Elections needed to fill manv conference posts

Press, 20 May 1987, Page 46

Elections needed to fill manv conference posts

By

G. K. YULE

Nominations for seats on the executive of the Trotting Conference, the Racing Authority and the T.A.B. close today, and for some weeks now lobbying for support has been intensifying. The three major officebearers are unlikely to be opposed, all three current holders of the positions having been nominated for some time. Mr Dewar Robertshaw (Auckland) will almost certainly retain the position of president, while Mr Ron Hanford (Auckland) and Mr Jack Phillips (Timaru) are unlikely to be opposed for the positions of North Island and South Island vicepresident At one stage there were suggestions that Mr Hanford would be opposed, but unless there is a late nomination for the position, he will not have to face an election. There will be an election for two North Island seats on the executive. The two retiring members, Messrs Noel Taylor (Auckland) and Terry Killalea (Wellington) are being challenged by Mr Wally Courtman (Cambridge). The retiring members

are favoured to retain their seats.

Not so clear-cut will be the election for three South Island seats on the executive. The two retiring members, Messrs Les Woods (Banks Peninsula) and Viv Anngow (Forbury Park), have polled well in previous elections and they are unlikely to be unseated.

The third vacancy, caused by the retirement of Mr Bruce Woods (New Brighton), who has shifted to Queensland, will be disputed by four candidates.

They are Messrs Robin Corcoran (N.Z. Metropolitan), Don Fowler (Nelson), Ron Hamilton (Winton) and Alaster McDonald (New Brighton).

That there are two candidates from the three clubs racing at Addington Raceway is surprising. Usually the executives of the three clubs meet and decide on a united front regarding a single nomination from the course. Obviously this procedure has not been followed and the end result could be a split of the votes leaving both candidates among those not successful. There will be a threesided election for the North Island seat on the

Racing Authority, held for many years, by Mr Merv Corner (Auckland), who did not seek re-election.

Those seeking the position are Messrs Charles Elliott (Morrinsville), Robertshaw and Taylor. Mr Elliott stood against Mr Robertshaw for the conference presidency last year and was resoundingly beaten by 43 votes to 14.

Mr Elliott, who had 15 years on the executive of the conference, 10 of them as North Island vice-president, announced some weeks ago that he was seeking the Authority seat. Soon after it became known that Mr Taylor was going to be in the field, and more recently Mr Robertshaw’s nomination was made.

Mr Bob Duff (Canterbury Park), the sitting South Island member ,on the Authority, will be opposed by Mr Barry Barber (Waikouaiti).

Mr Barber has been a leading official of the non-graded Waikouaiti Club for some years and he has been vocal in his criticism of decisions of the Authority as they appear to affect some of the smaller clubs. Mr Barber will no doubt receive some votes from minor clubs, but it is

unlikely all of them support his views on the Authority, whose decisions have been of tremendous benefit to all clubs, whether they run trotting, racing ior greyhound meetings. The only other election will be for the trotting seat on the T.A.B. being vacated by Mr Robertshaw. Messrs Hanford and Ron Robertson, both of Auckland, are the candidates for this position.

The Hamess Horse Association has to date done nothing towards filling the position on the Authority to which it is entitled.

The position •is currently held by Mr Pat O’Brien (Blenheim), and reports suggest that there could be at least one other candidate, but this could not be confirmed by the secretary of the organisation, Mr Peter Cook.

The national horsemen’s body, that of owners, trainers and breeders, and that of breeders’ groups have the right to make nominations for the position.

Should more than one candidate be nominated, 22 branches of the various organisations have the right to vote.