Racing
Racing is a long-established sport in New Zealand, with a tradition stretching back to colonial times. Today, the New Zealand racing industry is a major contributor to the New Zealand economy as well as local communities across New Zealand. Racing generates more than $1.4 billion in economic activity each year and creates the equivalent of 18,300 full-time jobs. More than 40,000 people derive their livelihoods from the New Zealand racing industry, not to mention accommodation, travel, fashion and entertainment providers who all benefit from the industry’s economic wellbeing. More than one million people have attended race meetings across New Zealand and spent in excess of $55 million on wagering, food, beverages, transport and accommodation in a year.
There are 69 thoroughbred, 51 harness and 12 greyhound clubs licensed to race in New Zealand. Racecourses are situated in 59 locations throughout New Zealand. In the racing year from 1 August 2009 to 31 July 2010, 10,106 races were held throughout New Zealand. Further to this the New Zealand Racing Board carried 35,323 overseas races on their network, for a total of 45,439 races covered for the year, an increase of approximately 27% over the previous year.
The bloodstock industry is of international importance to New Zealand, with the export sale of horses – mainly to Australia and Asia – generating more than $120 million a year. New Zealand-bred runners compete very well overseas and regularly win major races, with a particularly good record in Australian distance races.
A major source of funding for the racing industry is returns from betting on racing and sports, which is conducted by the New Zealand TAB, the retail arm of the New Zealand Racing Board.
The New Zealand Racing Board is a co-ordination point for the three racing codes. They are operated by the three governing bodies, New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (gallops), Harness Racing New Zealand (trotting and pacing) and New Zealand Greyhound Racing.
The Judicial Control Authority (JCA), established in 1996, is the legal body that administers the rules of racing and conducts inquiries into breaches of the rules, for all three racing codes. The JCA ensures that judicial and appeal proceedings in racing are heard and decided fairly, professionally, efficiently, and in a consistent and cost effective manner. The current focus of the JCA is on contributing to consumer confidence in the racing product.
Read more about this topic: New Zealand Racing Board
Famous quotes containing the word racing:
“Upscale people are fixated with food simply because they are now able to eat so much of it without getting fat, and the reason they don’t get fat is that they maintain a profligate level of calorie expenditure. The very same people whose evenings begin with melted goat’s cheese ... get up at dawn to run, break for a mid-morning aerobics class, and watch the evening news while racing on a stationary bicycle.”
—Barbara Ehrenreich (b. 1941)