureka the thumbs down, Gordon Banks had the following to say:

There must also be a focus on giving young horses a fair chance to compete without constant handicaps and outside posts, and on giving owners a reasonable chance to make money with mediocre horses. Under the current system, anything less than a Stake horse is a dead end street!

And your entry system allowing entrants a look see and withdrawal is incredibly counterproductive. It creates a situation under which races don't fill, especially for young horses. Instead you need race secretaries who create appropriate sub conditions and narrower race classifications producing the competitive races all willing to enter. And trainers should not be allowed more than one entry in any race, unless field doesn't fill. Even then there must be a two horse limit to break the stranglehold that the dominant barns take advantage of! Additionally, the computer draw system is a non transparent disaster, creating a widespread sense of inequity and manipulation!

[Messenger]

We have to decide if we want people to attend meetings.

I was thinking about going to Ararat today but in winter what is one going to do for the 43 minutes (40 by the time the race is over) between race 2 & 3 and the 40 minutes between races 3 & 4
Maybe I am a bit 'precious' but my time is definitely precious to me
We all know that 30mins between races is probably ideal (< suits attendees but maybe not larger stables)

Maybe this is another reason the Dogs have passed us
Melbourne dogs today has the maximum between races of 20mins

[Messenger]

Cobram today we have 25 mins between some races, 35 mins between some races and 40 mins between some races. it is all about when the gallops start and trying to be on Sky1 of course
Oh 25 mins between all races - heaven

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...s/?mc=CO110722

[Messenger]

It is not the gallops that are hurting us, it is the Dogs
There are only 4 gallops meets today - 1 VIC, 2 NSW (there would have been 3 but 1 Abandoned), 1 QLD [there are plenty of International gallops tonight]
There are only 4 harness meets one for VIC, NSW, QLD, WA [a few International trots before midday]
The dogs have 12 Australian dogs meets but 1 is Abandoned, 6 are daytime meets plus there is a NZ one

[Messenger]

A lack of public awareness that we even exist is our biggest problem
Here is an American idea to remedy this

In an event initiated and presented by the U.S. Trotting Association, social media influencers Nick Luciano, Blake Moore, Beau Deatrick and Roy Dinges, members of Tratter Co., will visit The Meadowlands for the Hambletonian on Saturday (Aug. 6).

https://ustrottingnews.com/usta-pres...e-meadowlands/

ps And we just have to have a 'Ladies In Red Evening'

[Messenger]

45 minutes between R2 - R3 at Hamilton must be just about a record but at least it is only 29mins to the next

https://www.harness.org.au/racing/fi...s/?mc=HM130722

[Messenger]

Following on from yesterday's premise that what the sports leaders have been doing is not working (Thanks Archie)
Let's think outside the box and come up with ways that we might reinvigorate harness racing

Some guidelines:
They should still be palatable to most of our existing fans
Still in essence be harness racing and suited to Standardbreds
Mindful of animal welfare
Ideally not cost an absolute fortune or years to come to fruition (as I am not sure we have the time)

This is brainstorming, you don't have to have completely thought out the ideas, they may or may not work (who knows at this point), they may even spark a better idea from someone else.
Posters be kind to those who have the courage to throw something out there