TROTTING Venue for 1975 series still not decided

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32703, 4 September 1971, Page 8

TROTTING Venue for 1975 series still not decided

The venue of the 1975 Inter-Dominion Championship series will not be known until the next meeting of the executive of the Trotting Conference in Christchurch on November 8.

The executive at yesterday’s meeting decided to delay making a final decision between Auckland and Forbury Park. However, it was decided that Wellington’s application for the 1975 series be refused. The Auckland and Forbury Park clubs are to be asked to restate their cases for holding the championships, said the president, Mr R. J. Rolfe, of Thames, after the meeting. The clubs are also to be asked to send one representative each to appear before the executive. The executive is to give consideration at some future meeting to the creation of a roster of the chibs eligible to hold the Inter-Dominion series in order to overcome the necessity of making a decision such as that pertaining between Auckland and Forbury Park for the 1975 series.

Other decisions at yesterday’s meeting included:— Stakes.— The executive supported in principle a request from the Owners and Breeders’ Association that clubs pay full stakes in division races. However, it was pointed out that it was not compulsory for full stakes to be paid in division races. Naming.—The naming committee is to report to the next meeting of the executive on the feasability of allowing breeders to register prefixes and suffixes. Unruly horses.— Stipendiary stewards are to be asked to deal severely with any horses behaving in an unruly manner behind the mobile barrier. The executive considered a request from the Owners and Breeders’ Association that such horses should be declared unruly for mobile start events. However, the executive felt that under the rules it was not permissible to make such a declaration and felt that such horses should be recommended for the schooling list. Appointment.—Mr A. E. Laing, of Christchurch, treasurer of the conference, was appointed to replace Mr O. Hutchinson, of Christchurch, on the Totalisator Agency Board. Mr Hutchinson has resigned from the board and has announced that he will not accept nomination for the office of South Island vice-president of the confer-

ence at the end of the present season. Artificial insemination.—A suggestion that the regulations governing the use of artificial insemination be amended so thaA approved stud grooms could carry out the required procedure was refused. The executive felt that all artificial insemination should be carried out by liccensed veterinary surgeons. One of the reasons for refusing the suggestion was that the executive did not want to do anything to prejudice the possible recognition of New Zealand-bred horses by the United States Trotting Stud Book.

Handicapping problem.— A scheme whereby nominations will be called for a meeting instead of separate races as at present and the horses placed in suitable races by the chief handicapper is to be investigated by the handicapping committee. It was felt that such a scheme could be of assistance to clubs which might suffer as a result of a lack of horses in certain classes. A similar scheme is run in Australia and has proved successful over many years. Studs.— The rules committee is to investigate the introduction of rules which would enable the conference to register studs. While freeze branding had been carried out last season it was found that some studs were not up to accepted standards, said Mr Rolfe. This applied mainly

to a few very small breeding establishments. The standard at most studs was very high and it had improved tremendously in the last 10 years with the establishment of modem breeding farms in both the North Island and South Island, he said. The executive felt it should have some powers to take action where unsatisfactory breeding farms were discovered. “This has to be done in the interests of the industry as a whole.”