The Forbury Park Trotting Club will more strictly enforce its rules relating to children having access to the stables and secure areas of the track from now on, the club's general manager says.
The club has advised trainers and industry participants of the rules, which ban children under 6 years of age from the secure area of the track and the stables, and requires children aged between 6 and 14 to be accompanied and supervised by an adult and have completed a stabling awareness course While a stabling awareness course had not been run at Forbury Park yet, general manager John Ayoub said the club would put on a course in conjunction with Harness Racing New Zealand if required.
''If there was a demand for that, we would certainly facilitate that for sure,'' Ayoub said.
The restriction on children entering the stabling area at Addington came under fire from trainers and their families in September 2013, but the policy had been in place informally at Forbury Park for more than 12 months.
''The policy was approved by the board before I started [in July last year]and is in all the current contracts with the stabling tenants,'' Ayoub said.
''It's been up on the noticeboards and the fences accessing that area, so it's been our policy.''
The club had taken an educational tone with children entering the stabling area, but that will change from now on.
''What I've been doing is an education over the last few months approaching people and reminding them,'' he said.
''We believe this is the right time to say these are the rules and we need compliance now.''
While there is no stated policy from Harness Racing New Zealand, the national body has provided support in the form of the stabling awareness courses and it seems inevitable high-use tracks around the country will follow Addington and Forbury Park's lead, particularly as health and safety standards become tougher.
The rules at Forbury Park apply at all times and not just during race meetings, Ayoub said.
