TROTTING Special Meeting Will Discuss Mobile Barrier

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32082, 2 September 1969, Page 4

TROTTING Special Meeting Will Discuss Mobile Barrier

Representatives of the New Zealand Owners and Breeders’ Association and the New Zealand Horsemen’s Association will meet members of the executive of the New Zealand Trotting Conference in Christchurch on Thursday.

The meeting, called by the president of the conference (Mr R. J. Rolfe, of Thames) will discuss the present ban on mobile start races imposed by owners, trainers and horsemen in Canterbury.

He could not recall any direct request from owners, trainers or horsemen for a meeting to discuss mobile starting, said the secretary of the conference (Mr J. Rowley) yesterday, but he did agree that the retiring president (Mr A. J. Nicoll) had said such a meeting would be convened. Mr Nicoll said this at the annual meeting of the conference in Rotorua in July. Th e question of mobile starting is on the agenda for the meeting of the executive of the conference, to be held in Christchurch on Saturday. Owners, trainers and horsemen have held many meetings throughout New Zealand in recent weeks on the question of mobile starting. Many /

of the groups were in favou of mobile starting, althougl most had reservations on it present use. / In the Canterbury area li particular there was exten sive condemnation of the usj of the mobile barrier, eulmin ating in a ban on such race: which- were included In th< New Brighton Trotting Club’i spring meeting on Saturday and also the same ciub’i meeting on September 20 nominations for which do not close until next Monday. In spite of what was claimed to be a ban on such races, few of the horses nominated were withdrawn yesterday. Withdrawn Berkleigh, Darcy, Rossini and Somkey Express were withdrawn from the Oxford Stakes, but Berkleigh and Rossini will start in the New Brighton Stakes, a standing start event for three-year-olds. The stake in that race is $l5OO, against $llOO in the Oxford Stakes, which will have 12 starters. Dulcie Mae, Charles and

Cadane were withdrawn from the Cambridge Stakes, leaving a field of seven. Thera will be a field of eight in the H. E. Goggin Stakes, and all five horses nominated will start in the Travis Stakes. The question of mobile starts at the New Brighton meeting was discussed at a meeting of horsemen at the Hororata meeting on Saturday. The chief stipendiary steward (Mr L. A. Butterfield) took part in a small portion of the discussion. Again on Sunday, the horsemen held a special meeting. The majority of horsemen in the Canterbury area have, voted in favour of not driving in mobile start events at the New Brighton meeting, but the ban might be lifted If discussions at Thursday’s meeting are fruitful. In the meantime the- New Brighton club intends going ahead with its meeting on Saturday and with that to be run on September 20, unless the conference decides that changes should be made in the nrosrammes.