Queensland Country races to break away

http://nqr.farmonline.com.au


CONCERNED their near century old clubs will be forcibly closed and, under the new legislation, all the assets swallowed by the monster they refer to as Queensland Racing, the country folk are talking seriously about deregistering and forming a breakaway association.

"We can't fight them, but they are not going to take our tracks and our money," said one racing administrator, who has also sought the advice of the Office of Fair Trading.

Interestingly, he was assured his club had control over its funds and assets. But he believes, under his new legislation, QRL has that control. He is still not sure.

Horse racing in country Queensland began by station owners racing their horses against each other.

"We will go back to that. We don't need QRL. In fact, we don't want them and their fancy ways," said another who didn't want to be named in fear of retribution, not for himself, but for his club.

Former Richmond deputy mayor David Carter has been involved in racing out west for 50 years. Firstly as a jockey, then starter, president and secretary of Richmond and Maxewelton race clubs. There isn't a race-day function he hasn't performed.

He says simply that Queensland Racing is unsympathetic towards country racing.

"In spite of what they say, they simply don't care about us," Mr Carter said.

Many believe the so-called compliance conditions set down by Workplace Health and Safety are just another way of getting rid of the old country clubs.

Queensland Racing says that WH&S requires running rails, both inside and outside on every track, plus air-conditioned jockeys and stewards rooms, and other course appointments that are way out of the budget for the once-a-year clubs.

It is hard to find anyone involved who believes the compliance requirements are anything but a ploy to get rid of those clubs.

Jim Lindsay, secretary of Oakley Amateur Race Club, which staged its two-day meeting last week, said running rail costs alone would be over $30,000, and all up costs to the club to comply would be $80,000.