Gallop South’s future will be up for debate at a meeting of Southland thoroughbred racing clubs tomorrow night.
The Southland, Gore, Wyndham, Riverton, Wairio and Winton thoroughbred clubs and the West Otago-based Tapanui Racing Club, which conducts its meetings in Southland, will be represented at the meeting. The clubs will nominate a replacement for Southland Racing Club president Sean Bellew who resigned from the board of Gallop South last month.
Gallop South’s constitution requires its seven-person board to consist of a chairman, three Otago club representatives and another three from Southland clubs.
Bellew told the Otago Daily Times in June he resigned because the direction the organisation was heading did not sit well with him.
He also indicated the Southland Racing Club was "disillusioned" with Gallop South.
Bellew was unable to confirm yesterday whether the Southland Racing Club would definitely exit Gallop South, but did confirm that the club’s membership would be a talking point at the meeting.Bellew’s resignation came after the news that Gallop South would be restructured. The organisation’s employees were last month given a six-week period to prepare ideas on how to streamline the running of Gallop South, which would be presented at its board meeting on July 17. Chairman Peter Grant confirmed the future structure of Gallop South would be a talking point at the meeting.
Grant admitted the organisation does need some reshaping for it to continue successfully, but is hopeful that that could be done while keeping all of its current member clubs.
"There is no doubt Gallop South needs some fine-tuning, be we are hopeful we can pull all of the clubs together."
Grant also said he was encouraged Gallop South’s Otago member clubs had indicated they remain committed to the organisation.
Should the Southland Racing Club cancel its Gallop South membership, it would be a hit for the organisation’s finances.
Gallop South’s administrative services to clubs are funded by its member clubs paying a fee that is calculated on the number of meetings that each club holds per season. The Southland Racing Club contributes the largest amount — it holds the most meetings with five race days per season, ahead of the Gore and Riverton thoroughbred clubs which each race four times. At the end of its 2016 financial year in July, Gallop South recorded a $31,349 operating loss before non-cash adjustments, following a $12,637 surplus in 2015. In 2014, the organisation recorded a $7598 surplus and a $2991 operating deficit before non-cash adjustments in 2013.
Gallop South’s last big financial result came in the 2012 financial year, when it recorded a $459,899 surplus before non-cash adjustments, although that figure was bolstered by almost $450,000 in grant money.
Grants have largely disappeared from the organisation’s books since then.
In its last financial report, Gallop South had net assets of $430,276, which included land it owns near the Oamaru racecourse, and starting gates and a truck that service South Island race meetings.
- Jonny Turner
