Racehorse TALK

Racing Victoria AGM goes live on web
Brad Waters
Thursday, 3 December 2009


The public can watch what promises to be a fiery Racing Victoria annual general meeting after a decision to broadcast the meeting live over the internet.

The future of jumps racing is certain to be on the agenda after industry stakeholders met on Wednesday to decide their next move in their fight to overturn RVL’s decision to end the sport.

The group, made up of representatives from the trainer, jockey, owner and country racing sectors in the industry will present a plan for the reinstatement of jumps racing to RVL chief executive Rob Hines.

The president of the AJRA, Rodney Rae, declined to reveal details of the compromise plan when quizzed about it on Melbourne radio.

“I don’t want to publicly comment on any part of it until we have presented it to RVL,” Rae told Sport 927’s Racing Central.

The Racing Victoria Limited annual general meeting will begin at the Yarra Valley racecourse at 12:30pm

http://www.streamcast.com.au/racingvictoria/agm09/

lost sound !!

I heard the 'spin' OK .. as soon as the Q&A started, I lost the sound!! Just an accident, I guess!!

They've stuffed up Jumps racing, they've twisted the knife into the regional areas by closing clubs and reducing meetings for viable clubs (so that they won't be viable in the future), they've struggled to understand and handle new revenue streams, they've stuffed up the Whips issue, they've hired turkeys, ... etc., etc., .. and now they can't stream their meeting.
Hopeless!!

RVL has copped an absolute caning in the 'Gippsland Racing' column in Winning Post this week:

Allison Bennett: "... I'm sick of the sudoku-playing, boring minority, who largely have no idea about the industry, deciding what we can and can't do. I just can't believe the industry has been so spineless on this issue and it's really time to take a stand.
... I think the industry has gone the wrong way in recent years. I think jumps racing was safer before they brought in the so-called improvements. The jumps were made easier and the horses have attacked them faster, which has caused problems. We need to slow the horses down by getting back to the way it was."

Peter Gelagotis: "We need to be slowing horses down. We need to have them jumping higher, respecting the fences, and have the pace of races slowed.
It also needs to be brought into perspective. There were 10 horses lost this season. If jumps racing goes, it's likely to be 210 that year ..."

David McKinnon (Moe RC CEO): ... " it is disgraceful that neither he nor his office received official notification .. all I know about it is what I've read in the wider media ... We are devasted by this decision and will examine every avenue we have ..."

Michael Caveny (CRV Chairman): " .. the decision has diluted industry faith in RVL. RVL's charter is too promote and foster racing in this state. Kowtowing to the politically correct and loony left is not in their charter. RVL's responsibility is to the racing industry and its participants. The confidence which CRV has previosly afforded RVL in now in jeopardy."
Caveny said he was irate that RVL had ended 150 years of racing history, with turf heroes like Karasi, Crisp and Galleywood never to be emulated in the future."

RV To Meet Symons “As Soon As Possible” On Jumps
In Australia, Racing Victoria chairman Michael Duffy told yesterday’s annual general meeting at the Yarra Valley Racing Centre in regional Victoria that the RV Board had “resolved that the RV Executive will meet with the Member Shareholders’ representative Mike Symons to discuss a proposal regarding jumps racing as soon as possible”. (Dec 4)

Thursday, 3 December 2009: RVL Chairman Michael Duffy confirmed the appointment of four Directors following the recent two week election process which involved voting by RVL's 14 Member Shareholders.

Elected to fill the four ordinary vacancies on the RVL Board, each for three year terms, were;

Ross Dobinson; Bryan Gurry*; David Moodie; Barbara Saunders* (*current RVL Directors).

At a meeting of the new Board following the AGM, Peter Sinn was elected as Deputy Chairman.

Mr Duffy announced at the AGM that the RVL Board had resolved this morning that the RVL Executive will meet with the Member Shareholders' representative Mike Symons to discuss a proposal regarding jumps racing as soon as possible.

RVL Chief Executive Rob Hines presented an overview of the 2008-09 racing season in his address to the AGM, detailing the highlights of the year for the state's principal racing authority.

These included;

• Racing To 2020 – In November 2008, RVL published its vision for the Victorian thoroughbred racing industry which was developed to ensure Victorian racing's continued vitality, growth and sustainability. The vision document provides a framework and direction for the future.

• Prize Money – Minimum prize money levels at all metropolitan and country meetings were increased on 1 February, 2009, injecting an additional $4.5 million for the season. These prize money commitments have been maintained for the 2009-10 season which, along with programming changes, will deliver an additional $7.3 million in prize money funding year on year.

• 2008 Spring Racing Carnival – Victoria's flagship event was hailed a success in 2008 with 758,000 people attending race meetings during the 50 days of the Carnival. The Gross Economic Benefit to the Victorian economy of $549.8 million again underlined the importance of the Carnival and the racing industry to the state and nation.

• Racecourse and Training Infrastructure Plan – In May 2009, the industry's first infrastructure plan was published to provide a clear future direction for all Victorian Country Racing Clubs. The plan aims to establish a sustainable and viable industry for the next five years and beyond.

• Super VOBIS – Victoria's owners and breeders' incentive scheme, Super VOBIS, returned nearly $6 million in bonus payouts during 2008-09, the highest return to investors in six seasons.

• Wagering – Wagering on Victorian thoroughbred racing not surprisingly grew in 2008-09 following the impact of the national Equine Influenza outbreak on wagering in the year prior. The increase was driven by stronger local and interstate racing programs which were supported by increased premium customer and international wagering turnover growth.