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Home / New Zealand

Proposed racecourse closure divides Rotorua city

Katee Shanks
By Katee Shanks
Multimedia journalist·Rotorua Daily Post·
7 Sep, 2018 11:00 PM4 mins to read

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The answer to whether or not the Rotorua Racecourse should close has divided the city. Photo / File

The answer to whether or not the Rotorua Racecourse should close has divided the city. Photo / File

Should it stay or should it go?

The answer to whether or not the Rotorua Racecourse should close alongside 19 other race tracks around the country has divided the city with many Rotorua residents vocal in their wish to maintain the status quo and others just as vocal in their belief the nation's racing industry is in dire straits.

In a report titled Review of the New Zealand Racing Industry, overseen by top racing administrator and breeder John Messara and commissioned by Racing Minister Winston Peters, 17 recommendations have been made.

Among them is one to reduce the number of race tracks from 48 to 18 within the next six years. If the recommendations are followed, Rotorua's Arawa Park track will be closed from the 2023/24 season.

Interislander Summer Festival Rotorua Races at Arawa Park. Clarissa Eshuis, bottom left, and her hens party. 27 December 2016 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
RGP 28Dec16 - MATCHING: Cl
Interislander Summer Festival Rotorua Races at Arawa Park.  27 December 2016 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser

RGP 28Dec16 - CROWD: Thousands gather for the event.
RGP 30Dec16 -
From right, Patricia Buchanan, Lucy Bicknell, 6, Kaydence Marsden, 8, Lucy Martin, 8, Kyla Bicknell, 9 (her birthday, mum 0274 168 399) Greer van den Broek, 8, Cooper Bicknell, 4 and Summer Vari, 8. A
Well-known jockey Kelly Myers, from Pukekohe, suffered a shoulder injury after the horse she was riding, Road Trip, tumbled on the home straight at the Arawa Park races. Myers was able to walk unaided
From left, Thornton Smart, 6, and Elizabeth Manheart, 8, were among the young punters at Arawa Park. 27 December 2015 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker

RGP 28Dec15 - FUN TIMES:  Thornto
Ben Gilby, centre, celebrated his stag party at Rotorua cup day at Arawa Park on Saturday.  10 May 2015 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
RGP 11May15 - LOUD CROWD: Ben Gilby (centre) hea
.Rotorua cup day at Arawa Park on Saturday.    10 May 2015 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
RGP 19May17 - ENJOY: It's always a good day out at the Rotorua Cup Day.  PHOTO/FILE
Start of the Rainbow Springs Rotorua 1560, at the Interislander Summer Festival meeting at Arawa Park Racecourse.
27 December 2014 Photograph Stephen Parker.
Mr Mosa, ridden by Danielle Johnson, top right, won the Stay @ Copthorne Hotel Rotorua 1560, at the Interislander Summer Festival meeting at Arawa Park Racecourse.
27 December 2014 Photograph Step
Judges Olivia Moore, left, and Claire Hahn.  Fashion in the Fields - Arawa Park Plate Day.  18 October 2014 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
271213sp14 From left Mae Harrington, 13, Briarna Moore, 10, and Blake Moore, 8.  Arawa Park Races. 27 December 2013 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
DPM 30Dec13 - DAY OUT: Mae Harrington (
240114bf6  Zoe Parker (front), 5, with her cuzzies  Brooke Mitchell (left), 8, Mason Caulfield, 4, Madison Mitchell, 11, and Holly Caulfield (obscured), 3. at the Rotorua races at Arawa Park   24 Janu
Race 4, number 8 won. Races at Arawa Park.  19 October 2013 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
DPM 21Oct13 - FAST ACTION: The horses in action in race four at Arawa Park.
271211sp7 Poppy Collins, 7, left, and Maegan Fraser, also 7. Races at Arawa Park. 27 December 2011 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
RDP 28Dec11 - FUN SEEKERS:  Poppy Collins  and Maegan Fra
250911sp13 Maraea Dewes-Green, 4.  Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt Club at Arawa Park. 25 September 2011 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
271210sp2 Braithan McCauley, 3, picked a winner with his nan Lisa Clarke in the first race at Arawa Park. 27 December 2010 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
RDP 28Dec10 - GOOD JUDGE: Braitha
281210sp4 Arawa Park races.   28 December 2010 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
RDP 03Jan11 - FOLLOW THE LEADER:  Jimmy Pender, 5, leads the under-five water race, while others are not so l
070111bf2  Rotorua Summer Raceday at Arawa Park. Pictured is Raymond Bartlett
7 January 2011 Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
080510kt12 Horse races - Rotorua Cup Day at Arawa Park. Pictured: Ken Dobb of Rotorua, left, learning the game Sudoku from Jim Lyons of Katikati.
RDP 10May10 - RACING THIS TIME: A large crowd watc
080510kt1 Horse races - Rotorua Cup Day at Arawa Park. Pictured: On the gate - husband and wife Nick Thompson and Georgina Thompson.
RDP 10May10 - RACING THIS TIME: A large crowd watches the start
080110sp5 Tuwhakaiti Winsor, 10.  Arawa Park races. 08 January 2010 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
RDP 11Jan10 - ON THE MONEY: Gemma van der Flught, Heather Smyth and Suzi Pomare celebrat
080110sp13 Carl and Vanessa Gray.  Arawa Park races. 08 January 2010 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
271209kt2 Rotorua's Mereheni Meads, Michael Pene, Callum Trapsky, Wade Meads and Caroline Trapski enjoying the horse racing at Arawa Park, Rotorua.
181009bf9    Races at Arawa Park. Jeanette Curtis and Steve Curtis
18 October 2009 Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser

RDP 06May10 - RACING NOW: Rotorua Cup Day is on at Arawa Park  on Sa
250707sp2 Jockey Peter Cunningham and his horse Te Ohaki part company at the last hurdle during race one at Arawa Park. 25 July 2007 Daily Post photograph by Stephen Parker
ROT 26jul07
141006bf7   Poppy Austin-Lata cracks a joke with Master Regent at the Arawa Park races on Saturday
14 October 2006 Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
200906kt25 Cambridge-trained Jolly Trout, ridden by Missy Browne, leads horses over a hurdle during the Eves Realty Steeplechase at Arawa Park. 20 September 2006 The Daily Post Photograph by Kelvin Te
200906kt24 Jockey Richard Cully falls off Cambridge-trained Havana City during the Sweeney Townsend Rotorua and Bay of Plenty Hunt Cup at Arawa Park. Neither the jockey nor any horses were harmed. 20
020906bf9   Glenys Johnston from Rotorua sells race cards at the Arawa Park races on Saturday
2 September 2006 Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser
ROT  6sep06 -
090305kt28. Arawa Park parking officials Hingatu Tinklin, left, and Hingatu Singh, centre, chat with race gate official  Allan Te Tomo during Wednesday afternoon's meeting.  PICTURE: KELVIN TEIXEIRA.
260105aw11 Michael Coleman on Scarlet Rose (yellow red and black)  leads home Vettori Tycoon riden by Laura Woods (Red) and Prince Amigo riden by Hayden Tinsley in the Classic Hits 1900 at Rotorua Rac
271204tr12  Rotorua racing Club Leisure world family fun day at Arawa Park, Rotorua. left to right Suzie Graeff ( Rotorua ) and Joan Jolley from Tauranga.
PICTURE BY TRACEY ROBINSON DAILY POST
Heads-down punters study their form guides at Arawa Park Raceway. PICTURE BY KELVIN TEIXEIRA.
Arawa Park racing attendants Gerry Hodson and Henry Rees share a joke between races. PICTURE BY KELVIN TEIXEIRA.
Crowds turned out to watch the   Racing Rotorua Leisure World Family Fun day at Arawa park Rotorua.
PICTURE BY TRACEY ROBINSON DAILY POST
Left to right, Jo Hand from Omaru, Jo Giles from Christchurch an Vivienne Kaye from Palmerston North, 3 of the first New Zealand women jockeys invited to attend the  Racing Rotorua Leisure World Fami
Tania Buckley and Ross Powell of Rotorua celebrate their win on race7 at the , Racing Rotorua Leisure World Family Fun day at Arawa park Rotorua. saturday.
PICTURE BY TRACEY ROBINSON DAILY POST
130803kt10. A local resident punter found himself a quiet spot in the grandstand to study his form guide during the horse racing at Arawa Park in Rotorua on Wednesday. PICTURE BY KELVIN TEIXEIRA - THE
06033te Rotorua boxing trainer Mike Sykes studies the form with daughter Mikha at Arawa Park Rotorua 
PHOTO BY TRACEY ROBINSON DAILY POST
19102h8 It was smiles and hugs all round after the finish of race #8 at Arawa Park for these people on Saturday.
PHOTO HAANA HOWARD DAILY POST
25092sf  Arawa Park races Rotorua's Jessie Winter, 5, left, and Stephanie Olney, 7 , check out the field..PHOTO STEPHEN PARKER DAILY POST
12052b4  There's nothing like a bit of jazz to get you in the mood  for punting apparently . Rotorua's Geyserland Jazz band  did their best to get the punters going and keep the crowds entertained at
25092se Leith Innes nudges Dixies Girl ahead of Colonel Dash by a short neck to win the Sirrocco Bar and resturant 2200 at Arawa Park races Rotorua. 
 PHOTO STEPHEN PARKER DAILY POST
30122tc  Prohibit having a wash down after his race. Arawa Park Rotorua.
PHOTO BY TRACEY SCOTT DAILY POST
06033tf Phyllis Mander of Rotorua enjoying a day out at the races.
PHOTO BY TRACEY ROBINSON DAILY POST

Image 1 of 45: Interislander Summer Festival Rotorua Races at Arawa Park. Clarissa Eshuis, bottom left, and her hens party. 27 December 2016 Rotorua Daily Post Photograph by Ben Fraser RGP 28Dec16 - MATCHING: Cl

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Tamati Coffey, Waiariki MP, believes the review needed to happen to "give Aotearoa's racing industry the best future possible".

"There is much korero ahead," Coffey said.

"This is an early recommendation from industry, not a decision from the office of the Honourable Winston Peters.

"I will now be engaging and consulting with Rotorua's racing industry to hear their thoughts on how we can best champion investment in our city through the process ahead, utilising the fact nowhere else offers families such a complete package in terms of accommodation and post racing-entertainment, and grow our local economy."

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In contrast, Rotorua MP Todd McClay said the Government should not close the Rotorua Racecourse.

"It is a very popular and well respected course around the region.

"I've received calls from local voters concerned about the Labour-NZ First plan to close down racing in our city.

"We host races on behalf other clubs in Rotorua because we are more centrally located and our facilities are better. Rather than a government death sentence, Arawa Park should become a first rate regional racing facility for the Bay of Plenty."

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He said he had spoken to club members on Monday and would be meeting to support their campaign to keep racing in Rotorua.

New Zealand First list MP Fletcher Tabuteau said it was too early to discuss the matter.

"What we have seen at this stage is simply a report with recommendations from a racing expert.

"This will now start an important conversation across all three codes within the racing industry. Until this in-depth discussion takes place there is nothing really to discuss, that is, we are not in a position to even comment on anything yet because nothing has actually been decided."

Meanwhile Rotorua District councillor Charles Sturt has made his opinion loud and clear on social media.

"Like I said on Facebook, people need to read the report from start to finish," Sturt said.

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"Only then can they make an informed decision."

Sturt compared the amount of New Zealand galloping tracks (58 for 4.5 million people) with racetracks in Sydney (three for 6 million people).

"Many of the recommendations made in this last report were suggested [and ignored] 10 years ago because of parochialism. The industry is in financial trouble and if we want to maintain it, we need change.

"People need to think of the industry as a whole, and not be self-serving within the communities where the tracks are."

If the Rotorua Racecourse were to close, discussions would then have to begin about what to do with the land originally gifted by Ngāti Whakaue for the purpose of leisure activities.

Pukeroa Oruawhata chairman Malcolm Short confirmed the land was "gifted reserve".

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"It's still very early days," Short said.

"I have no doubt that further down the track we will have conversations with the Racing Club, but that will be in due course.

"I understand the recommendations need to go through consultation with the powers that be so it's a bit premature for me to say anything just now."

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