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what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 12:28 pm
by my mail
Obviously s.a. harness industry is lacking numbers,and every one is complaining about prize money,what if you only raced say 9 or 10 months of the year.That would mean every one could spell there horses at the same time,trainers could have a holiday or simply take time out.The saving of prize money distribution in 2 or 3 months could increase stakes in the nine or ten months that you do race.Every one at HRASA could take leave at the same time.This time out could be during the winter months or towards the end when numbers do drop........anyway just a thought!!!!!!!
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 2:37 pm
by G
Without going into it too deeply, I think it may have some merit.

Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:00 pm
by mighty_tiger_79
very good point about only racing 9-10 months per year
it was raised by a local horse racing trainer - to stop racing during winter months - but that got howled down before he could even finish.
Hong Kong it goes into recession for a period each year and just look at how good there product is.
also how many people punt during winter months on the gallops, on slow/heavy tracks???? i certainly dont....but i might be the only one.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 4:46 pm
by my mail
mighty_tiger_79 wrote:very good point about only racing 9-10 months per year
it was raised by a local horse racing trainer - to stop racing during winter months - but that got howled down before he could even finish.
Hong Kong it goes into recession for a period each year and just look at how good there product is.
also how many people punt during winter months on the gallops, on slow/heavy tracks???? i certainly dont....but i might be the only one.
It works in New Zealand down in Invercagil. Dont forget you can still race interstate if you wish. I just think that 12months of small fields,trying to get numbers this time of the year,low prize money ect........Maybe condence our season to say 9 months then every one may be a bit keener.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 5:51 pm
by mal
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$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
What do you tell the people who miss out on wages
Where do trainers/drivers get income from during the break
Where to the gate staff/canteen people/bar people/restraunt people etc subsidise thier wages from.
What do the 100 people that go there every week do for 2-3 months.
How does the admin staff get paid for those 2-3 months[or do we retrench most of the staff for 3 months]
What does the Bookie and his staff do for 2-3 months
What do the TAB staff do for 2-3 months
What do the stewards do for 2-3 months[Waiting for a smatrasre comment]
Who compensates the industry for the loss of TAB commissions
I could go on and on and on and on and on and on and on and on
MY MAIL
G
MT79
Go back in time
Remember EI
Do youse remember how much devastion the lack of racing caused to the racing /trotting industries
That was in a time frame of a few months .....
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Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:11 pm
by mighty_tiger_79
MAL
you just dont want the trots to stop because that means no income!!!!!!!
well lets keep racing 12 months a year, small fields with crap horses, yes thats a good product to sell!!!!!!
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 6:39 pm
by bayman
for those not old enough to remember they used to race about 6 months of the year back in the wayville days
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 9:43 pm
by my mail
Mal,correct me if i am wrong but you are simply saying stay as we are......... we have to look at things in a different light! If we keep on going as we are we will stay the same at the BEST but i am tipping things will get worst!
We need new ideas! We need to take some risks and try some different things.....I have been self employed in retail for a bloody long time and if i traded the same way today as i did say 10 years ago i would be broke within a few months.Today we advertise different,we buy different,our taxes are different,our way of life is different so why should we run the trots the same way we did 10 years ago.We need new ideas! We need to take a gamble on new ideas if we dont we will simply be left behind.......REMEMBER THEY SAID THE MOTOR VEHICLE WILL NEVER SUCCEED OVER THE HORSE AND CART!!!!!!!
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sat Sep 13, 2008 10:03 pm
by mal
agree
have to try something rather than continue on the way they are
but I dont think having 3 months off is the answer
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 12:00 am
by robber
It a good idea in theory but the loss of market share on our tote distribution while we are in the spell will kill us and continue to get worse the more spells we have.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 1:11 am
by Theorangeboy
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 5:38 am
by Zahov
M. D. WEBSTER FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!
love or hate the smart large headed man, he did speak very well thursday, and came up with a terrific idea!!!!!
sell the low joint and move down the road. no one new go's, the same people will drive anywhere to watch them,
so make a track a few km's down the road and run for more money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but it'l never happen cos the same old brain dead's that have destroyed the game for the last 25 years will never agree to it, and they're still running and **** the game even more.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:17 am
by Oven Lodge
Zahov wrote:M. D. WEBSTER FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!
love or hate the smart large headed man, he did speak very well thursday, and came up with a terrific idea!!!!!
sell the low joint and move down the road. no one new go's, the same people will drive anywhere to watch them,
so make a track a few km's down the road and run for more money!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! but it'l never happen cos the same old brain dead's that have destroyed the game for the last 25 years will never agree to it, and they're still running and **** the game even more.
And when the place is sold and the money spent we are back to square one!! I have no idea what to do, but surely there's someone out there who could come up with a business plan to save the industry.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:21 am
by Oven Lodge
my mail wrote:Obviously s.a. harness industry is lacking numbers,and every one is complaining about prize money,what if you only raced say 9 or 10 months of the year.That would mean every one could spell there horses at the same time,trainers could have a holiday or simply take time out.The saving of prize money distribution in 2 or 3 months could increase stakes in the nine or ten months that you do race.Every one at HRASA could take leave at the same time.This time out could be during the winter months or towards the end when numbers do drop........anyway just a thought!!!!!!!
Stakes will drop further because you lose those months of betting turnover! Back in the Waville days there was no tab, but they did have 40 thousand fans roll up.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:37 am
by Punk Rooster
If a 2 month break was planned, it could be factored into the employment package.
ie- staff could work x amount of hours per week, so that when the 2 month recess was in effect, they would continue getting paid. Given most staff get 4 weeks annual leave, they would only need to work the equivalent of an extra month over the remaining 10 months, which basically would equal a 42-44 hour week.
It's do-able, but requires planning & unity.
Im sure the industry participants would enjoy a break.
As for you Mal, if the break was in winter, you can still punt on the footy.
Also with regards to prizemoney, there is a defined amount available for the season.
If that prizemoney is won over 10 months instead of 12, that equates to working less for the same amount- surely a good thing?
There'd also be the possibilty of horses not being nominated for 3 meetings a week, hey Mal?

Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:45 am
by Oven Lodge
[quote="Zahov"]M. D. WEBSTER FOR PRESIDENT!!!!!
quote]
Another hot shower together big T. lets see if the man can add up before we crown him with a 30mil problem. Thought he quit???????
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:48 am
by Oven Lodge
Punk Rooster wrote:If a 2 month break was planned, it could be factored into the employment package.
ie- staff could work x amount of hours per week, so that when the 2 month recess was in effect, they would continue getting paid. Given most staff get 4 weeks annual leave, they would only need to work the equivalent of an extra month over the remaining 10 months, which basically would equal a 42-44 hour week.
It's do-able, but requires planning & unity.
Im sure the industry participants would enjoy a break.
As for you Mal, if the break was in winter, you can still punt on the footy.
Also with regards to prizemoney, there is a defined amount available for the season.
If that prizemoney is won over 10 months instead of 12, that equates to working less for the same amount- surely a good thing?
There'd also be the possibilty of horses not being nominated for 3 meetings a week, hey Mal?

Owners would pull there horses and run them elsewhere! There's no loyality in this game anymore!
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 9:56 am
by Punk Rooster
surely horses need a spell too?
increased prizemoney (due to less races) would be enough to keep them interested?
I'm no expert on the industry, just offering my 2cents on what seems a logical proposal.
At the end of the day, it's what industry participants want that counts.
Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:18 am
by Theorangeboy
I do agree Zahov, i too caught a bit of the interview and in my opinion it made good sense and i think it is the only path they can go down for the long term of this feeble future of Harness racing here.

Re: what if you only raced 9 or 10 months of the year????

Posted:
Sun Sep 14, 2008 10:53 am
by powerwatcher
at end of day i think all three codes are gunna go down the gutter.. more and more people will drop out of the industries.. just gotta look at the attendences at all three codes.. VERY POOR!!!
take harness for an example.. you win a race on a sat night and you take home $2500 to round it to a round figure... VERY POOR!!
i think the only avenue is to either find a major sponsor,BTW who is the sponsorship officer for HRSA or this not exist?
the other option has already been said and that is race 9 months of the year, this does have alot of appeal as if your still wanting to race your horses, mildura is only few hours away or these plenty others just over the boarder to venture too...