The Problem with SA Racing

I am posting this, knowing full well I will be shot down, be called names etc, but sometimes the hard truth needs to be heard.
My take, and I am entitled to my view.
The problem with SA racing is, it is still white controlled and white dominated. And this is no race card issue.
Firstly imo, and from a number of whites I have been friends with, is, Mr hawkins should not be in is role. He is a nice guy, and thats were it ends. Y did he come down from Gauteng?
Then when he comes down, Mr Basel and Co takes over. Both high flying execs, but they were race callers, hardly the CV highlight to land plum high profile jobs.
Where in the world, do u get a listed co as a one man show like gauteng. Mr Basel, is the marketing exce, but on big race days he is the senior race caller.
Sometimes on weekdays I heard him calling races, now pls, pray tell, again where in the world would u get a high flier to have a day off calling races. My corporate background never allowed for executives to have day off's. N y does he call all the big races?
Y is a the one man show for all the TV shots.
Then Mr P gibson, cannot get the horse protocol right and there is always a story of politics and red tape barriers. Well let me tell u something, if u worked as a CEO for a corporate company, they will only allow a certain amount of hiding behind issues. Basically, you would be told, if u cant get it right, then we will get someone else who will.
We have heard so much negativity about the NHRA, and yes once again? who.
Basically, get rid of these people. Instill new blood and culture into this sport, and lets C.

I come from a corporate background, and when I was appointed as a senior exec back in the 90's, everyone said I was a AA appointment. I was one of the top performers in my co, so all it needed was an opportunity and new blood can show what can be achieved. O, a silly point, when everyone said I was an AA appointment, little did they know, that in the company at that stage, I was the only individual with a masters degree.
Have a great day

Masters ? Now who would you replace them with ? Someone with a doctorate ?

Y not, there are people of color who hold doctorates, or are we not smart enough?
The superior mentality must go, Mr G, must. Its a new era, that demands fresh thoughts. But then again, we people of color talk shit, and we mustbow down to our masters

Dave, i think you are talking shite

:S

of course I would. Remeber, I come from a inferior background, so how can a person of my color talk sense, even though I "might" have the brains for it

I think you are misreading LG, Dave....

Churchill Downs Incorporated COO – Undercover Boss

March 16, 2010 in Horse Racing Inside by Horse Racing Inside | Permalink

As many know, Churchill Downs Incorporated COO, Bill Carstanjen, was on Undercover Boss this past Sunday.

Bill visited the backstretch and front-side of the track as an undercover employee.  He worked with a trainer, jockey valet, cleaning crew, and the press box coordinator.

Throughout all of this, he learned about how tough each and everyone’s job was.  He saw the financial struggles that each of the employees go through on a monthly basis.  But, he also witnessed the passion for the sport that motivates these employees to log the hours day-in and day-out.

At the end of these 1 hour episodes, most of the “Undercover Bosses” have discovered past policy changes that have hindered their employees, or have developed new initiatives to help incentivize employees and make their operations run more smoothly.

For example, the 7-Eleven CEO discovered that their workflow process for handling in-store repairs was outdated and didn’t perform its function as initially represented.  By changing the way this process works, he was able to implement a new system that would ensure that the stores were kept clean, all the lights working, and provide a safe working environment for his employees.

However, and unfortunately, the Churchill episode didn’t translate into policy changes (at least not publicly stated during the episode).  Bill is obviously an extremely intelligent and caring human being.  But the episode resulted in changes or promotions for the 4 employees that he worked with, not necessarily the company as a whole.

There are many aspects of the racing industry that aren’t working in a cohesive manner.  As an individual with a business degree in strategic management and operations, it pains me to see the industry I love not working on the issues that will eventually help all of the employees and people involved.

I’ve participated in a similar experience to Bill.  I spent a lot of time at Hollywood Park a few years ago casually interviewing all sorts of employees and patrons.  It was eye-opening to hear the opinions of the car valets, elevator lift personnel, maître d’, regular horse bettors, trainers, and jockey agents, all of which had ideas to help return the sport to the days of past.

Here at HorseRacingInside.com, I’d like to start and ongoing discussion with this principle question in mind:

How do we fix the horse racing industry?

–

For those that don’t know, HANA (Horseplayer Association of North America), is one of the groups looking to answer the above question.  They bring the handicapper and bettors point of view to the discussion.

They also posted a response to the Undercover Boss show.  You can read it here:

blog.horseplayersassociation.org/2010/03/undercover-bettor.html

If you’re interested in following a graduate student at the University of Arizona’s Race Track Industry Program as he completes his thesis on fixing the industry, here’s the link:

thesis.ushorseman.com/

So then sir, please tell me what's the problem with SA soccer, athletics etc...

Is it a question of race, or competency?

Qualifications mean very little in most spheres...a nice to have...of more importance is who you know...sad indictment on the state of the world...we encourage education and when it is attained, it is not afforded the value that should be attached to it...

I've lamented this before...we have a big problem with under-employment around the world...people qualified to fulfil a role are unable to do so as they do not know the right people to be afforded the opportunity to do so...so they seek employment wherever they can rather than where they are best able to make a contribution.

There is also a disdain, especially in South Africa, of those that are educated but that is for purely political purposes...if you want to be the smartest person on the room, surround yourself with those that cannot challenge your intelligence, however low it is...

you taking the piss dude....:S

Dave - you may have a masters but you cannot spell. When I was at school color was spelt colour and remeber was spelt remember!