Pay parity for the trotting gait is in the hands of local racing administrators, rather than the sport's national body.
That call was confirmed by Harness Racing New Zealand (HRNZ) chief executive Edward Rennell following confirmation that his organisation's board has approved stakes increases of $25,000 for the trotting races at next year's Harness Jewels in Cambridge.
''We are increasing the Harness Jewels [stakes] for the three trotting races. They go up from $100,000 to $125,000,''he said.
''The pacers stay the same. We just wanted to increase the trotters.''
The increase closes what was a huge gap in stakes between the trotters and their pacing counterparts which has existed since the Jewels were first run in 2007.
Those differing amounts were was based on horse population, Rennell said.
''When we first set the stakes, the pacers were $200,000 and the trotters were $100,000. So if you looked at [each] age group, the trotters were getting 20% of the total stake and they were 20% of the [horse] population.''
''When we reduced the pacers [to $150,000], we left the trotters the same, so they were about 25% of the distribution of each age group.''
Now the HRNZ approach has changed as the trotting gait's popularity has grown.
''With the quality of trotting continuing to improve and it becoming a an increased emphasis within the industry, we wanted to get some parity where we could.''
Given Harness Racing New Zealand is setting only the stakes for the three Jewels trotting races, the overall quest for pay parity - which trotting diehards have forever longed for - is up to local administrators. That means trotting breeders, owners and trainers need to lobby their local clubs as they ultimately decide stake levels.
Rennell recognises the biggest gap between pacing and trotting stakes is in high-end, group 1 races.
At the bottom end of the trotting ranks, New Zealand's lowest graderaces were relatively similar in stakes to pacing races, he said.
The lowest-grade races across New Zealand for both trotters and pacers will get a boost, as the major harness racing centres have announced increases in minimum stakes for next season.
That is something HRNZ had pushed for in its funding talks with clubs, Rennell said.
''We have tried where we could to direct most of the money coming from the [New Zealand] Racing Board at bottom end.''
At the top level, the country's two biggest centres announced significant changes to stakes for their biggest trotting races.
The New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club in Christchurch has lifted The Dominion from $260,000 last year to $300,000 for this year, making it the country's richest trot.
The Auckland Trotting Club has raised the New Zealand Trotting Championships from $80,000 to $100,000 and the Northern Trotting Derby from $72,000 to $100,000 next year.
