THE 7.7 MINIMUM

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 88, 30 April 1937, Page 14

THE 7.7 MINIMUM

Adversely Criticised During the last few montbs, says the Christchurch Press, it has become evident to air connected with racing in Canterbury and elsewhere that the 7.7 minimum, i-ecommended by the last Racing Conference, to he adopted bjT clubs, has not been as helpfulp to racing as was anticipated, and there is \every probability that the rnatter will form one of tho most important items on the order paper for the next Con- , fcrence in July. Tho conference has circularised owners, tr»in®r» and leading horsemen asking them to forward their opinion so that the executivo committee will be able to frame a resolution to put before the July ingThe change from 7-0 to 7.7 was made uot by resolution of the conference, out by a recommendation that clubs adopt it for all liandicap races. Tliis was afc the requesfc, tautamount to a dirCction, of the Minister mostly concerncd wilh racing the H011. W, E. Parry, who expressed himself as sti'ongly in favour of the change from a humanitarian Npoint of Tiew, because he1 helieved it was in the best interests of the riders t-hemselves. Many arguments were advanced supporting its adoption, but there is no doubt that several of these have been found to be fallacioup. One effect has been the difficulty of light apprentices getting mounts with a 7.7 miniinum, and if it should be con/iued, it is feared in many circles that the present scarcity of apprentice rid(frs wilh be seriously increase.