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Letter of the Week

Disappointed

 

I wish to register my extreme disappointment at the decision of the RVL board to cancel jumps racing in Victoria. I also wish to express my vote of no confidence in the current RVL board following this decision as I do not believe they are acting in the best interests of those they represent.

I would like to know how and why RVL has been unable to carry out jumps racing successfully when other entities (in particular the SAJC in Australia, NZ Racing in New Zealand and multiple racecourses in England) can apparently do so. If these other organisations can successfully run jumps racing, what is wrong with RVL that it can not?

The changes RVL implemented for the supposed betterment of jumps racing have led to the demise of the industry. This is not good leadership for any industry and mismanaging one facet of the industry into extinction is not a recommendation for correctly managing any facet of the industry.

Throughout many years jumps racing has provided a great spectacle. It has been a sport with a good following and has provided employment and entertainment for many individuals. Jumps racing has provided a wider variety of avenues for horses to compete and enabled a wider range of enthusiasts to be involved. It has drawn many highly proficient horsemen into the racing industry from other disciplines and has enabled many horses to remain in cared-for conditions for many years more than their flat racing careers afforded them. It has been an integral part of our racing industry for a very long time and provides a unique niche for participants that can not be supplied to those same participants in any other way.

I would like to know why RVL has not followed the format successfully employed by other countries to run jumps racing ?

I would like to know why RVL has not countered some of the emotive and negative publicity given to jumps racing with some positive promotional material?

And above all I would like to know why the RVL capitulated to a small sector of public opinion, placing it over the best interests of the industry it supposedly represents?

The actions of RVL have been inadequate and catastrophic for the survival of jumps racing and the RVL board needs to be accountable for that. It is imperative for the racing industry that the RVL represents the best interests of the industry at all times and it has comprehensively failed to do so on the issue of jumps racing.

Cathy Webb
Lilydale (Vic)
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Friday 29 March
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