Harness Racing In SA Is In Pain

[another grub]

so we dont need crowds????

[robber]

ideally a crowd is good but it wont save the industry is the point i was making and more importantly big crowds at race meeting are not sustainable on a regular basis.

It makes no difference to HRSA whether the money is bet off course or oncourse, the club gets 10 % off the oncourse money so they want a crowd.

[Theorangeboy]

When was the last time any of you blokes been to Albion park, Moonee Valley or Harold park or Gloucester park???????
They have no crowds there its a ghost town besides there summer cup nights!!
Forget about Globe Derby and attracting crowds!!! and the only reason they pack the joint for the Inter and Group one race is pretty explanitry.....They are there to see the best horses in Australasia to race wake up!!
Crowd attendance dosnt keep the game profitable cause all of the other states are doing just fine.

[Iron man]

Too right, crowds are not the answer to the diabolical situation we are in now. We have now passed the point of no return we simply dont have the horses to make up good betting races, with the quality of meetings at an all time low our main streem of income will be hit harder than ever - its a snowball affect and its pretty obvious we are heading towards a complete industry crash. Those in power have the figures and im sure they are very aware of the situation. They should put there own interests aside and start negotiating with HRV on a takeover. HOW EMBARRASSING would it be for our government if a vic takeover of the Harness industry was on the table ???? just think about it, the racing minister would just about piss his pants.

Big changes are required for big problems - crowds and chook raffles arn't gonna get us out of this mess.

[mal]

IRONMAN
You make some pertinent points
BUT
I have a mal maxim

You have to try something
which is better than letting things take thier downward spiralling course

[bayman]

there is one comment i have to say & this is that i've (probably all of us) heard that the trots were in a mess 20 years ago & it still is so are we any worse off now than then ?

i also recall talking to a leading trainer at the time (has scaled down these days) & he said to me "i'm running 2nd on the trainers list & i have to go to work to pay the bills & feed the family"

so as i said is it any worse now than it was back then ?

[Iron man]

Your probably right Bayman but what did a bag of chaff cost 20 years ago ???? and a litre of petrol ???? the cost of living has gone through the roof in recent times and horse costs have exploded yet what is on offer has steadily sometimes sneakily been reduced - this simply cant continue.

[Theorangeboy]

Of course we are far off worse!!!! we are racing for practicaly the same prize money now as back then.
But i can tell you this, the price of horse feed and general upkeeping is far greater now, throw in the price of petrol, trainers and drivers license fees and all the other ridiculous inflated prices that go with training or owning a horse, i would rather much be in the 20 years ago era

[Theorangeboy]

You beat me to it Iron Man

[Iron man]

Mal, the time for trying things was 5 or 6 years ago - its too late now, you will only delay the inevitable. Cancelled meetings is just around the corner and that WILL be the beginning of the end. There will always be Harness racing and it wouldnt surprise me if the Government is just waiting for a complete colapse so it can come in and restructure from the ground up. Thinking positive sounds good but in reality its just a form of burying your head in the sand. I believe being positive was an integreal part of Mark Careys business plan

IRONMAN
You make some pertinent points
BUT
I have a mal maxim

You have to try something
which is better than letting things take thier downward spiralling course

[bayman]

Your probably right Bayman but what did a bag of chaff cost 20 years ago ???? and a litre of petrol ???? the cost of living has gone through the roof in recent times and horse costs have exploded yet what is on offer has steadily sometimes sneakily been reduced - this simply cant continue.

ok can one of you guys when you have time work out the costs & returns of 20 years ago etc versus that of today ?

bear in mind while everything was cheaper back then also our pay packets were lighter as well & thankfully thats gone up

[mal]

I had a horse in 1978
It was going around in restricted races at Gawler for $1200
I drove to Melbourne in 1977 petrol was 19 cents a litre

Now most races are for $2000 in 2008
Petrol is $1-50 per litre

Petrol is 7 times greater
Prizemoney has not even doubled at GDP [and is less at Pirie ?]

GST in 1978 was Grand Slam Tennis
GST these days is the most most disgusting rip off of all time

I could go on
Point being the the cost of living has far exceeded prizemoney at Adelaide trots these days

[bayman]

I had a horse in 1978

i'd rather have a girl

[jackpot jim]

It makes no difference to HRSA whether the money is bet off course or oncourse, the club gets 10 % off the oncourse money so they want a crowd.

isn't this contradictary?

Joining up with a Decent TAB may solve a few problems as well.

[another grub]

I feel sorry for the participants going around for $1200 - $2,000 per race. It simply does not pay the bills. The industry seems to be dying here and a lot of people are jumping off the sinking ship! Just look at what we have lost to interstate....anyone with any ability is out of here pretty quick!!!!