b4breeding

This heading is a bit of a teaser, because it is so easy to associate the word “positives” with not-so-positive news about drug administration etc in racing.

But those who follow my blog know that I’m more interested in promoting and advocating positive changes/ideas in harness racing.

So here’s a tip o’ the hat to a couple of very good initiatives I’ve come across lately, all well promoted and discussed elsewhere….but refreshing to see people thinking outside a small square.

Tip o’ the hat to:

• Tim and Anthony Butt for importing some Scandanavian trotters for racing – and perhaps a siring career in the long run? The Butts’ love of mature trotters is well documented. There is a growing awareness amongst breeders of the need to build in European stamina  and gait as well as the North American speed factor to give our trotters a better commercial foothold in New Zealand racing. This sort of initiative is risky but exciting, but it is an example of trotting having an eye for opportunity – the Great Southern Star is another example, and what a success that new concept was!
• Lincoln Farms for a ownership concept that guarantees you will experience the thrill of winning. I love the passion in this proposal, to carry on a legacy and make it even better. Also note that harness racing and thoroughbred racing are brought under one roof, without any need to establish a pecking order or have harness racing as the ‘tack on’.  Here’s hoping owners will move across both codes, or be part of syndicates that might own a horse from each code and find excitement in both.
• The amalgamation plan for clubs that race at Alexandra Park – just a proposal at this stage, but in a couple of days a special general meeting of the Auckland Trotting Club will vote on whether to change its name to Alexandra Park Inc. That signals a much wider and more important change being proposed – to bring together the four other tenant clubs and combine resources for the benefit of northern harness racing.

There are no guarantees that these initiatives will be a raging success – but they show a determination to invest in the future harness racing.

Update: Results of ATC special general meeting – a hedged bet, sort of half acceptance with provisos, which may be good caution but may also just be reluctance to grasp the nettle. However that’s the first step taken – good on them for going forward at least.