Ashburton Seeks Mixed Events

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30839, 26 August 1965, Page 5

Ashburton Seeks Mixed Events

(From Our Own Reporter) ASHBURTON. The view that if the Ashburton County Racing Club was permitted to include a trotting event on each day’s programme public patronage of its meetings would increase considerably, with a consequent benefit to the galloping sport, was expressed by the club’s chairman (Mr W. R. Lemon) in his address to members at the annual meeting yesterday.

Mr Lemon said a stake for a trotting event at the racing club’s spring meeting had been offered by the Ashburton Trotting Club, and application had been made to the New Zealand Racing Conference for permission to run a trotting event as the ninth race on the programme. The application was refused, but the trotting club’s offer was open to the end of the next racing season. Mr Lemon said the year’s operations, although still showing a loss, were more satisfactory than for some time. The improvement was largely due to the success of the early autumn meeting on Monday, April 5, when the oncourse totalisator turn-over was equal to the club’s average Saturday figures. Offcourse turn-over was £89,437. Monday, March 28, had been allotted for this meeting next year. “With a view to reducing

owners’ travelling costs and in the hope that more horses will come from further afield we are running the spring meeting on Saturday and Tuesday, September 11 and 14,” said Mr Lemon. The slight relief given by the Government in racing taxation would benefit the club by about £9OO a year and it was hoped the club would be able to increase stake money. Report Sought

’lt is pleasing to note that the Racing Conference has set up a committee to report on

various aspects of racing and the constitution of the Conference.

We hope that, as a result, non-metropolitan clubs may gain direct representation on the executive committee of the Conference. Mr Lemon said smaller clubs did not get a voice to any extent at present in racing administration. Clubs in every area throughout New Zealand had different racing problems, and there should be an opportunity for these to be heard at executive meetings.