That Casting Vote

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1070, 6 September 1930, Page 13

That Casting Vote

TROI RING OWNERS’ NIGHTMARE Unanimity of Opinions handicapping monopoly created That Mr. John llowe, president of the Auckland Trotting f lul>, shouldered a grave responsibility in recording his casting-vote on the handicapping position in favour of the existing condition in faee of the strong appeal made to avoid creating a monopoly, was the practically unanimous opinion ot owners and trainers present at the recent Epsom racincarnival. 1 °

This is tho only conclusion that can be arrived at by “Abaydos,” after bearing the opinions voiced on the situation by those mostly concerned. And it was not only local owners and trainers that spoke in such strong disapproval of the chairman’s action, but those from further afield were just as emphatic, that he had overlooked the main principle involved. While discussing this question with tho writer, many owners also took the opportunity adversely to criticise Mr. Rowe’s remarks recently made about tho New

Zealand Trotting Association. They claimed that Mr. Rowe’s Inference was directed at a body of capable and reliable administrators who were working only for the advancement of the sport, and was unfair and uncalled for. There was a unanimity of opinion among those who discussed the subject that the protection which owners and the public hope for lies in the final power of the association to weigh up knotty problems and adjudicate thereon. This has been done in the past with the utmost satisfaction, despito the statement, of the Auckland chairman that “owners are :iot good adjudicators: they are prone ".o have one eye on the case and the >ther on themselves in a similar posi- ! tion.” Getting the Cane Dealing with the handicapping prob- i lem, not one owner or trainer was I found supporting Mr. Rowe’s action, which was described on all sides as | anything but consistent with his remarks at th?*conference in Wellington. It will be remembered that on that occasion the Auckland president, who presided at the conference, alluded to the handicapping system as a “nightmare” and deprecated tin; penalising of the big man’s horse 12 yards while the small man was given "4 or 36yds. Everyone who followed tho working of the system last season ’ bjf the different adjusters*knew that i Mr. Rowe was referring to his own tlub’s handicapper. After giving Mr. J’aul the “cane” in his "Wellington ad- | dress, Mr. Rowe made the astounding Hutement in his address at the Auckland Club’s annual meeting that the “handicapper would be instructed to treat every one alike.” This, following on his Wellington remarks, the majority of owners and trainers consider to bo practically an admission of lack of confidence in the official who holds the position. They contend, and rightly so. that no official holding such an important position should need instructing in the manner suggested. It savours too much of the schoolboy policy. Ignoring Petition But the chief bone of contention with the trotting fraternity is the fact that -'ir. Rowo ignored the plea for a. separate handicapper for tho North and •Justification, that the petition so. thoroughly representative of Auckland provincial owners and trainers praying rJJJ Principle of creating a mono.the position among big clubs . i j ® avoided as being detrimen- , interests and welfare of the . tvhl' s iu° ukl h AX e carried some weight the issue cominittee was divided on petiti °n was signed by over I 100 owners and trainers. visiting owner of considerable S ence ’ remarked that no good of sucll a position. He th ® ca se of the late Mr. Brinkw ho he said was admitted to be i handicapper any country hut for all his efficiency, the | Clut> would not engage his ; rvices because it was considered in- '

°Ueratb! e J° have the same man Mien i? 8 * tor all the major clubs. But appears to suit his own views, chai^ We overlooks this objection. The an tcay rule the fraternity with own! a i iar , l d in such cases, but if s Dorr * feel sighted and give up the binnrt k< L re wiu not be much call l'or Wn nt residential duty. ov vner- trainer with lengthy ® n S> e i, n other countries as well PotitiAr. ealan d, said monopoly of any Darting'T as a dangerous thing, and Ularly w hcn applied to sport, by a , an owner was treated harshly ableto he expected to be a norn lnate under some one else reasonable chance of getting !r amin’o. but w ith the one adjuster tola mtS, R o ?** for the leading clubs, club H ° ul d in future, be denied. The W th^ ertainl y Provided the stakes, DubHft s ® were based according to v Huiki«. SUE>port * Owners rendered H f assistance by finding the the rniKu make the game attractive for dian« f llc » 80 after aLI, clubs, as custo--Blve P ft., tlle general public, should consideration to reasonable re-

Quests from those who provide the material to make the racing attractive. That “Nightmare” A keen provinical owner, who has • s pent a lot of money in getting together a team of useful trotters and pacers, expressed dissatisfaction with Present arrangement, ana deprecatea the attitude adopted by the chairman in direct opposition to the wishes of the owners, who ho maintained, were paying out all tho time ami keeping the sport going wiVhout very often much hope of getting a return on their outlay. It is a pitv. he said, that Mr. Rowe is not able to view the situation through owners’ spectacles, then he would have some cause to talk about a “nightmare.” If the handicapping is a nightmare to Mr. Rowe in his high office as club president, goodness knows what it is to those of us who are “paying the piper.’ One local owner and breeder viewed tho position with alarm and said that unless remedial measures wore taken before their plight became more serious, tho sport would receive a setback in the province. It was not altogether tho question of the man. lie said, but the principle that was at stake. He thought the case for the owners had been fairly placed before tho committee, but there was no doubt tho chairman had made up his mind to oppose anything that was likely to l>e of advantage to the rank and file. 'I feel,” he concluded, “that the monopoly cannot last and that wiser counsels, sooner or later, will prevail.” “Knocked to Leg” An ex-owner, who a couple of seasons back had a fine team of higligrado performers, said, anticipating a change of handicapper when the merger seemed assured, he had been negotiating for some good horses with a. view to re-entering the game. The appointment, however, of the same handicapped for Auckland ns operated for the New Zealand anti Wellington Clubs, had completely knocked the idea “to leg.” He failed to understand tho attitude adopted by the Auckland president when he knew the keen feeling on the question among owners and trainers generally.

Another prominent. owner-trainer bought that even if Mr. Rowe did not

want a change, he might, if he was the sportsman he claimed to be, have at least made it a “sporting chance” when honours were even. Knowing

that those with the most at stake were strongly opposed to giving any man a monopoly of such an important

office, it was only reasonable to expect the wishes of the great majority of owners and''trainers to be taken as a weighty factor. Perhaps, he added, had we been organised as The Sun so persistently advocated last season, and is powerful a body as the Canterbury Owners’, Breeders’ and Trainers’ Association, Mr. Rowe would not have cast our request so readily aside.