Hysteria has officially hit the racing industry, writes Jonny Turner.
It is little wonder, given the current run of abandonments.
Before diving in and attributing blame, let’s first acknowledge that this terrible run of cancelled meetings is one for the ages.
This run must go down as the worst run of bad luck — and partly bad management— the industry has ever seen. Freakish circumstances.
Before the industry shuts down tracks let’s acknowledge the bizarre run of weather that has contributed to this terrible time. After all, it is meant to be summer.
The Ellerslie, Otaki, Awapuni, Hokitika and Kumara meetings were all hit by wild weather.
No amount of blame can wash away puddles that submerged these racetracks.
Weather played a part in two more of the abandonments.
Waikouaiti’s slippery track could be partly blamed on the weather, too. But that is unlikely to be the whole tale.
The Thames track became slippery after light rain. Omakau was not weather-related, but instead could be blamed on the most bizarre of circumstances in a malfunctioning sprinkler timer.
Given all of these circumstances, it is hard to fathom the sensationalist claims since. Tracks to be shut down, they shouted. Country tracks are substandard and a drain on the industry.
Hold on, when did Ellerslie, Awapuni and Otaki become country tracks? They certainly were not immune to the chaos of abandoned meetings.
Those with a few more clues about racing might rewrite those headlines, especially given the circumstances we have just outlined.
Perhaps "freak run of weather hits racing industry hard" would be better.
Perhaps "local volunteer clubs hit hard by abandonments" would be better.
Perhaps "get real, we are not shutting down our country tracks" would be perfect.
There are 11 tracks south of the Waitaki and there is only one thing they are a drain on. And it is not the racing industry.
Most are only a drain on the blood, sweat and tears of the volunteers who maintain them. And generations of their families that gave the same sacrifice.
Country tracks belong to those country communities. They don’t belong to anyone sitting in an office in Wellington, Auckland or anywhere else.
Shutting them down would only cut off each community from the racing world.
As I outlined last week, the only input country clubs need on their tracks is support on how to prepare them for race day.
Without the weather dogging their efforts, most of these club committees have the the management of their tracks reasonably well in hand.
But it would not hurt to have procedures and policies designed to help them present their tracks in the best possible condition for racing.
Rather than being a drain on anything, many of these tracks sustain their own existence. The insides and outsides of country tracks are widely used to generate income for their clubs. That money ensures their survival.
The idea that they are somehow draining money out of the industry’s coffers does not add up.
In reality, these clubs and tracks add money to the industry and add to the fabric of the industry.
Those tracks that are not sustainable will go naturally, with time. But while we have committed people keeping them going, just keep your hands off.Instead focus on this idea.
Why does every race meeting not have a reserve track that could hold the meeting?
Perhaps that kind of policy could justify why we have so many tracks some are so keen to call unnecessary.
