The Corner with Garry Chittick

The woeful participation in this year’s local body elections is a reflection of our changing attitude to service. It used to be a badge of honour to garner the voters’ support, more importantly, such a cross-section of society, balancing the professional leadership, generally prevented radical changes.

Regretfully, we in racing are likewise struggling to encourage board members. My path of returning something to racing was my election to the Manawatu Racing Club. We had not long moved to the Manawatu when I was approached by some of the rural members of the club to put my name forward. There were four candidates for two positions; my election was as a result of the rural members being motivated to vote. A board member was a position that engendered respect in a city of 70,000 focused on rugby and racing.

The racecourse, strategically placed, was a facility used for many purposes. The board numbered 16, too many you would say, but none were paid; all were proud to be involved.

The Chair, by and large, rotated five yearly with a Vice Chairman patiently awaiting their turn. This was a failing; in effect, you were anointing ten years of leadership. I wasn’t required to do such an apprenticeship, the Chairman of the moment left the region after two years and I was shoulder tapped to accept the role. I was very surprised at this elevation, but once again, the rural members held sway.

The NZ Racing Conference members were elected regionally, an election I was fortunate to win. This role eventually led to my role as NZ Racing Board Chairman. None of these roles were sought, but I firmly believed in returning something to the industry from which I had received so much.

So what’s the go now, how is it we struggle to fill the available roles. In recent times, our Thoroughbred Racing Board has had a semi-permanent shortage. We no longer, as members of our clubs, have a vote – the process now requires the scrutiny of a so-called Members Council. They are the creation of a former Chairman who claimed this would result in a more competent board, I’ll let you two be the judge of that. I doubt very few of the Board are known.

I commented on our executive troop last week; importantly, they are accountable only to an unknown Board that is not accountable to the industry.

Perhaps I have answered my first question, perhaps our next generation says what’s the point. The point is, without the Entain injection, we were stuffed. There may have been the odd difficult time under the previous process – if there was, there was nowhere to hide.

Accountable we were, if you have borrowed my Corner off of my two readers, think about what you can do to pay your dues; otherwise, there will be no dues required.

Cheers,
G

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