3 April 2020
Dear Participant,
I write to you at a time which is unprecedented in our history, the COVID-19 pandemic.
Many of you would have experienced equine influenza and the disruption that caused to our industry. I don’t need to say this pandemic is far worse but I assure you HRNSW will do everything in its power to continue racing so as to provide a much needed revenue flow to industry participants. That is our priority.
HRNSW will not knowingly put at risk the health and safety of participants, employees and the public. This approach was evidenced by the immediate action to suspend racing late last month when faced with a possible positive test to the coronavirus by one of our own stewards.
That action was a clear example of the highly responsible approach of the harness racing fraternity in accepting the situation and in doing so ensuring the safety and wellbeing of all participants and the public in these very difficult times.
HRNSW has been to Government on a number of occasions on your behalf to demonstrate that the harness racing industry as a collective - administrators, club officials, trainers, drivers, strappers and owners – can abide by the protocols introduced by Government.
In line with these protocols we, the industry, have embarked upon a Regional Racing Plan. This plan is not in preference to all. A degree of your former freedoms to travel your horses to race at tracks where you believe the horse is best placed has been lost. But this won’t always be the case. As with equine influenza you will ultimately return to racing at tracks of your choice.
These actions introduced by HRNSW certainly would not have gone unnoticed by the Government and would have instilled in it a high level of confidence that the harness racing industry is pro-active in its duty of care to all concerned.
On behalf of the Board Members of HRNSW I express our thanks and gratitude to the Clubs, participants and very importantly to the management, stewards and staff of HRNSW for their untiring efforts in enabling the continuation of racing throughout the State.
Be assured, the Board of HRNSW is very cognisant of its responsibilities to all participants and the general public at large and will continue to do everything in its power to provide a safe and responsible environment for the uninterrupted conduct of harness racing in NSW.
Yours sincerely,
Ken Brown AM
Chairman