The harness racing industry plans to lean on the Government to get a crippling levy dropped for horses sold to Australia.
The New Zealand Trotters Owners' Association requested support from the Harness Racing New Zealand annual conference earlier this month, with the proposal to approach the Government receiving majority support from the conference.
The levies - $A2200 ($NZ2432) for colts and geldings, $A1650 for fillies and mares up to 4 years, and $A275 for mares 5 years and older - came into being in April last year as Harness Racing Australia looked for ways to revive its own breeding industry.
Owners' association chairman Richard Brosnan said the levies should be dropped, as they was resulting in a serious loss of income for owners in New Zealand with Australian buyers reluctant to buy, particularly at the lower end of the market.
Horses which were no longer competitive in New Zealand, but would be in Australia, would not be persevered with, Brosnan said. This was detrimental, with foal numbers declining in both countries.
Harness Racing New Zealand chief executive Edward Rennell will draft a letter to be sent to the Minister of Trade, Tim Groser, requesting his help in getting the levies removed, Brosnan said.
HRNZ chief executive Edward Rennell told the Otago Daily Times last year his organisation had been strongly against the introduction of much steeper import fees, and an Australian Standardbred Breeding Panel report had originally mooted fees of $A5000 for colts and geldings.
''At the end of the day, it's their right to make that call, but we'd prefer it to be much lower,'' Rennell said.
The lower end of the market was more likely to be affected, as a $A2200 fee on a horse bought for $100,000 would be a minor add-on.
''If you're purchasing a $10,000 horse, it could be a deciding factor.
''For many industry participants, the export market is core to their business,'' Rennell said.
