Club upsets trainers, drivers

Press, 30 September 1983, Page 9

Club upsets trainers, drivers

Special correspondent Auckland Trotting trainers and drivers are irate over a decision by members of the Auckland Trotting Club to deny professional licenceholders the opportunity of becoming office bearers of the club.

A notice of motion seeking to allow this was heavily defeated at the club’s annual meeting earlier this month.

The Northern Branch of the New Zealand Trotting Trainers and Drivers’ Association says in a statement it cannot allow the decision to go unchallenged. “We object,” says the statement, “to the inference made that professional licence-holders do not have the expertise to hold office as committee members of the club. “The expertise required in the running of building projects and such matters as town planning is not provided by individual officeholders but is a decision made collectively by.)the

committee on the advice of the club’s consultants, as is the case for the proposed upgrading of the club’s lighting facilities.” The association maintains there are a number of areas in which its members have expertise and would benefit the club.

“In this respect,” the statement says, “we are pleased that a former top professional horseman, Doug Grantham, has been appointed a steward of the club.

“We accept that any person standing for office would be prepared and able to put the necessary time into the task.” The association is concerned that any club could “continue to have rules which are contrary to rules laid down by the New Zealand Trotting Conference. “In any democratic organisation, any person should be eligible to hold office if they so desire and it is our association’s intention to pursue this matter to the end?’