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Whatever Happened To "The Trots"?

Harness & Greyhounds
Call it Covid-19 boredom or lack of a life but after reading Mitchell Woodcocks column on Michael Grantham in this mornings paper, and his reference to Michael being a "trotting" trainer with two "trotters" in work, I thought whatever happened to the time honored moniker of "The Trots"? I have no idea who Michael is or what his background is, and some may say he is not well versed in correct terminology but carry on Michael, everyone reading your column knew exactly what you were on about. 

In terms of public recognition and alignment, "the Trots" has a lot more traction than the awkward term of "Harness Racing". In fact from a marketing point of view, the switch has been hopeless. In the past, we went to the "races" or the "trots", the "trots were conducted by the WA Trotting Association and we were familiar with, for example, the Northam Trotting Club, not the Northam Harness Racing Club or the Gloucester Park Harness Racing Club. Yes, yes, it was not technically correct with the differentiation between the pacing or trotting gait but the "Red Hots" was what it was. It was what people identified with, a Friday or Saturday night out at the Trots or off on a country jaunt to the Bunbury Trots.
When anyone asks me about my horses, they say "how are your trotters going?" or I say, "yeah, I've got a couple of trotters" - explaining the nuances of the different gaits is not worth the trouble of saying "Well, actually, I've got pacers, not trotters". The casual punter couldn't give a toss about that, it's got a cart behind it and it runs around in circles at the trots. If you want to really confuse them, intersperse your answer with references to spiders, sulkies, gigs and carts.
When we are finally allowed to head back on course as owners or punters, we will be heading back to the Trots, at the Trotting Track, to watch and bet on our Trotters. Lets drop this Harness Racing terminology and get back to promoting and reviving the Trots. The square gaiting aficionado's might disagree but from my experience, young and old still align with going to the "Trots".

Comments

  • VillageKidVillageKid    2,275 posts
    edited May 2020
    Spot on JJ, I couldnt agree with you more and long live the Trots!
    It is somewhat similar to this attempt at rebranding of late the greatest game in the world Australian Rules Football, Australian Football or just plain Football as we all called the game growing up to "AFL" which is the name of the National League not the actual sport!

    Thunderstruck, Yilgarna likes this post.

  • MarkovinaMarkovina    2,889 posts
    Well it purely comes down to someone in Harness Racing WA - to make an instruction that the callers and employees calling it the trots

    I am almost certain that 4-5 years ago  - Victoria did just that - and reverted back to the Trots - like you listen to Lachlan McIntosh trots caller  ( who has a background in it - his father a trainer etc ) but he allways says - look welcome to the Charlton  Trots - or we are at the Bendigo Trots tonight 

     Every sentence in that situation  with him - its allways The Trots - so the Vic hierarchy did it 
  • ThunderstruckThunderstruck    7,676 posts
    Agree 100% they are the trots and I always think of them as that..as far back as the long ago defunct Harold Park Trots..the description just works!
    Tabtouch betting options are Races, Trots, Greyhounds and id say everyone knows of them and refers to them as that.
    Plus most punters of reasonable knowledge even if races are their preference know of the difference between a pacer and a trotter.

    Yilgarna likes this post.

  • PictureSon1973PictureSon1973    138 posts
    It’s always been that somehow we always shorten a name it’s in our DNA
    Harness Racing ( Technically Correct )
    But Logic would be the TROTS all day every day.


  • curmudgeoncurmudgeon    2,417 posts
    The use of the term Harness Racing as a descriptor is technically correct but shrugging off the familiar colloquial terminology of Trotting has been impossible. It is like someone with red hair trying to discourage people from nicknaming them "Bluey".....the more you attempt to stop it the greater seems to be the reverse effect.
    The push to change the perception of the industry quite a few years ago...from a hobby/professional duopoly to a predominately professional based pursuit .....and thus generally deny the existence of obvious points of difference between the two horse codes coincided with the terminology emphasis change I believe
    Day to day I use the term trots as it is a recognisably inclusive terminology ..especially when punting...that cuts across the knowledge barrier without needing explanation. In earnest forums containing the converted that are discussing policy etc I tend to use the broader national formal terminology Harness Racing especially as a differentiation of policy between the two gaits is sometimes in the conversation.

  • ChariotsonfireChariotsonfire    2,829 posts
    No right answer to this vexed question. I can remember one of the reasons trotted out (pardon the pun) was that we needed to get rid of the "red hots" terminology  as it was damaging the brand.

    Happy to go with the trots as it has far greater recognition in non racing circles than harness racing.

    Markovina likes this post.

  • licklick    305 posts
    I agree that our sport is the "trots", but we have a massive problem in generating new interest in our magnificent sport. 

    Punters are no longer interested in 3 minute races, hobby drivers, barrier draws killing your chances, late night racing etc.

    To overcome barrier draw disappointments (5,6,7,8,9, 12) maybe the mobile arm could be at a slight angle to give outside draws a better chance ???

    Open up GP on Friday nights , big screens under the old stand (footy on one, GP on another), $6 pints, $10 pizzas etc, free entry, prizes, fun).

    What we have is broken - it needs to be fixed, gunna be difficult, but to continue the same is going nowhere fast.

    JimmyPop likes this post.

  • YilgarnaYilgarna    32 posts
    You nailed it JJ and can I also add the pet contemporary peeves of mine include:

    • The people that sit behind our trotters are reinsmen or reinswomen (not drivers), and they sit in a spider (not a gig, sulky or cart). I'm old fashioned I guess. 
    • Our graceful breed of horses deserve better than being monikered with names that reflect the appalling American tendency to mangle the English language and to runwordsintoeachotherforahorsesname. Arrrgghhhh!!!

    JimmyPop likes this post.

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