As a club we recently proposed a stakes payment format for the handicap races in the Tregaron Festival 2017. Following discussions with owners and trainers over the week-end and a committee meeting on Monday evening we have decided to revert to the normal entry system therefore there will be no need to nominate any horses on 1st June as previously envisaged.
The decision to implement such a system was taken in good faith with the whole of harness racing in Britain in mind. The aim of the proposal was simply to create a bigger pool of prize money thereby creating better returns for all horses entered – you will have noted that using this system 50% of horses running in the two handicaps would have had at least their entry fee returned and the best horses would have been running for the biggest purse which surely has to be the aim of all promoters. The problem as always, without any external funding from sources such as off-course wagering, is how we increase our prize money pool. It was hoped that with increased prize money we could draw a bigger audience which in turn would increase our income which could be re-cycled as prize money. As with any business – outgoings have to at least match income – without increased income we will have to consider reducing prize money. We appreciate the support we get from owners, trainers, sponsors, stewards and race-goers in maintaining the Tregaron Festival and will still endeavour to improve one of harness racing’s biggest meetings.
Tregaron Trotting Club are always at the forefront of trying new initiatives, the Dragon series is an excellent example of such an initiative, draws made prior to race day is another but it would seem that the harness racing fraternity did not have the appetite for this particular one, although one happy trainer actually paid his nomination fee without hesitation on Sunday!
Thank you all for your feedback and I hope you appreciate we have listened and in the same manner should any of you have any ideas how to move the sport forward in a practical manner then we will be more than happy to take them on board.
In conclusion then
ENTRIES FOR THE HANDICAP IN THE TREGARON FESTIVAL 2017 WILL BE AS NORMAL
A FULL SCHEDULE OF THE RACES AVAILABLE WILL APPEAR IN JUNE