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Tell them your views and see what response you get. Moaning to Corm will not get views through to BHA, tell THEM direct. So far I have had a reply to one of my questions. Maybe instead of trying to tell them what to do via the forum ,you should give them your views with YOUR suggestions on how to go about making changes and ask if your ideas could be put in place. I am afraid that just bleating on and on on forums is not going to be taken seriously by BHA. If enough people actually contact them, ask questions, they will have to listen and reply.
Absolutely Happy – I can now see why you are so cheerful in life.
The way of the World with administrations is that if one person writes in – group think is that absolutely no one else is interested or they would have written in, wouldn’t they? Same as when asking in a shop for an item they have not thought of stocking – no call for that Sir!
If that person keeps writing in he is ignored and regarded as a nuisance or a crank.
If several people write in on the same topic and explain why it is important to them they start to take note. Any individual that gets knocked back should not give up but encourage others to write in and express their views. Eventually something does get done but don’t expect things to happen overnight.
Dave –
"Corm, the BHA have no intention of listening to punters, they haven’t done so in the past why would they in the future?"
The fact that they are asking for views is a step in the right direction, whatever else you may think of them.
Tell them your views and see what response you get. Moaning to Corm will not get views through to BHA, tell THEM direct.
.. The BHA know that punters have more or less been abandoned by the racing authorities, they don’t need me to tell them.
And I’m not moaning either, I’m just putting my point of view across, just because it doesn’t agree with your view doesn’t mean I’m moaning. We’ll see who’s moaning when the bookies start making voluntary contributions to the levy instead of paying their fair share.
As a follow-up to Cav’s thread on Yurituni’s nursery victory at York, I asked a number of integrity-related questions and had two updates from Robin within a few hours. My queries have been passed to the relevant personnel and a response will be issued, and published, within a week or so (all being well).
Nice one Equitrack. Will be interested in the response.
Bad communication the root of all evil in any relationship imo. So we have to keep up the constructive dialogue!
SLOWLY SLOWLY CATCHY MONKEY
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Colin/Dave – I’ve no problem with criticism of the BHA per se, I just think they probably feel they can’t win. People complain they don’t listen and then when they try to engage with us we still complain.
It’s hardly ‘engaging’ to only answer emails privately, and only to publish answers after the closing date for further questions. Without open discussion it hardly constitutes a ‘forum’ either.
Maybe those that have had their queries answered could ‘engage’ by availling us of them on here, so they may be discussed on a proper forum?So go on Dave, give it a whirl…..you may be surprised.
No I won’t.
If they want to engage stakeholders, or whatever they call people these days, they could do it here, on an open forum, like Reet says. They should be debating the issues in public. It’s the public that’s paying for it, at the end of the day.
So go on Dave, give it a whirl…..you may be surprised.
No I won’t.
Well, I’m gonna ask a question (don’t know what yet) as I’ve never been a ‘stakeholder’ before….makes me feel quite important….I can tell my friends
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DAVE
This Q&a thing is aimed at anybody who may have a question NOT just members of a racing forum. I dont know if this initiative has been widely advertised or just sent out to groups with an interest in racing. I shall ask how many Q’s they had and how many were answered and post the reply.
They say they are open to ANY questions but I get the feeling that some on here think it is only to do with the Come Racing thing. I have asked a couple of questions regarding the Rules of Racing which I have brought up on the forum in various posts but not had satisfactory answers to. If you reckon they should use a public forum like ours, just work it out….we have 6500 members….2000 regular posters…..3/4 of these may respond…1500
Q,s…..1/4 of these questions duplicated…..1125 Q’s…..hardly representative of the thousands engaged in or enjoying the sport. Actually the figures I give above are very much on the high side.Happy
This thread has recorded 432 hits in the 48 hours of its existence, I’d bet the BHA ‘initiative’ is far lower in the same peroid?
I’ve no problem with criticism of the BHA per se, I just think they probably feel they can’t win.
If the BHA feel they can’t win then possibly, just possibly, for the first time EVER, they finally know how the average punter feels.
Some of the other 440 are the ones who come on moaning and critizing the BHA and now have an opportunity to put their views forward.
.. this is a forum that’s open to the public and public debate, it’s more public than the BHA engaging the stakeholders exercise. To try and put down other posters about their opinions and views is a bit silly really.
Why anyone would stick up for the BHA or encourage anyone to get involved in such a nonsense, is beyond me. But that’s just my opinion and you know how it is with opinions, everyone’s got one.
Maybe the freedom of speech that comes with a public forum and the ability to publicly express your own views in public just isn’t for you? Perhaps it’s time to click on the logout button or move to China or something, I don’t know.
Dear Racing Forum,
Many thanks for your views on this initiative, I have been away for a few days so have only just had a chance to read these posts.
I just wanted to respond to one point in particular, from reet hard:
"It’s hardly ‘engaging’ to only answer emails privately, and only to publish answers after the closing date for further questions. Without open discussion it hardly constitutes a ‘forum’ either.
Maybe those that have had their queries answered could ‘engage’ by availling us of them on here, so they may be discussed on a proper forum?"This is a very valid point, and very useful feedback for us. I understand what you are saying here and am tempted to agree. Please note that this is the first time we have tried this initiative and as such it is very much a trial attempt. I think in future we will attempt to post up answers to questions as they are made, to allow further open discussion around the subject.
Many thanks!
Rob
Rob, why wait for "in future"?
Why not post the questions, and the BHA response, on here, in order that people can respond before this initiative closes?
My questions were along the following lines:
1. Does the BHA think that removal by RUK/racetracks of historical race content from online portals like YouTube, is at odds with the BHA’s attempt to attract the 18-35 demographic, many of whom spend vast amounts of time online?
2. Would the BHA consider lobbying RUK/racetracks to have this content re-instated?
The response from Jon Ryan, the Director of Communications at the BHA, is as follows:
“I think the sport’s wish to get more young people in the 18-35 age group going racing won’t be overly affected by the RUK decision which is something over which the BHA has no control.
The BHA, as you may be aware, is helping to develop a strong racing presence on both Facebook and Twitter as well as developing our own website to encourage a wider and younger audience. We are already seeing the results of this in greatly increased online interest.
To get younger people going racing is, as the really excellent figures from the various concerts and music nights held throughout the summer show, not difficult. The challenge is to get people whose first visit may be triggered either by music or a hen or stag trip to become more involved in the sport and that is something that Racing for Change is driving forward."
No reference to whether the BHA would consider lobbying RUK and the racetracks to allow historical race content back on YouTube – only a presumption that it wouldn’t make any difference, and a reliance on people making the switch from concerts to horse-racing merely by dint of the venue.
Naturally, I beg to differ as regards his attitude towards YouTube, and I think his faith in the transition from concert-goer to race-goer is somewhat misplaced.
He might be right as regards the BHA website, Twitter and Facebook, but precisely NONE of them show any actual race footage whatsoever, so I fail to see how they can possibly attract a new audience to the sport.
In short, if the BHA are not prepared to lobby RUK/racetracks, I fail to see how they can hope to gain anything from this venture, whilst the product itself remains cloaked from view.
Grasshopper,
I sympathise, not answering the question and pretending they have is one of the most unpalatable facts of corporate life today. The other is deleting the email and then pretending it was never sent. It is all corporate wriggle, cover up, spin and lie with senior management totally isolated from customers, let alone staff.
The "initiative ends" – why should it ever end? Do people stop talking for ever after some arbitrary time?Anyrate, an example below of what they are doing in Oz for the movable rails problem to provide a low cost high benefit that helps stewards, jockeys, trainers and punters. They are also using Twitter properly for late track / race data on race days. I know some UK furlong markers are more than half a furlong out so even checking on these and correcting would be a help. You don’t have to be incompetent and lazy – it is not obligatory.
"Racing Victoria Limited Stewards, in conjunction with Country Racing Victoria (CRV), have embarked on a program of marking running rails at Victorian country racecourses.
Following the successful implementation of movable, fluorescent orange running rail wraps at metropolitan venues, these 1.5m long plastic markers will be used at country racecourses with movable running rails.
Designed by RVL Stewards’ Form Analyst Andre Kassay in collaboration with well known saddle maker Brian Luke, this world first ensures that race analysts and racing officials can now more accurately identify points around the racetrack from marker sleeves on the running rail.
Once the running rail has been moved, track managers using a measuring wheel will mark the 100m, 200m, 400m, 600m, 800m and 1000m points on the rail and apply the sleeves.
The flexible design means that they can be applied on the new round plastic running rails, as well as the three types of older aluminium ones used in Victoria.
A number of matters, including the regular changing of rail positions, location of distance marker poles, switching of camera angles during race broadcasts, and changes to the whip rules for the new season has led to the need for such developments.
Australia’s leading digital clocking analysts can now provide Stewards with independent verification of race splits for pace related queries.
It will protect trainers and riders through independent verification in relation to tactical issues that may be raised by Stewards, as well as allowing those investing on Victorian races to compile their own time related information.
The new sleeves have already assisted with the integrity of race distances and times in Victoria with Swan Hill’s “1000m” start reduced to 975m after it was measured under this new process, and the Local Rules of racing amended.
Kilmore was the first country club in Victoria to use the official RVL fluorescent rail markers on 29 May, 2009.
This is another major initiative from RVL Stewards following the release of crucial Melbourne Metropolitan race day information to the public via http://www.twitter.com/racinginsider"Grasshopper / robert99
Many thanks for your comments.
I would just like to clarify Jon’s response above, as you both mention that we have avoided the question.
I can see how the confusion came about as we don’t
specifically
refer to it, but for Jon’s answer please read that no, we would not lobby RUK to have racing video on youtube.
RUK are a commercial enterprise and we have absolutely no power or jurisdiction over their use of racing footage.
It was intended that this was understood from Jon’s response, but my apologies if this was misunderstood and I hope this clarifies our answer to your specific questions- we certainly did not mean to dodge the question and as such I hope this clarifies our answer.
In addition, many thanks for the info about running rails in Victoria. This is very very interesting and I have forwarded this on to our racecourse department- thanks so much, we appreciate your feedback!
Regards
Robin
RUK are a commercial enterprise and we have absolutely no power or jurisdiction over their use of racing footage.
Rob
A ‘commercial enterprise’ which takes advantage of the facilities and contests provided courtesy of yourselves and by courses under your jurisdiction, and one that must surely prosper even more if racing attained a greater audience by means of publicity via Youtube and simialr sites.
I find your ‘nothing to do with us’ attitude on this matter more blinkered than some of the contestants under your control.
Rob North
I have to say Robin, that I find it odd that the BHA would choose not to lobby RUK. For RUK, read the racecourses. They are part of the industry the BHA administer. Lobbying them costs the BHA precisely nothing. Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
Have the BHA chosen not to lobby RUK because they don’t believe YouTube coverage will make a material difference (as hinted at in Jon’s response)?
If so, then it is hugely presumptuous on the part of the BHA, in my opinion, and is tantamount to saying "We’d like your opinion, in order that we can acknowledge and ignore it".
Such an attitude essentially makes this endeavour the complete waste of time that Colin predicted it would be. Another opprtunity missed.
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