Monthly Meeting Minutes
For the North Island Amateur Drivers Association Inc - Auckland Branch
Held on Monday 4th August 2008
Present: Ival Brownlee, Phil Clabby, Jon Nigro, Johnny Butcher, Alan McCollum, Michelle McGregor, Tim
Vince, John Kriechbaumer, Gayleen MacKinnon, Steve Phillips, Anne Phillips, Frank Bosch, Kevin Smith
Apologies: Matt Stormont, Bruce Hadley, Robyn Arnold, Glenis Ryan, Roy Day
Meeting opened at 6.30pm in the Stables Café, Alexandra Park Raceway
Previous Minutes:
Ratified by: Michelle McGregor
Seconded by: Phil Clabby
Matters arising from previous minutes
North Island Race Rules
Rule 4A is to have change of wording – was “A horse must now attain 90 points (previously 85) to be excluded
from amateur racing”. Now to say; “A horse must now exceed 90 points (previously 85) to be excluded from
amateur racing”.
WORKSHOPS
The workshop that was run on Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th July went well. There were 17 people that
attended, 7 completing the Immediate section of the course and 10 newbie’s.
There are several people that currently are professional trainers and/or trial licence drivers, that wish to get
their Amateur licence. Some are going to apply directly for their Full Amateur licence. This is to be further
discussed and
The next workshop maybe scheduled for mid-late August for a mid week and a weekend. Any queries
regarding this to Phil Clabby.
FINANCE
Gayleen presented the latest report and has done a handover to Jon Nigro who has taken over the finance.
FUNDING
Nothing has happened to date. Hope to have some updates over coming months.
GENERAL BUSINESS
Awards Prize Giving Night
Tickets have sold well and we only have a few left to sell.
Winter Series - $1000 Races
Still have struggled getting horses to full the fields. We have had a few new drivers and trainers put their
horses in, which has been great. There will be one more to be held mid August, which will be put up on the
website.
Horses over $ threshold
Phil Clabby raised that there are a few horses just over the threshold that could be allowed back in the system,
if agreed by the committee attending the meeting. These horses are Mischievous Mate, Crescendo and Greg
Brydon just to name a few. It was agreed that these horses can come back into the system and will be put on
87 points.
Horses/Drivers/Trainers Points System
It was raised if we could put this on the website as a fixed page, for everyone to see. We will ask Bruce Hadley
if this can be done.
Novice Heats
There is a need to get some heats off the ground for some new Novice Drivers. Some dates will be set and
arranged for Saturday workouts at Alexandra Park on a fortnightly basis. Gayleen MacKinnon will take the
names of the drivers that are interested. A note is to be put on the website to contact her regarding them.
Commentator for Amateur Races
We have lost our race caller to Trackside and we need to find some people to take over. It was mentioned that
Simon Jones, Joshua Joshua and Chris McQuade be approached to see if interested. Tim Vince and Gayleen
MacKinnon to follow up on this and report back. If anyone is interested in this position or know of anyone that
may be, please contact let us know asap as the new season is about to start shortly.
Amateur Drivers Caps to Wear
Anne Phillips asked if we are interested in getting some caps made to wear around and to give to people that
have attended an Amateur Workshop. Anne is to get some prices and let us know costs.
Drivers Balloted Out in Summer Series Races
Tim Vince and Frank Bosch will put together a format for this. This is to be put on website for amateur drivers
to view for upcoming races on how this is going to work.
Amateur Tote Races
HRNZ has agreed to 10 races to be programmed from May-July 2009. The only issue at present going forward
with this, is the HRNZ IT department said that it would take some time to write a programme for this to
incorporate the amateurs into the system, as we currently do not feature it in. Steve Phillips will be following up
on this over the coming months to see how they are coming along with it.
Steve Phillips and Tim Vince will get letters from Terry Quinn (ATC committee), Peter Ferguson, Graeme
Rogerson and John Lischner (NZ Harness Racing Trainers & Drivers Assn.) and forward to HRNZ to give their
support and backing behind us having Tote Races.
Amateur Website
We need to send an invoice to Canterbury Amateurs and NZADA to pay a 1/3 towards the cost of the new
website – Jon Nigro to arrange this.
Old website archive details eg. Race results etc, need to be retrieved and put on disk before it’s closed down.
Bruce Hadley to follow up on this.
Summer Series 2008-2009 Races
Ival Brownlee will be the person collecting the money off those drivers competing. A note is to be put up on the
website to follow the fields letting people know who to give the money to.
The first race of the Series is Friday 5th September. Also to be noted by trainers/drivers that there will be
random drug testing on horses throughout the season.
Meeting closed at 8.15pm
Next meeting is Monday 1st September 2008 at 6.30pm
Agenda Items to Michelle McGregor by the Friday 29th August 2008