A SMIDGEN OF RACECOURSE PROHIBITIVE

Michael from Trentham

Got a good idea. Why not transfer the annual Black Hawk Corgi Races organised by the Wellington Welsh Corgi Club based in Upper Hutt, to a real racetrack.

So contacted Wellington Racecourse regarding their Trentham Racecourse and told them about the fun annual Corgi races which has a free entry and has its dog food and treats prizes sponsored by MasterPet and gets hundreds of spectators come and watch such a fun and cute event and attracts media attention.

Well, Wellington Racecourse must be very hard up because they wanted $1150.00 for 50 metres of their racecourse for a couple of hours all up on the only weekend day they had available in November. And we are a not-for-profit organisation.

Disappointed. I am sure that other Corgi races held on racing tracks in Britain and the USA do not charge anything and in some cases they also allow use of racing dog (Greyhounds and Whippets) starting gates if they have them. In one case a Corgi race has featured every year at half time of a football match in the USA with over 50,000 people watching live.

How about just 50 metres of the inside the track part of the complex where other sports are played, I asked.
The Wellington Racecourse management came back with a $575 offer.

I suppose I will keep the races at a local public park and wait until Trentham Racecourse has its multi storied apartments so it will be in a better financial position to downsize its hire out fees for 50 metres of turf.