STRONG PROTEST

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXX, Issue 20165, 20 July 1935, Page 8

STRONG PROTEST

NO TROTTING AT HUNT MEETINGS “UNFAIR TREATMENT” Criticism of the Racing Conference in passing a resolution preventing Hunt Clubs from including a trotting event in their race meeting programme without first obtaining the feeling of the clubs concerned, was expressed at yesterday’s meeting of the committee of the South Canterbury Hunt Club by the Master (Mr C. L. Orbell). The New Zealand Racing Conference advised that at the recent annual meeting of the Conference the following resolution had been passed: “That the authority previously given to certain ci-bs to include trotting events in their 1 ogrammes be continued except that after January 1, 1936, no Hunt Club shall include a trotting event in its programme for any meeting held by such a club at which the totalisator may be used.” It would be necessary fer the club to comply with the terms of the resolution. Mr A. S. Elworthy said that the conf ence of the New Zealand Hunts’ Association had been held before the Racing Conference, and the matter had not been discussed by the former body. He had subsequently discussed the question with Mr J. G. McLeod, president of the Racing Conference and had made it plain to him that one trotting event on a programme was essential so far as the South Canterbury Hunt was concerned. It was regarded as a race which farmers enjoyed, and considering that the Hunt was indebted to farmers during the hunting season, it desired to give farmers at the race meeting as enjoyable an afternoon as possible. Mr M. Harper: Some of our best country is owned by trotting people. Not Treated Fairly. “I do not think that the Conference has treated us fairly in this matter,” said the Master (Mr C. L. Orbell). It v. s a question of great importance so far as hunts were concerned, and some notification should have been given the Clubs interested that it was coming forward so that they could have given an expression of opinion. If the Huntc concerned had been notified and had prepared a case, the motion might never have been carried, A northern paper had commented, following the passing of the resolution, that the three Canterbury Hunts had made no protest. It made it appear as though they were satisfied, but such was not the case. The Hunts in this district were not directly represented at the Racing Conference, and the only voice they had was through two delegates from the Racing Clubs in this district, and that voice was indirect as the Hunts had no vote at the Conference. “There is a feeling amongst the smaller racing clubs that their affairs are not being given the consideration they deserve by the Racing Conference,” he added.

Mr Orbell explained that one of the reasons advanced in support of the change was that trotting events were included in Hunt- programmes at the expense of hunters’ races. In the North Island, however, where nine Hunt race meetings were held, there were 22 jumping events, an average of 21 for each racing day. In the South Island, where there were five Hunt meetings, there were 13 jumping races. The average in the South was slightly better, and it must be remembered that in the North Island there were no trotting events on the programmes. “How can it be said that trotting interferes with hunters’ races in the South?” ne asked. The Rules of Racing provided that at least two hunters’ races and one other jumping race must be included in the programme of every Hunt race meeting, to which one-third of the total stakes must be given. The worst offenders in his opinion were the Hunts in the president of the Racing Conference’s own district. These Hunts barely complied with the Rules of Racing. It was unanimously decided, on the motion of the Master, that a letter be sent to the Racing Conference, protesting against the manner in which the matter had been dealt with, and that the Christchurch, Waimate, Otago and Birchwood Hunts be : bed to endorse the protest. Mr Orbell added that he could not see why Jockey Clubs should be allowed to run two trots at their meetings and that Hunt Clubs, who had to consider the interests of farmers, should be debarred from including one. In South Canterbury, the programme, which included four jumping events, and three events for hunters, was the best in New Zealand.