Trainers Explain Bulli Stand Off

THE rumblings that nominations were going to be light on for Saturday night's now-abandoned Bulli program really began gaining momentum over the weekend.

A large group of trainers, primarily from the south, elected to band together and shy away from nominating for the program, upset about the NSW GBOTA's decision to charge trainers entry at last Wednesday's Wentworth Park meeting, which was moved to Bulli, while the city track was under maintenance.

"Let's be clear this isn't a strike, it's not a boycott, it's a strategic decision from a group of trainers to not support a meeting at a club where they believe they're not receiving that same support back," said the unified group of trainers, led by Andy Lord, Mark Gatt and Neville Brown.

"This decision was made in the hope of getting a voice at the table and better outcomes for participants on a range of issues, both now and into the future."

With the group of trainers' clamoring for a more collaborative approach on an array of issues, last week's decision to charge trainers entry into the relocated Wentworth Park program (at Bulli) has been dubbed by some as the straw that broke the camel's back.

"It was just another kick in the guts for us participants – on the surface it may not seem like a huge deal but it didn't go down well at all," they added.

"You've got a club like Nowra and other Tab tracks that can offer free entry and better unplaced prizemoney to support participants and then you've got trainers being charged (entry) at a city class meeting at Bulli. As a group of trainers we just want the opportunity to put our case forward and be heard, but so far, we can't even get that.

"But let us say this isn't just about entry. It's about the welfare of both greyhounds and participants and better conditions all round. At the end of the day it's the participants that provide the product, we think that gets forgotten sometimes.

"Clubs deciding when they do and don't trial is another example, plus the safety of tracks and trainer's having a say on that. Everyone should be rowing in the same direction, but at the moment, we're not.

"There's a range of issues participants need a voice on but we're not getting that. So if we don't, we've made a decision as a group that we won't support that club back until we get somewhere – it's that simple."

Following the abandonment of Saturday night's Bulli card, GRNSW made moves to reprogram the slot to Richmond, with nominations closing Thursday morning at 9am.

"All we want to do is send a clear message that we are serious about supporting the clubs that support us in return,” they added.

“What we are after is the chance to sit down and talk about issues and grievances openly and fairly. If we can do that I'm sure there's a way forward and action like this won't need to happen in the future."