TROTTING CONTROL

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 22660, 13 July 1945, Page 4

TROTTING CONTROL

CONFERENCE PRESIDENT’S VIEWS PROPOSALS ADVOCATED (By Telegraph—Press Association) WELLINGTON. Thursday The problem of reducing the size of the fields in maiden races and the necessity for a better system of race supervision, were the main features of the annual address by the president of the New Zealand Trotting Conference, Mr 11. F. NT coll, to delegates today.

A remit by the Auckland Trotting Club brings before us, said Mr N'icoll, the embarrassing position, in which so many of our clubs are placed, by the overplus of horses entering for maiden races. This Is caused principally by the very few trotting meetings neld annually; last season we had only 50 days, which Is inadequate. Some alleviation should be found, and whether the Auckland remit will fill the bill meantime, is Tor your consideration.

The New Zealand Trotting Association has resolved that they will agree to no registration of a horse eight years old and over, and it might be as well to add such a ban to the entry of any horse for a maiden event, exceeding that age, or even younger, which had not previously been placed, he continued. It has also been suggested that a time trial should take place before a horse became eligible to race, but there appear to be several objections to this wnich would make it inadvisable. I hope that some means of relief can be found to ease the unsatisfactory position, as the difficulty is an urgent one.

Members of the conference executive and the Trotting Association have given a good deal of consideration to the question of race control, and it is suggested that the time is opportune for the appointment of paid judicial stewards. Events during the last year have made it even more evident, said the president, that trained officials, with a thorough knowledge of horses and horsemen, and who can observe the form, meeting by meeting, are urgently required.

The success of this measure, continued Mr N'icoll, will naturally depend, to a great extent, upon the character and ability

of those selected to operate it; they must be men of the highest Integrity, of resolute mind and judicial outlook. A judicial stewards’ committee, to supersede the existing stipendiary stewards’ committee, to be composed or the conference executive, together with the president and one other member of the trotting association, will decide upon the appointment of the judicial stewards. It is proposed that there should be only one appeal against any decision arrived at by tne judicial stewards and that would be to the judicial stewards’ committee, whose decision would he Anal.

Speaking on a report of the system of control in Australia, Mr N'icoll said the conference executive was of the opinion that the powers vested in the Australian stipendiary stewards would not commend themselves in their entirety to delegates. He believed -that honorary stewards should retain a portion or their existing authority and that it would be necessary to continue with the services of stipendiary stewards. The proposal was that paid judicial stewards should take the place of honorary Judicial committees, with powers to be later decided on, by the trotting association and conference executive, with the sanction of representatives or the various clubs.

The growth in the popularity of trotting, in spite or the fact that it is undercatered Tor, nas been so outstanding during the last 30 years that the available accommodation in many centres is inadequate, said the president. It Is probable that over half a million will be spent by clubs for necessary Improvements when permission to build Is obtained. Thl3 will be or material assistance in the scheme of rehabilitation.

The handicapper, Mr A. R. Nellson, proposes to make some minor alterations to the handicapping system, said Mr N'icoll, and the executive considers the amendments suggested, one or which is the reduction ol the time limits for races, to be necessary and a step forward.