TROTTING Big Agenda For Annual Meeting Of Conference

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29871, 11 July 1962, Page 5

TROTTING Big Agenda For Annual Meeting Of Conference

Annual meetings of the New Zealand Trotting Conference are usually completed in about four hours, but if delegates to the 1962 annual meeting, which will be held today in Wanganui, discuss fully every item on the agenda, they will be fortunate to avoid a three-session sitting.

As well as 27 remits, several of which are certain to result in considerable debate, there are five items of correspondence to be considered. Usually items under the heading of correspondence are dealt with quickly, but today several long discussions are expected.

The Auckland Trotting Club will recommend that the ; conference amend existing •legislation governing the receipt of handicapping penalties in respect of a cer- ' tain figure given as a stake, so that qualified horses can race for a total stake of £lOO in a non-totalisator event in which the winner will receive no penalty. The idea behind the Auckland suggestion is to give owners and trainers some incentive to race at matinee meetings as well as enabling horses to earn something towards expenses during their long spell away from racing in the North Island where there are practically no meetings between Easter and the end of September. The Auckland recommendation does not'mention what is to happen to any winner of such a .race wanting to compete in a similar race at a later date. Obviously winners would have to receive a penalty in the same manner as do some winners of invitation races. They do not receive any penalty as far as their ordinary handicap

assessments are concerned, but they are usually penalised when next they contest a similar invitation event. The Auckland recommendation would give the handicapper considerable additional work, especially if such races are to be run larly.

The Rangiora Trotting Club will move that the cost and selling price of race books and advertising in race books be discussed. Most clubs can make race books pay by charging Is. a price which has not changed for many years. Most clubs agree that no increase should be made to the charge for race books, especially now that complimentary tickets have been abolished. Handicapping The Invercargill Trotting Club's letter asking that the handicapping system be overhauled has already been discussed, and widely criticised. Unless the club can produce something more worthwhile than the circular sent out to clubs, the chances of any change resulting from their recommendation look remote. If the Invercargill club had taken as examples up to 20 or 30 horses racing at the present time and reassessed them as though they had won or been placed under the suggesied system, everyone would have been able to gauge the possibilities of the scheme. fn reply to criticism the Invercargill club has produced no concrete arguments In most cases it has been suggested that criticisms have been ill-founded without giving any reason. The Invercargill scheme could be of considerable benefit to trotting, but it is most unfortunate that the club did not prepare its case more fully. The Nelson Trotting Club is unlikely to get far with its recommendations that all swabbing inquiries be open

to the press. Also, it is recommended that where a horse is swabbed, two samples be taken, one to be held, and only tested under authority and in the presence of the owner or his appointed representative. It is possible that there would be more public confidence in swabbing if swabbing hearings were open to newspapers. The brief findings issued after most inquiries give little idea of proceedings and miscarriages of justice have been suspected. The conference executive does not have its

own two-monthly meetings open to newspapers; nor are ordinary meetings of the majority of trotting club committees attended by the press.

The Waikato Trotting Club will suggest that the conference provide for the use of a mobile start and that the necessary plant be provided in the North Island and the South Island. It is suggested that the equipment be rented to clubs.

The club, in its letter which will be considered today, suggests that the mobile start become mandatory.

Such starts would, it is felt by the club, be of benefit to owners, trainers, clubs and the public. The Waikato suggestion in its present form is unlikely to be acceptable to delegates, who will no doubt want to retain the present freedom of choice about the use of mobile starts.