The government’s cautious move into the Traffic Light System will see several North Island regions enter Red from Friday, 3 December.

Northland, Auckland, Taupo and Rotorua Lakes District, Kawerau, Whakatane, Opotiki Districts, Gisborne District, Wairoa District, Rangitikei, Whanganui and Ruapehu Districts will all be in Red.

The rest of the North Island and the whole of the South Island will move into the Traffic Light system at Orange.

With race and trial meetings being conducted as Events under the Traffic Light System trainers and their staff are reminded, they will need proof of vaccination to attend.  Those who are able to prove they have had their first dose by Friday, 3 December will be allowed to continue working at race and trial meetings.

After 17 January however, they will need to be fully vaccinated to continue to gain admission to race and trial meetings.

Those nominating horses to race from Friday, 3 December onward should ensure they and their staff intending to go racing are either fulfill the criteria above or are fully vaccinated and have their My Vaccine Pass.

The full list of protocols can be found here.

While regions will be impacted differently depending upon whether they are in Red or Orange the government’s announcement today will not mean any change to the racing dates during this period.

The government has indicated that these current levels will be reviewed on Monday, 13 December and any changes made at that time will be on hold for a month, reviewed again in the week commencing 17 January.

NZTR is aware that this may be a nervous two weeks for some of our clubs scheduled to race over the busy Christmas and New Year period who will enter the Traffic Light System at Red. 

The best result for them would be a movement into Orange, however this will be dependent upon a lift in vaccination rates and other health indicators.  The government has signalled that it is not expected that any region will move into Green over the Summer period.