In light of the recent attempts for sweeping changes to Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) with an all but one person to remain on the new board and now this week the moving on of CEO John Anderson, there is another state where change is desperately needed, South Australia.
Once a power house of Australian harness racing and breeding, South Australia has over the years become the poor cousin of other states and it shouldn’t have.
Granted it doesn’t have the government backing like Victoria, Western Australia and more recently New South Wales although it still has a couple of rich assets (land at Globe Derby) and heritage.
Harness Racing South Australia (HRSA) needs what happening in Victoria to also be implemented in SA, a government inquest into sport, but given the lack of interest by the government of the day that won’t be happening in the near future anyway.
But there is a current opportunity to take a much needed step in the right direction, with the opportunity of change when two members of the current HRSA board positions are up for re-election, one of which is the country clubs representative, of which four applicants will have their chance to present their vision of how to takeand save Harness Racing in South Australia going forward, and hopefully resuscitate it from the mire.
HRSA and the management of Globe Derby Park, have still not signed off on the so called “heads of agreement lease” which allows HRSA to use Globe Derby racing area (track, stalls, ground staff etc) on race days.
This has been going on for 12 months now since the rash decision to take the 2015 Southern Cross Finals to Port Pirie.
God only knows how much of industry money has been spent / wasted on lawyer’s fees over this agreement and if industry rumours are correct the cost now and ongoing will big a massive handbrake on our sport which so many good people in SA once loved.
All we hear from both parties is its close to being signed off on, however this story is now getting beyond a joke and it’s a sad reflection of the ability and skills of people, who have been trusted and well rewarded to deliver a very simple task.
Harness Racing is in the entertainment and gambling business, both these areas as we all know are under extreme pressure from such things as poker machines, other sports, economy, modern alternatives for betting and the l want it now world we live in.
But HRSA puts all its eggs in two baskets Sky Channel and market share and the two go hand in hand, HRSA was crowing that the deal with Sky Channel was the bee’s knees. Having all or part of meetings Sky 2 is not the bee’s knees. Yes we know Sky Channel is owed by Tabcorp and Victoria and NSW are there babies, but without Sky 1 coverage market share will continue to fall.
HRSA doesn’t employ or have anyone sourcing sponsorship, no one knocking on doors no one trying to attract new blood into the sport.
The industry participants have been struggling for years and at a forum called it was left to HRSA CEO John Lewis to try and answer important questions… that’s poor in anyone’slanguage.
Board members and senior management are like hen’s teeth at harness racing meetings you only ever see them when it’s a big event yet they sit in board room once a month making decisions on the industry and the results suggest a lot of those decisions haven’t helpedthe industry.
The SAMOS scheme was originated in South Australia and has since been copied by most other states, surely breeders’ need more than a $500 rebate 12 months after the service fee has been paid to the stud.
This is not a solution in fixing the lack of breeding, ownership and participation numbers in the sport
Country clubs have struggled in recent years, we have seen Kadina, Whyalla and Strathalbyn have beenput in mothball. To Strathalbyn’s credit through some aggressive marketing and plenty drum beating by their committee they have been granted two meeting next year.
Mount Gambier is losing owners to the greyhound industry why? Simple answer because they race weekly rather than 10 times a year.
However, having been scathing on HRSA and its substandard management team, one must give credit where credit is due and that is in integrity the appointment of a new head steward and panel have been positive for the sport in South Australia.
Let us all hope for South Australia’s sake that things change and change quickly and hopefully stop the exit of people from within the sport and we see more people back at the track and more people wanting to get involved in racing, breeding and betting on horses once again.
Ownership is an area that Victoria and other states are trying to address, while South Australia lingers behind.
Reports of rude treatment to some sponsors and participants from both HRSA and Globe Derby Park’s senior management is nothing short of disgraceful, which is so damaging and totally unacceptable.
With passionate harness racing organisations like Harnessbred.com & Testmating.com who have come on board to support the Yearling Sale, things can change fast, so if the country clubs can appoint the right person to represent them on the board, other small and large companies may come back with the vision and passion to grow harness racing in South Australia before it’s too late.
The name of the Author who is a South Australia Harness racing participant has been withheld from publishing by harnessbred.com
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
