TROTTING NOTES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25940, 5 September 1945, Page 3

TROTTING NOTES

By Sentinel

The late'Mr George Paul originated the system of handicapping by yards. Forty-six new members have been elected to the Winton Trotting Club. A Good Team P. Rodgers, who was so successful with War Guard at the National meeting has Stuart Lee, Black Machine, Modern Parrish, Sir Game, and Sure Peg in work at Epsom. Sir Game >s from Tecla, who is by Wrack from Ladv • Swithin, by St. Swithin from Lady Cherry, by King Harold, and h-.-has shown some ability in training. Dissatisfaction. The announcement by the Minister of Internal Affairs (Mr W. E; Parry) that 15 days’ trotting would be restored for the coming season is disappointing (says the Press), as it was generally expected that a more generous allowance would be made. When the fact is taken into account that eight extra totalisator permits were. granted last season for patriotic meetings, the trotting sport will benefit by only seven extra meetings this year. This leaves a deficiency of 23 days on the full calendar enjoyed before the war. Amalgamation At the social held in connection with the Wyndham Trotting Club’s annual meeting of members, a suggestion that the four trotting clubs in Southland— Wyndham, Invercargill, Gore, and Winton—should amalgamate and form a metropolitan club known as the Southland Trotting Club was made by Mr N. R. Brown, president of the Southland Owners. Breeders, and Trainers’ Association, when responding to the toast of the association. By such a move the greatest good would be obtained for the greatest number, he said, and the best trotting would be made available in Southland. He realised that the suggestion might not meet with ready approval by the clubs concerned, but he thought that in time its advantages would be'acknowledged. Success at Wyndham

“ It would appear that under present conditions and with a totalisator turnover of anything approaching £27.000 the club has reached its peak of progresSiveness as far as the allocation of stakes is concerned,” states the annua! report of the Wyndham Trotting Club “From a survey of the financial returns it will be seen that the turnover from the meeting meets all encumbrances and leaves'a small margin of profit. On the other hand, it can confidently be expected that once normal conditions are again experienced for j Deriod at least totalisator turnovers will still increase. It would, however, be wise to anticipate the period of decline and budget accordingly, a fact which the executive is fully alive to. Looking Ahead About 150 attended the social gathering promoted by the Wyndham Trotting Club in connection with the annual meeting of msmbers. Mr J. Hunter president of the club, occupied the chair In the course of his address Mr Hunter said that the club catered for owners and breeders, and what revenue it made it nassed on to the nublic in the way of improved amem--ties and facilities. He was proud to say that most of the progressive steps made in trotting in New Zealand emanated from the Wyndham Trotting Club “But because we are only a small country club we get little credit for it” he added. There were insufficient trotting dates in Southland, and an effort to get more should be made, but he did not think- they would stand much chance if they catered for “rubbish.” More races over the longer distances were needed to weed out the “rubbish” among the novices. He hoppd that some of the vacant galloping dates would be made available to trotting clubs, because on some of the countrv courses there were move trotters than gallopers being trained. There was no doubt about the nopularitv of trotting and it was entitled to more consideration in the way of increased days