TROTTING CLUB’S ACTION

Southland Times, Issue 24860, 28 September 1942, Page 6

TROTTING CLUB’S ACTION

GORE RACING CLUB’S PROGRAMME An echo of the recent negotiations to have included in tlje Gore Racing Club’s spring programme at least one trotting event is contained in letters, reprinted below, between the Canterbury Owners’ and Breeders’ Association and the Gore Trotting Club. The following letter from the Canterbury Association was considered by the Gore Trotting CJub at its meeting last week: — Re Elimination of One Trotting Event in Gore Racing Club’s Programme: — This matter was discussed by my association, and as this is a matter which so vitally concerns. a body such as ours, not only in its immediate effects but also in its far-reaching potentialities, we feel we have a right to express our considered opinions. Your action in endorsing the Gore Racing Club’s proposition comes as a very unwelcome surprise to. us. It is evident that you have no conception of the responsibility you took upon yourselves in supporting the Racing Club’s proposal. You appear to have some sympathy with the racing clubs in the present war conditions; do you know that the trotting events on the racing clubs’ programmes for the season 1940-41 totalled 126, and that if the clubs included the usual trotting races this season the number would be reduced to 56—a loss of 70 races instead of the 50 per cent, decided upon by Cabinet? Whereas the racing clubs have lost something less than 50 per cent, of their races. You must see from the above that any further reduction must react most unfavourably to the trotting sport. Were you not sufficiently keen to use all your endeavours in the interests of the sport? Did you not realize that the elimination of this event in the Gore Club’s programme creates a precedent for the Invercargill, Wyndham, Timaru, Oamaru and other racing clubs? We know that the South Canterbury Jockey Club is already endeavouring to follow the example of the Gore Club. Apparently you adopted the course of agreeing to the Racing Club’s proposal mainly because you were afraid that all trotting events would be cancelled. To this we can only say that you appear to have very little faith in the powers of the New Zealand Trotting Association, which was using all its efforts to obtain the inclusion of the usual trotting events, and would probably have succeeded but for your action. As for’’approaching the Racing Club in the right spirit.” we think the Trotting Association is quite capable of a correct interpretation of the ‘‘right spirit,” which does not consist of tamely agreeing to an act which will have definitely detrimental effects on trotting as a whole. We are forwarding copies of this letter to the New Zealand Trotting Association and the New Zealand Trotting Conference; also to all other trotting clubs in the South Island, in order that they may see that the course of action taken by your club is strongly condemned. We hope by this means to obviate the possibility of such action occurring again. REPLY BY GORE CLUB The Gore Trotting Club replied as follows:— Your committee certainly has a right to express its opinions, but before attacking my committee it should be sure of its ground, and it might be suggested that a little more courtesy and a little less impertinence would be helpful. It is noted that you consider the Trotting Association is quite capable of approaching a club in the right spirit, and it is regretted that your association does not seem to share that ability. The Gore Racing Club, which has given trotting good treatment in its programmes in the past, went very fully into the position before drafting its October programme. Figures submitted to that club’s committee showed that during the past season the proportion of trotting events in Southland had increased, at the expense of the galloping events, owing to the restrictions imposed. The Gore Racing Club owes its prime duty to galloping and drafted a programme calculated to correct this tendency to some extent. In normal times the Gore Racing and Trotting Clubs had a total of 40 events per annum, of which 16 were trots and 24 gallops. If two trots were put on each day’s programme this year, the result would be 12 trots and 12 gallops, a complete departure from the pre-war proportions. When the Trotting Association held up the programme the Racing Club drafted a new one, excluding trots altogether. You may not be aware of the fact that this programme was approved by the secretary of the Southland District Committee, and by the president and the secretary of the New Zealand Racing Conference. The club’s programme committee was then authorized to implement this programme, and was on the verge of doing so when the Trotting Conference gave its approval to the original proposals. In the meantime the local trainers, who were aware of the position, and who were probably more directly interested in the matter than any other group, took the initiative by writing to the Trotting Association. I am informed that every trainer who could be contacted at short notice signed the letter, and several of these trainers are also owners and breeders.

My committee did not act hastily, being reluctant to interfere in the affairs of another club, and, in fact, refrained from intervening until it appeared essential that any influence the club possessed should be exercised. Members feel that they did in fact have some conception of the responsibility they took upon themselves, and they quite cheerfully face the consequences of their action. They cannot accept the implication that they have no sympathy for trotting, and feel that the club’s record over the past 40 years is sufficient answer to this.

You state that my club had very .little faith in the powers of the Trotting Association. Perhaps you do not know that two members of the board of the association, and its secretary, were communicated with before any action was taken. It is noted that your association, in its ardent defence of the Trotting Association, appears to be in close touch with that body. Is it possible that you obtained information which was not vouchsafed to my club? To sum up—(l) My club still has no reason to believe that its action jeopardized the case. (2) Your rudeness is resented. (3) Your haste in condemning my club to all South Island clubs without awaiting a reply to your letter was neither courteous nor fair.

I trust that this letter will be placed before your executive immediately.