Methven working on making a future

The Methven Trotting Club understands it must move with the times if it’s to remain in the game.

With a strong financial base and a good mix of gender and age on their committee they’re in a good place to retain their relevance in harness racing.

The Club has a committee of eighteen including three women recently appointed.

“We were probably a bit late in getting going but they’ve (women) been on for over two years and they’ve been great. We’ve also got younger people on our committee like Cameron Grant who works for Woodlands Stud and Johnny Morrison and Sarah O’Reilly,” President Micheal Heenan said.

The Club with help from the The Racing Safety Fund has upgraded the course’s swabbing box and a quarter of the stable block, plus upgrading the numbers room. They’re working towards updating their facilities with the aim of attracting new sponsors and racegoers.

“We want to update our facilities but not lose the charm of racing in a rural area set at the base of Mt Hutt.”

Methven Trotting Club, which held its first totalisator meeting on the 8^th October 1927, is planning for its centennial in 2027 and wants to be in good shape for this milestone.

“That’s part of the reason we want to get everything updated. It’s a big thing however we want to do it in a relaxed Methven way.”

The course was originally 108 acres and the Club sold two blocks of land between the back straight and the roadside, which is now residential housing.

“Part of that money is going towards our new developments and future projects. The main part of the money has been earmarked to safeguard our Club for the future.”

Heenan says when the Club put together their plan to develop the land, they needed people with the skills.

“We knew we had some land that could be worth good money. We got stuck for about three years and couldn’t get the traction needed. Ricky May knew John Dellaca, originally from the West Coast, who was one of a family that raced horses. He was a property developer and was good enough to have a look at it and then work with us. Within six months he put us on the right track. When we did put it on the market, we sold all sections within three months.”

The second parcel of land was sold to Opuke Thermal Pools and Spa.

“They had a hell of a job getting it off the ground. They’re going good now and that money helped give us a leg up to then do the capital works on the residential block.”

The Club still holds more land however right now the sheep are enjoying this, with the Club utilising some land to get income from livestock and crops.

“It just helps so much having people like Dave Barley on the committee. He was experienced in commercial roles and It just helps so much having people who know how to make those decisions. Another key committee member is Nigel Armstrong who brings a strong marketing skill to our team”

Heenan says between eight and ten trainers use the Methven as their training track and a lot of outside trainers come to the course to give their horses a run.

“You could work a horse on a grass track and because they work harder, they’ll improve with that run more than if you worked them on an all-weather track. It’s a bit easier on the old legs too. Brent and Tim White bring their horses here quite regularly. Our workouts and trials are much more popular than they should be.”

Heenan says although the Club has considered setting up facilities to attract new trainers to the area the winter can be problematic.

“We can get snow, so that restricts where they can work their horses.”

Something the Methven Club is proud to offer is a Junior Driver Award sponsored by local driver Ricky May.

“We give $500 to the junior driver we see as being the most improved and a credit to the industry. The juniors quite like winning that one.”

The Club is very proud of its race day returns and it’s GBM (Gross Betting Margin) is consistently right up there. Heenan puts this down to favourites paying better odds, thanks to a race programming decision the Club made several years ago.

“We thought about what the club and the punters want as far as our fields are concerned. We did a survey and we found that we don’t get the big punters that the metropolitan clubs get, but we get a whole lot of small betters and of course if you get enough of them you can compete very favourably. We figured that the reasons why we get those betters is because they like going to grass tracks, because there’s usually something else going on. Those punters are usually looking at getting a wee bit of a dividend.”

He says a favourite at Methven might be $3 to $4, compared to Addington where they may be $1.50 or $1.80.

“We then thought about how we keep getting those big even fields. With help from Darrin Williams (then with HRNZ ) we put in the conditions that a one win mobile was for horses that have won just one race regardless of assessment. We did get a few trainers that weren’t happy about it. We didn’t have the same conditions for the stands but generally those types of horses didn’t start in the stands anyway. The other thing that was happening was as soon as a nice horse was nominated for a race other horses would bail out.”

He says this decision stabilised the betting.

“Looking back that was the right thing to do for us.”

Heenan says the Club has a very strong association with the Mount Hutt Trotting Club which is a different organisation, but affiliated to the Methven Trotting Club.

“They put on all the trials and workouts. Some of the money they earn goes into helping us survive. They hang around for an hour or so after and have a cup of tea and they may put on a BBQ. That’s a part of making sure everyone that’s involved with our Club has a good experience. These trials days are very important to build relations.”

He says on racedays, the Club wants to run a barbeque after the last race for all the members, owners, drivers and trainers.

“They can come down and have a bite and a bit of a yarn. We’re focussed on looking after those who support the Club. It’s important that we have that high number of horses because that gives us our better totes and keeps us relevant for the future.”

Rolleston trainer Mark Purdon has been a good supporter of the Methven Club and has won the Methven Cup eight times.

“Mark likes our track and he’s always brought two or three horses down. So locals that wouldn’t routinely go to Addington get the chance to see the top horses and drivers.”

Heenan says the Club also has a strong focus on its community.

“We’re absolutely bound to our local community which is no different to any other club. We want to recognise all the volunteers that have put in the hours over 100 years and ensure the Club is in a strong position for the future.”

Many top class horses have been bred and developed in the Methven area including Great Logan, Loyal Nurse, Morella, Burns Night, Tactician, Manaroa, Allakasam and Royal Ascot.

The Methven Club continues to work hard to acknowledge the past and secure the future.

“I think most harness clubs realise it’s going to be a struggle to be relevant in the future and you have to do what you can to justify your existence. If it makes you think about what you’re doing and why you’re doing it, it’s probably a good thing.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink