General News
22 June, 2024
Punt shunt: Harness racing meetings cuts
By CHRIS EARL COUNTRY harness racing clubs are facing their biggest fight for survival in 20 years after being stripped of race meetings. Boort and Wedderburn clubs have had their race meetings cut for 2025 - only the cup meetings still on the...
By CHRIS EARL
COUNTRY harness racing clubs are facing their biggest fight for survival in 20 years after being stripped of race meetings.
Boort and Wedderburn clubs have had their race meetings cut for 2025 - only the cup meetings still on the calendar as Harness Racing Victoria attempts to claw itself back from a financial mess.
Beneficiaries of the shake-up that HRV says is data-driven will be Bendigo and Shepparton.
But local club officials and Trots Clubs Victoria dispute the HRV decision amid scepticism that the board will not release data behind the reduction of small country club meetings.
“The news came out the blue and is a total shock that will impact our clubs and have a negative effect on harness racing in our area and on our communities,” said Tom Nisbet, secretary of the Wedderburn and Boort clubs.
Former Boort president John Campbell was at the forefront of lobbying to return harness racing to local clubs a decade ago after tracks were shut down by the then State Government in 2005.
“We’re devastated to lose our very popular and successful Northern Oasis meeting each January,” said Campbell.
“We have raised money through sponsors and other activities to boost prizemoney to have cup events for pacers and trotters at that meeting that attracts many local people and holiday makers at the caravan park.
“There’s a fear that if we are cut to one meeting, Harness Racing Victoria will come back in a couple of years and look at closing single-meeting tracks.”
Nisbet said clubs would use Sunday’s TCV annual awards luncheon to lobby HRV officials for reinstatement of two meetings a year at the Loddon clubs.
TCV president Paul Rouse said new HRV chairman Adam Kil-gour had committed the industry to a 12-month trial of meeting allocations.
“He’s said if HRV is not successful in increasing turnover, they’ll consider going back to what we have had. We will hold him to that comment,” said Rouse. He said HRV had not disclosed its plans for years two and three of the strategy to lift race day turnover in harness racing.
Rouse agreed with Campbell that the loss of meetings at small country clubs would increase challenges for those committees to keep local communities engaged.
HRV chief executive officer Matt Issacs said: “Racing in central Victoria will only be stronger and more prolific for these changes, with Bendigo to be the new home of the trots on Wednesday nights while the fantastic facilities at Charlton will still be enjoyed across 16 afternoon race meetings.
“This is in addition to big cup days at Wedderburn, Boort and nearby St Arnaud and Gunbower,” he said.
Under the plan, Bendigo will have 47 race meetings and Shepparton 52. Echuca is cut from 12 to six with other big reductions at Cobram and Yarra Glen.
Isaacs said the new calendar “consolidates regular time slots at venues with the greatest horse populations, facilities and engagement, while continuing its commitment to race at all 27 tracks”.
“This is seen as an important evolution in strengthening the future of harness racing in Victoria, which like all Australian racing codes has been impacted by the declining wagering market”.
HRV says the calendar was adopted in consultation with the clubs, a claim disputed by Wedderburn and Boort.
Campbell said: “There was no consultation, only rumours.”
Boort club met last week and decided to take their disappointment to HRV and the Government. Campbell said facilities at Boort Park had been improved in recent years by the committee while Wedderburn’s new Donaldson Park complex received $100,000 from HRV and includes new race day facilities.
Former TCV president and Loddon Mayor Gavan Holt said the local clubs were not a drain on HRV finances.
“When the Wedderburn track was washed away in the storms at Christmas, it was the local club that reinstated the surface without a cent from HRV,” Holt said on Monday.
“The rationalisation of tracks didn’t work 20 years ago and cutting country meetings now won’t either.”
Under the current HRV plan to claw back its debt, Wedderburn Cup will be on January 26 and Boort Cup in March.
Isaacs said: “We appreciate the importance of maintaining a cup day in these fantastic harness racing heartlands that have rich traditions and great passion for the sport.”