TROTTING CONFERENCE

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 403, 11 July 1928, Page 11

TROTTING CONFERENCE

IMPORTANT MEASURES QUESTION OF LICENCES HANDICAPPING SYSTEM UNALTERED Press Association WELLINGTON, Tuesday. At the trotting conference to-day, an , addition to rule 203, providing that any | horse competing at a meeting must be j ridden or driven throughout such j meeting by the same horseman, unless i the consent of the stewards is ob- j tained, was carried. A new rule, an addition to rule 217. was passed providing that trainers’ licences should not be granted, unless the applicant had spent at least two years in a licensed trainer’s stable, or had held an amateur trainer’s licence for at least two years. A horseman's licence should not be granted unless the applicant was a licensed trainer, or had been for at j least a year in regular employment, with a licensed trainer, or had held an amateur horseman’s licence for at! least a year. Amateur Licences The president’s proposal that an amateur should be permitted to ride or drive only a horse solely owned by him, or his wife, father, brother or sister, was withdrawn after strong objection by the country delegates. An addition was made to rule 248, providing no person should be granted an amateur trainer’s licence unless he had supplied certificates of his ability to properly train and gear a horse for a race. An addition to rule 265 was made to prohibit any change being made in the gearing of a horse during the progress of a meeting. An addition to rule 270 was passed, providing for the appointment of a steward or stewards to control the birdcage. District Committees During the discussion of the Fqrbury Park Club’s proposal to abolish the Trotting Association, which was lost by 24 to nine, Mr. B. S. Irwin, of Forbury Park, said it was becoming very difficult to obtain attendance at monthly meetings of the association. There was also too much dual responsibility. There was a much better chance of getting district committees together. The motion was supported by the i Auckland delegate. It was a.lso urged that the cost of administration would be reduced. Other members opposed the alteration as too drastic. The chairman said he had an open mind on the subject, but it must be admitted the association had done an | enormous amount of work. No Interference With Handicappers The long remit put forward by the Wellington Trotting Club on what was generally considered a new system of handicapping seemed complicated for the majority of delegates, and the voting showed little in its favour. The general opinion was that the handicappers should not be interfered with in their work. The New Zealand Trotting Association, with the idea of preventing cruelty to horses, moved a remit debarring the use of certain gear, and this was carried without opposition. Alteration of Dates The election of officers resulted: President, Mr. H. F. Nicoll; vice-presi-dent, Mr. John Howe; executive, Messrs. B. S. Irwin, C. M. Ollivier and E. V. Sutherland; the executive was appointed the Dates Committee for the year; hon. treasurer, Mr. C- M. Ollivier. The Dates Committee offered the following suggestions for the coming year: That the Timaru Club be recommended to choose another date than October 20. That the Cheviot Club be granted December 8, instead of December 15. That the New Brighton. Club be asked to hold a two days’ meeting on December 15 and 17, instead of one-day meetings on December 1 and April 27. That the Wellington Club be asked to race on Febi ruary 16, not March 23; Wanganui to substitute April 11 and 13 for March 21 race on March 2 and 4, not 9 and 11. ! it was also recommended to the Auekj land Club that it fix its race dates for j Saturday and Monday, not Saturday and Wednesday, as has been the general practice.