Barrier Trials - Yea or Nay?

Personally I don't really care one way or the other, as I seldom get involved in KZN racing (bar for the few 'big' days in the season); however on the whole I think the question needs to be asked:

'What are the advantages of BTs and what are the disadvantages' ?

In my view, from what I have read on here, there are no real 'advantages' - and just because the 'rest of the world' have them, does not mean they should be made compulsory here - maybe if they are run like in Hong Kong, there could be advantages, but I think they are a waste of time and effort - and for once I can say to P 'well done' for not introducing them here in Gauteng

When last did this come up for discussion (or a vote) among the KZN OWNERS (not TRAINERS) ? Or maybe there are no owners left down there ?

Now Craig here lies another big problem. Trainers who cant place horses are trying to sell them off their BT. How deceiving can that be ? BT are for some trainers only, definitely not the horse, owner or punter. There arent enough owners anymore, why ?
The two most important "individuals" in racing (the owner and the punter) are last in line for everything. The rest of the racing "individuals" earn a living from a service they deliver (like any other job) yet they all come 1st before the owner, punter and the horse.
Racing will die because of owners leaving racing as they are treated mostly like shit/irrelevant idiots that are chasing a dream/people to "milk". In no other industry would anyone, with half a brain, put up with the shit an owner has to. Remember anyone with R10 can be a punter but not everyone can own a horse.
The time when trainers, jocks and management wake up it will be too late. :S

My suggestion would be to remove the word "compulsory" and that would be a compromise for both parties

Following Neigh, I have never owned a horse, and for me too, it is the owner who is #1. If you take care of the owner, you will take care of horseracing. Economics 101. As for the punter, in most cases the owner is also a punter and a big one too. Hail the owner.

Andre, horses do not get hurt in Barrier trials. They get hurt everywhere because they are delicate.
Barrier trials are great. They give everyone the chance of seeing horses before they officially run.
I have watched horses work all my life and i can tell you the barrier trials tell me exactly which horses are fit,which can run, which stay and which have ability. I look at all in the parade ring , canter past, in the gallop and after the trial.
They do not inconvenience the horse. They give it a nice racecourse introduction. All trainers gallop their horses pre race so the operator puts on a free gallop for you the owner.
I applaud the concept and there are no negatives if one is prepared to work with them.

Mac whilst I dont disagree altogether with your opinion let's be honest if punting was only done by owners they would be racing for peanuts. Punters even the smallest are vital to the game surviving. Owners are of course also important but definitely not more so. Fact remains the two entities are always the most ignored by the very arrogant smug operators.

Craig

At the first AGM, when BT's were discussed, BT's were mentioned as a trial thing. Everyone was fine with that.

At the next AGM and at a few other meetings since the first AGM, when there were a majority of Trainers opposed to BT's, the Chairman and deputy chair refused to allow a vote on BT's, from Trainers.

We must also remember that BT's were originally press released as being a Trainers Association initiative. (Those press releases, including your own posts, are archived).

Now, suddenly, when a majority of Trainers are opposed to BT's, it was/is not a Trainers Association initiative....

And at no stage were Owners consulted. Yes, very the ones who foot the Bill's...

When IOA came and showed that all of their members were opposed to BT's, then u guys did an around turn and put huge time and energy into discrediting IOA, showing that they never had a majority of Owners as members.

This type of bullying cannot be good for Racing. Nor can the truth being used selectively.

Right now, the vast majority of Owners and Trainers are opposed to BT's being compulsory. And are opposed to the poly as being the surface that horses are being forced to Trial on.

This is why you had 64 noms for last week's 800m BT at Scottsville, resulting in a comedy of errors, as a 3rd BT was added, after the racecard was printed. On the same day, you lost a 1000m Feature for Juveniles, due to a paucity of acceptors...

Overall, I am NOT opposed to BT's. In fact on numerous occasions, I have sent a horse to a BT, when not compulsory as I did last Sunday.

What I am opposed to is that BT's are compulsory and that should I want a horse to be exempt from BT, I must pay a Vet for a "letter ". I have held my own as a Trainer from a small numbers yard, for 26 years. Ultimately, I am qualified to use my own discretion, with regard to the horses in my care. Your mates and yourself obviously believe that Trainers should not have discretion... yet you readily trade off the runners which same Trainers and their Owners provide.

James in most cases I agree with you. Here is a case of a horse getting hurt in a BT and having to be put down. Owner buys a horse, horse goes in to training but is very backward, trainer tells owner to send him back to a farm for him to mature. This horse is on the farm for about 1 year when he comes back into training. His first BT he gets injured and put down. If this was a new owner, how was his experience and at who's cost ? Do you think he would be back ? What purpose did the BT serve this owner/horse ? Bad luck ? Fuck the owner try again !?
Now its all good you can see (trained eye with years of experience) the positives in BT but how many punters/owners have a clue what to look for ? If they are not physically at the races checking the parade ring, canter past etc how will they know ? How many owners/punters/trainers have a clue how good a horse is by watching it have a breeze up ? Comparing a BT to a gallop.....please !
What are the cost implications for a already cash strapped Gold Circle for putting on BT's ? Could this not be better spent elsewhere ? The negatives far out-weigh the positives .

The last thing that bugs me. Under race conditions (BT) you give a horse a breeze up are you not teaching him bad habits ?

Louis, no one at that meeting except Corrine if I remember correctly had any real reservations and that's why it was not voted on. It does cost GC money to have these and in these trading conditions it does hurt but they are trying to give the punter more info so it does not look like trainers are trying to hide something. I am very sure that for GC, Trainers, Jockeys, Stipes, Starters, all the Staff etc needed to start an hour (+ sometimes) earlier, it would be a lot easier and cheaper not to have them but they are trying to be as transparent possible. Personally I think they should be compulsory or not at all. A sponsor was lined up but hasn't put pen to paper I gather. Just an aside, many showjumping arenas are polytrack now and after a bit of a nervous start, the majority of Jumpers now much prefer the surface to jump on in preference to the grass. I gather the horses are much happier landing on the poly and are therefore jumping higher and more confidently. Very interesting to listen to them. Some very wealthy jumpers import warmbloods for millions to jump.

Excuse my ignorance but shouldn't every horse run to its fullest potential in whatever race it's racing?

Wonbyamile, they are not races, no betting, no stakes. Just a gallop on the course.