No telecast of Rowe Cup

Press, 12 May 1980, Page 34

No telecast of Rowe Cup

Special correspondent Auckland Auckland Trotting Club officials are angry over a decision by Television New Zealand not to show a live telecast of The Rowe Cup at Alexandra Park. The $30,000 race, the biggest for trotters in the North Island, will be run on Saturday, the third night of the club’s May meeting. “We are disgusted,” said the club’s public relations officer, Mr N. Kennedy last “Assurances had been given by the television

people that important races in trotting would receive more live coverage, especially after the popularity of the telecast of the Auckland Trotting Cup in February. “And we had been led to believe,” Mr Kennedy said, “that the Rowe Cup would be shown.” He said a live telecast of the race had been recommended by the racing section of Television New Zealand'and Mr Ki W. McEwen, head of the sports division. “But it was turned down by Mr D. J. Monaghan, controller of programming.”

s Mr Monaghan’s decision, 1 e according to Mr Kennedy, - was based on the non-availa- l f bility of outside equipment 5 1 and interruption to sched- ' uled programmes. 1 o Mr Kennedy said members * I, of the A.T.C. committee felt ■ 1 television was not giving J trotting “anywhere near ; f comparable treatment” with J - racing. ■ > “Attendances.at Alexandra ‘ - Park this season have con- < , tinued to rise,” he said, “but this obviously is not being J ’ recognised by the people < who run television.” <