Over the past few weeks we have been conducting a Facebook Live session on the LOVERACING.NZ Facebook page.  This has allowed some of our racing participants to send through questions regarding the aspects of the return to racing, or just the industry in general.

 

We know there are still questions remaining – specifically regarding the confirmation of the 2020-21 racing calendar and what the stakes will look like next season.  The calendar is going through the process it goes through each season and we expect that once it is released to the industry – around the end of May we will be able to provide you with the answers to those questions.

 

There also seems to be significant concern among those who follow racing regarding what cuts NZTR has made during lockdown.  During this period NZTR has reduced its payroll costs by more than 20 percent.  Prior to COVID-19 we already had a lean organisation and some areas of our business, registrations and the stud book for example, have been busier than usual during lockdown, with many of our industry participants using the down time to catch up on their paperwork. 

 

The team at NZTR has also been liaising with industry participants and working on dates and the return to racing; keeping our sector groups informed; updating clubs and also developing the protocols which allowed us to come back to training under alert level 3.

 

Next Monday the government is expected to announce a date for a move from Alert Level 3 to Alert Level 2. 

 

The team is currently working on an assessment of the practical differences between these levels, however indications are that for training and racing, the protocols will be largely unchanged. 

 

For public, controlled gatherings of up to 100 persons under Level 2 (indoors or outdoors) are permissible, but there’s very little detail about this should be managed or how it may apply to venues such as racing clubs that have many separate lounges.  NZTR will work with clubs well in advance of our planned recommencement of racing on protocols for potential for small events attendees.

 

It is our plan to continue providing the Facebook Live sessions as long as we have questions to answer and information to provide.  Next week’s session will be at 10am on Thursday on the LOVERACING.NZ Facebook page, if you have any questions please email them to mary.burgess@nztr.co.nz