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Williams Off Due To Heat
Harness & Greyhounds
JayJay
8,020 posts
With Williams unfortunately but understandably losing it's meeting this Sunday (abandoned due to heat), it leaves it with just one racing date left on February 25th.
That may well be all she wrote as far as Williams continuing as a racing venue, Goodnight Irene I fear. Certainly, the jungle drums were beating last year that a number of venues would lose dates, possibly back to just one "boutique" Cup meeting per year. Although that appears to work quite well at Kunnunurra and other novelty type outer racing venues, I think that Harness Clubs would not be able to sustain their volunteer base of tracks for just one go per year. Trainers using those venues would also probably put the cue back in the rack.
Turnover was cited at the time as one of the drivers for "rationalisation"....we are told it has absolutely fallen off the cliff across all codes post the Covid Sugar Hit ....and it will probably be used to "rationalise" Bridgetown (currently also with only two racing dates). Track safety will also emerge with a current review/report being prepared which spells danger for Busselton and Collie, they are also probably doomed regardless of turnover or crowds.
You wonder what the landscape will look like in a year or two. Clearly, WACHRA put together a strong case via a lengthy submission to Government on retaining tracks and dates. Like most submissions to Government and semi government QUANGO's like RWWA, it was met with polite smiles, enthusiasm from the Opposition, vague non core expressions of support and it is now probably gathering dust in some corner of Dumas House. Other industry groups probably didn't bother reading the contents and have remained fairly oblivious and languid in their responses to the bleeding reality of Industry shrinkage.
Obviously, GP with its "redevelopment/sell off" isn't going anywhere due to the influence it has over RWWA as illustrated by the allocation of $24.7 million of funding helping to maintain a track of the same dimensions along with a new Pavilion for 300 members, same with Pinjarra and Bunbury....maybe Northam and Albany survive the executioners sword, with question marks about Central Wheatbelt, and one of either Wagin and Narrogin. Politics may play some role as Libby Mettam in Busselton would probably fight tooth and nail to keep Busso alive and Collie may be interesting as a potentially vulnerable government held seat.
Despite bleatings from Government (and the very reduced opposition) about the importance to communities of Country Clubs and Race meetings and their undying support for regional communities, the future looks pretty bleak for country harness. Gloucester Park is already running community $6,000 races on Tuesday along with three $9,000 races tomorrow night in order to make up full programmes of 10 races with full fields. Again this is understandable given the needless demographic "bulging" of the lower levels of the racing population due to the "drop back on steroids" system in HWOE, where far more horses drop back than go up.
I think going forward it will be a very, very reduced industry and when stakes reality strikes home as the other codes demand their pound of turnover flesh after the current distribution subsidy and guaranteed built in stake increase arrangement finishes in 12 months time, the very reduced industry must by definition race for very reduced stakes.
+1 -1
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Stop talking common sense, rwwa dont need that type of negativity =))
HARNESS THE RHYTHEM
BUILD THE PROFILE OF HARNESS RACING
INSTIL CONFIDENCE WITHIN INDUSTRY AND ENCOURAGE.
PARTICIPATION TO BROADER AUDIENCE
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"RWWA’s Harness Business Model seeks to improve the commerciality of
harness racing and provide a sustainable and positive future for the
sport."
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