N.Z. Conference

Manawatu Times, Volume 63, Issue 159, 8 July 1938, Page 10

N.Z. Conference

NEW RULES DRATTED For some months the New Zee -1 Trotting Association and the -New ♦ Zealand Trotting Conference have been kept busy in redrafting the Rules of Trotting, and a copy of these rules has been sent to each club for the approval of members. At the confer of club delegates in Wellington this week, the president, Mr H. F, Nicoll, will move that the old rules be discarded and the now ones substituted. Consideration of so many rules may occupy some time, but members have had the opportunity to study the thoroughly and should have little difficulty. Outside this remit, there is little of importance and | only tho Manawatu, Gore and Winton I Clubs will offer any suggestions in the alteration of rules. The Gore Trotting Club will propose alterations to seven rules, the Manawatu Club will have two remits, and the j Winton Club six. The Manawatu Club will seek te have a new Rule 226 A included. It will read as follow: "Notwithstanding anything herein contained iu the rules, no driver's or rider’s licence shall be granted or issued to any person over the age of 00 years." This remit will be vigorously opposed by certain clubs j who aro averse to instituting an age limit on anyone connected with tho sport. Although there are very few drivers in tho sixties, several of the best-known Canterbury reinsmen have attained that age, and these include J. Bryce, Free Holmes, R. W. Franks, and others who, under the proposed new rule, would find their activities at an end in the course of a very few years. The three drivers mentioned have all tho nerve and good judgment of men half their age, and their retirement would bo a distinct loss to trotting. Question of Colours In the revised Rules of Trotting, appears tho following:—"Rule 180 (3) Unless the stipendiary steward shall, on account of weather conditions, permit, the use of colours of rubbe- or other material, all colours shall be of durable silk or satin material and shall be clean and in sound and proper condition." A breach of this rule may result in the offender being fined a sum not exceeding £5. In recent years rubber jackets in different colours have been in U9e, and while they are useful in bad weather, they appear to be out of place on warm sunny days when 6ilks and satins add to the brightness of the racecourse. Although attempts have been made to provide the correct colours, it has been found that the colour does not last, and what might be a red at one meeting develops into pink after a day or two in the sun. The difficulty iu .providing right colours was intensified a few years ago, when the conference permitted a trainer to use his own colours for every owner in the stable. Few trainers have three sets of silk or satin colours, and in the event of a third horse from the stable competing the rubber uniform is resurrected. The Rules of Racing say that ail colours shall bo of silk, satin or wool, and in bad weather jockeys protect themiselves by xvearing light waterproofs under the colours. The conference might go still further and provide that tho distinguishing colours of bracketed horses should be published in the official race book. In the case of three bracketed horses at Addington recently, brown, green braces and cap was the uniform for each of the drivers, and when paraded only different coloured er.ps distinguished the colours of the three. The colours of these caps might Well, without much trouble to anyone, have been published in the official card.