Harness racing clubs Harness Racing Waikato, Morrinsville and Bay of Plenty have agreed to merge in a bid to grow harness racing in the Waikato and Bay Of Plenty area.
Morrinsville voted last Thursday to merge and then last night Bay Of Plenty agreed to amalgamate as well.
Harness Racing Waikato club president Rob Lawson says the move is a strategic plan for the future and will give the clubs a more sound financial base from which to work from while getting some cost savings in the administration and compliance areas.
The clubs will be merging assets but they have agreements in place that will keep the identity of each club strong and alive. Mr Lawson said the merger into a new entity will enable the clubs to gather income from not only harness racing but from other means as well. This will most likely happen from copying the Auckland trotting club blue print in the future. Mr Lawson says the merger will ensure the longevity of harness racing in the Waikato and Bay Of Plenty region.
One thing they are going to do says Mr Lawson is put more of an emphasis on Scott Reserve in Morrinsville. We are certainly going to be promoting Scott Reserve as a training venue for horsemen, believing this will increase the horse numbers in the region. Rob sees providing facilities for horses and trainers as a key aspect of the merger that will enhance harness racing in the region. The model will be much like the Auckland trotting club running their workouts and trials at Pukekohe and utilizing that area as a training ground.
Rob Lawson thinks the club merger will be finalized by the end of November 2016
Harnesslink Media