Holiday Date Wanted by Trotting Club

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1063, 29 August 1930, Page 12

Holiday Date Wanted by Trotting Club

NORTHLAND’S CASE ANNIVERSARY DAY SUITS The Northland Trotting Club appears to be a most unfortunate organisation when it comes to the selection of a suitable date for racing. Since its inception as a totalisator functioning body in 1925, the club has never possessed a regular date. This is not due to any incompetency on*the part of the management. In fact no country light harness organisation in the Dominion can boast a keener executive than Whangarei. From its lone hand situation, and its dependence in the main on local support, the best period for the northern association to race with any marked degree of success is on a public holiday. These dates are decidedly difficult to obtain, but tlie Northland fixture of 1925, held on Labour Day, was a huge success. There was a record attendance, and consequently speculation was on the upgrade. But the country club did not enjoy a repetition of the holiday date, as the following season the Auckland Club decided to get down on that date, and the Whangarei folk were compelled to race either earlier or later. In order to make it convenient for owners and tfainers, the management sandwiched its programme in between Waikato and Auckland, and the fixture last year eventuated on October 19. That this arrangement was appreciated by owners and trainers was demonstrated by the number of horses that took part in the function, but tlie anticipated public support, was lacking on account of the day not being a general holiday. The initial “tote” meeting was staged in May, -1925, and the following year March was given a trial. Two functions were held in 1927, the first in January, and when the following season’s card was arranged, the date was made early in December. No Settled Date This buffeting about from post to pillar in search of a suitable date is not in the best interests of the young club, which was keen on progress. When the 1928 meeting took place on Labour Day, however, it was bailed as the “silver lining to the cloud.” but the joy of the stalwarts of the trotting game in the North was short-lived, and they were a year later compelled to forgo the holiday. Although it has been broadcast that the club will again race some time in October this year. “Abaydos” believes tlie decision has not reached finality. The Northland Club clearly wants a holiday, and while it is admittedly difficult to secure this requirement, it may try Anniversary Day, January 29, for its next outing. It is true that on that date the Takapuna Jockey Club holds a race meeting at the Shore, but with such a distance between the centres, and in view of-the fact that Northland depends practically on its own good folk for support, the country trotting function cannot have any appreciable detrimental effect on the galloping fixture at tlie Shore. Furthermore, there is no light harness meeting scheduled in the province between December and well into February, which makes a long gap for owners of horses eligible for country racing. It looks as if Anniversary Day will suit the bill admirably for the light harness fraternity as well as the club without in any way interfering with the Taka puna Club’s arrange-