Jockeys boycott Paeroa race

Press, Volume CXV, Issue 33790, 12 March 1975, Page 8

Jockeys boycott Paeroa race

(N.Z. Press Association) i AUCKLAND. j A group of about 20 senior! hurdle jockeys have agreed to i boycott the Prospector’s Hurdle, j the first race at Paeroa on Sat-! urday. There is every chance the I race will have to be abandoned; through the lack of suitable riders. Several in the group will, travel south on Saturday to ride , at a show jumping gala day at ■ Hastings on Sunday. The jockeys are refusing to j ride in protest at the Paeroa •Jockey Club not providing a race for jumps riders at its' minor meeting on February 6. A directive from the Racing Conference as far back as the 1930 s demanded that every pro-1 gramme must provide a race in which hurdle jockeys can ride. • The hurdle jockeys were | greatly upset when the Bay of Plenty Racing Club held a meet-; ing without providing for them about 12 months ago. They were quick to vent their , feelings then, but felt the situation would never be repeated. The Paeroa Racing Club threw fat on the fire when it sought special dispensation from the conference not to include a high-j weight or hurdle event at its meeting of February 6

Strike action by senior hurdles horsemen has not been condoned by the New Zealand Jockeys’ Association.

Its president, Norm Holland, said yesterday: “We have not been involved in this matter, but it seems the boys are taking a stand that could be regarded quite seriously.”

He hoped the issue could be resolved by Saturday. He considered the hurdle riders “very foolish.”

Senior hurdle jockeys spoken to yesterday were adamant that they would not ride on Saturdav. Some were prepared to admit they were involved in the boycott; others attempted to lay low by saying they did not ride In hurdles races so early in the season.

The Chief Stipendiary Steward. Mr Tony Poulsen, is irate at the boycott suggestion and is certain the Paeroa race will go on regardless of there being no senior jockeys.

“We are not going to give wav to pressures such as this and If necessary I will Issue day licences to jockeys who are now unlicensed but whn want to ride in the race,” he said

He also said he would give permission for amateurs to take part in the race, “As far as I am concerned. I would not worry if they never had another high-weight.” said Bl’ Poulsen.

Mr Paul Harper secretary of the Northern Hurdles Horsemen’s Association, said the boycott had not been an association involvement.

“The boys involved are doing it as individuals and they feel very st’ongly about the wav they are being treated,” he said Mr Harper said members of hi' association had discussed the bovcott with high ranking officials and had been advised not to continue their stand. But the hu’die riders have stuck to their guns despite protests from officials.

The president of the Paeroa Racing Club, Mr J. A. Paul, is expected to meet today with members of the Northern Hurdle I Horsemen’s Association in an effort to end the riders’ antagon- ; ism toward his club which i threatens to mar the centennial meeting on Saturday. A number of jockeys have said they will not ride in the Prospector’s Brush Hurdles, the first jumping race of the year, because the club did not put on a high-weight at its minimeeting on February 6. ; The event has drawn 18 acceptors. so the club is concerned that there will be enough qualified riders available, although amateurs could be allowed to ride, and day licences issued to as vet unlicensed riders. Mr Paul who. ironically, is the i donor of a $5O trophy for the i winning jockey in the Prospector's Hurdles, has been trying to arrange a meeting to “explain fully” why his club did not stage a high-weight, an event for ,hu J? le horsem en. last month. pie club, which was given the date late last year and w'hich 1 raced against Avondale where a high-welght was held received special dispensation from the New Zealand Racing Conference to forego a high-weight on the grounds that there would be insufficient qualified riders. “I am prepared to admit that we made a mistake,” Mr Paul said.

Ours was one of the first of the mini-meetings and we didn’t know how thev would go. Nor because of the late stage at which we got the date, did we ”® ve . much time to prepare for the type of programme required for such a meeting.” Mr Paul said he felt there had been a complete misunderstand- ? f . hig c,ub ’ s attitude. His :2'ub had at a!! other tim ., flll . filled Its obligation to hurdle riders and would in the future