I support the action, my intent was to race 2 of my slugs at Ballarat on sat morning but because of the facts below I did not.
Stake money in year gone by was 43% not 48% as Clayton tells any one who listens. Any increase in the year was the result of increased race meetings ie Saturday mornings, Monday Warrnambool, Healesville when ever there was spare room. And we were told to look forward to 13 or 14 race programs for the same reason.

Grv advised the racing minister that they were going to cut expenses by 860k per month ie more than $10 million a year. They conceded that they had the capacity to do this . But they didnt even try. Can they be trusted to administer the industry in a manner other than that of self interest.

From jan 1 to march 31st 9 of the 27 cases heard by vic racing tribunal involved contaminated meet yet grv nor any other govt department regulate this. The farmer rings the knickers to collect the beast. The farmers signs a form to state that the beast has had no drugs injected. And gets paid for the carcass if he doesnt sign the form he doesnt get paid. It ends up as a shit on some ones front lawn and the greyhound trainer is facing the racing tribunal. And we want to find the farmer a wife. Who is in charge.?
Clayton says the punters demand drug free racing and thats what they deserve. Punters also demand to know the breeding in the form guide is correct. But the only time a dog is DNA tested is after its racing career. whose in charge here

Sean Lithgow has experienced grv harrassement because of contamination charges. I have had grv park approx 100 metres from the front gate, casing the joint police habits are hard to break before they do a kennel inspection.

Peter drunken can tell all and sundry to @@@@ing shut up at a race meeting with appearantly no consequences but a catcher at the meadows who is late in renewing his grv licence finds himself confronted with a 500 fine not a warning a fine. And then there is rule interpretation ie marring 6 stewards will issue a warning and six others will go for the jugular. Some states still allow skins on lures. How hard is it.
As for the top end of town Im not sure who they are. Thompson has approx 50% of his starters on provincial tracks as do dailys and brittons.
My view is that well known identities as spokespersons is a positive for the cause ie Britton Azzopardi et al. But they are not the instigators as with many others they are merely supporters of it. Sick of taking it up the ##se
No convicted live baiters or habitual rule breakers involved just us rank and file

EXTERNAL LINK

EXTERNAL LINK

Yep, GRV playing the same game of deflection and deception. What is different is who they are playing the game with.

LIKE I SAID, THE CALM BEFORE THE STORM....

DAY OF ACTION 2.0!!!
Thursday 22nd July
Following our meeting with Alan Clayton last week, we were given very little confidence that Alan and GRV Board have taken our very valid concerns seriously and were willing to compromise with Participants.

THIS is despite a Victorian first, created by the boycott action on 3rd of July 2021.

Further action is not taken lightly but we feel we have no option but to announce a further day of action on Thursday 22nd of July encompassing meetings at Sandown, Warragul, Warrnambool and Shepparton.

Clear your schedules and have a day at home.
We are sad it has come to this AGAIN but we feel we have no choice to ensure GRV give fair treatment, fair pay and safer tracks.

Note recently publicised independent review of track harrowing practises is the result of GOTBA action. Positive developments for participants Id say

Clear out your schedule and have a day at home they say.
Well do you know when the next 300+ meeting is?
28th of August. And it's at Cranbourne.

Probably the only opportunity that a slow dog from up that way has of winning a race. Bad luck, clear your schedule.

Need to rethink that decision GOTBAV

Greyhound Owners Trainers and Breeders Association of Victoria, Inc.

Email: [email protected] ABN 67 306 599 068

Phone: 0423 357 620 Reg No: A0017661V

Member update: Day of action 2.0 22 July 2021 and where we are

GOTBA Vic is currently calling for a further historic Day of Action 2.0 on Thursday 22 July 2021, with no nominations for Shepparton, Warrnambool, Warragul and Sandown that day. A call for action is on our website and is circulating at tracks.

This email is to tell you, our members, why that is, and be clear what we are fighting for.

On 19 June 2021, well down a long road with the current administration, GOTBA Vic called for participant action on Saturday 3 July to drive necessary GRV change. We know - you do too - that GRV management has not been willing to act on participant issues in the past, and has used any number of excuses and distractions to this point.

Initial GRV denial of what was occurring changed, just before 3 July (when the reality of what was really happening finally dawned) into a GRV plea, still with no action, call it off, and well talk soon. That was not a real option, for reasons of time and believability.

History shows that on 3 July 2021 you sent a massive message to GRV and the wider community - that participant fairness, participant returns and safety need step change in Victorian greyhound racing. It effected a vote of no confidence in GRV.

On 6 July, we had that foreshadowed talk, with GRV management. We presented action items. The meeting was not fruitful. On 7 July 2021, we provided those same action items - on participant returns, participant treatment and safety - directly to the GRV board in writing, ahead of its meeting on 13 July.

What we are seeking

What we sent to the GRV Board is here (link - GOTBA Vic -Letter - 7 July 21.pdf )

The GOTBA Vic committee believes it is important that you, our members, see this. Read the enclosure to the letter. Many of these issues, in various forms, are familiar to GRV. They are expressed in short form. Each has deeper history.

These things are worth fighting for. Some are big. Some are smaller. Some may vary. All are important. They are not all or the last changes that are needed.

Where we are

As at now Weds 14 July we have not heard GRVs formal response to the action items. GRVs desire not to change under current management is, we think, strong, and unexplained. Authority rarely wants change. Even in the face of obvious need.

Independent mediation has been mooted between us and GRV. It is not assured to occur. We are open to it but do not intend any mediation process to push away change under the same management. If mediation occurs, it can only be on acceptable terms, with a clear path to real, lasting outcomes.

We have also reached out to the Racing Minister and Shadow Racing Minister.

More participant action is required until GRV shows us and you it is not.

So, 22 July 2021. Action is on. We call on you, our members, to promote and encourage change on participant returns, participant treatment and safety, and support the action.

Regards,

The Executive Committee of GOTBA Victoria

If GOTBAV want to get full support from ALL trainers on ALL levels, then they have to publicly make an exemption for this meeting.

I have no ties with any trainer form Shepparton and I don't own any dogs that might race in this meeting. It is just plainly unfair to ask those who struggle the most in our sport, the ones who take on the giveaways that bigger trainers don't want in their kennels, to sacrifice their only realistic chance of winning a race.

I honestly believe GOTBAV simply didn't realize this was a 300+ ranking meeting when they made the decision to target July 22.

There are already 18 noms. If this meeting does not go ahead, GOTBAV will lose support from the grassroots level.
If they make an exemption, they will gain support.

Please GOTBAV, consider this. You cannot ask the strugglers to clear out their schedule when this is the one meeting they had circled on their calendars for the whole month.

I see your point and many would agree with it. But it is fairyland. A be kind to strugglers approach has very limited application in a highly competitive industry. It is even dangerous.

Yes, opportunities-to-all is sound enough as it spreads the good word more widely, helps betting turnover and (the big issue for state authorities) it makes better use of all members of the litter, thereby reducing any pressure on euthanasia numbers. Its a political policy only. It has its place but must remain secondary to the search for excellence something which the majority of our existing customers would not have a clue about.

GRV (and therefore the Minister) will point to scads of Tier 3 events and then to the recent announcements about increased prize money for bottom level racing (yuk!). That will terminate the current discussion.

The top trainers wont say much but would be entitled to claim that diverting scarce funds to slow dogs/trainers is the wrong way to go while looking at their big investments in staff, equipment, hard-earned expertise and capital funds. (That, incidentally, was a big factor in the reversal of the Baird-ban in NSW, and also in the more recent decisions on the distribution of the benefits of reduced taxes).

Having said that, I still support the bloke with a couple of dogs and lots of hope. But he has to appreciate what he is getting into. There are no guarantees in this business or at the horses. If you do not or cannot act professionally or start with a decent business plan you will lose. Its not a game of golf. If you are not properly funded, you will crash just as most small businesses do. And the smaller you are the more likely it is you will have cash flow hassles. So plan for it or die.

On the other hand, VGOBTA are correctly attacking two vital elements of the industry: indifferent tracks and a biased distribution of cash. More power to them, but they need to go direct to the Minister as only he will be able to make sensible decisions.

Pausing Day of Action 2.0

After the announcement of Day of Action 2.0, otherwise occurring 22 July 2021, GOTBA Vic has been approached by the Office of Racing with a mediation proposal.

Albeit with some reservations based on past experience, and with some modifications, the mediation proposal has been accepted a mediation expected to be up to 4 weeks will occur with GRV with the assistance of an independent mediator.

Our issues are familiar to you I refer to my email to you of Wednesday 14 July 2021.

As a sign of the good faith in entering into this mediation, we believe that Day of Action 2.0 should be PAUSED.

So, please nominate for Shepparton, Warrnambool, Warragul and Sandown on 22 July 2021.

While mediation lasts, our comment on what is occurring in or around it will be limited.

But be under no illusion, we remain 100% committed to real resolution and achieving what we all see as necessary, long-lasting change.

You will be promptly informed of outcomes from mediation and any next steps.

We remain humbled by the level of continuing support for collective participant progress and action hold it - and we keep that firmly in our mind going into and coming out of any mediation.

Lynton Hogan

President Greyhound Owners Trainers and Breeders Association of Victoria Inc