Claims of a lack of leadership have been rejected by New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) chairman Murray Acklin.
A strong challenge is being mounted for three places on the NZTR board, including Acklin's position as a South Island representative.
Criticism has been levelled at the NZTR board for a lack of visionary leadership but Acklin denied that had been the case.
"I strongly refute that," Acklin said.
"There are different styles of leadership. There are those that love to have their name in the paper every other week and make a big song and dance on their achievements.
"There are others that just get on with the business and that tends to by my individual style."
Much of the publicity for those challenging for a board position has been taken by Auckland owner-trainer Peter Walker and Manawatu and Southland racing administrators Guy Sargent and Keith Neylon.
The trio appear to be making a joint stand and have been publicly supported by New Zealand Trainers' Association president Chris Wood.
Also standing for election are Meredith Deegan (northern region) and Geoff Humphries (central).
Acklin and David Ellis (northern) are incumbents seeking re-election. Voting, conducted by New Zealand racing clubs, closes on July 6.
Walker, who owned top class mare Tycoon Lil, said that leadership was lacking.
"New Zealand racing needs effective leadership and first rate administration to plan, direct and support the industry at all levels," he said in a statement. We must work constructively with clubs, sector groups, the TAB and New Zealand Racing Industry Board to achieve industry profitability and give racing a future."
Neylon, voicing similar sentiments, said: "Our industry leaders and representatives must make and implement good decisions on behalf of owners, trainers, clubs and all other people and organisations working in the industry.
"Some of these decisions will not be easy."
Acklin said he welcomed the challenge but wondered if the high-profile trio was going to show how it planned to reshape racing.
"There has been a distinct lack of information in that area."
Acklin, who for the last nine years has been a chairman of NZTR or president of its equivalent, said it was always easy to criticise but that attitude often changed when a new board member was elected.
"I know that individuals have come through over the years and have changed their thinking dramatically, once they have worked through the issues with the board.
"They have seen that it is not quite as simple as they may have seemed."
It has been suggested in the past that racing leaders have dodged the hard decisions of closing down clubs or venues that are seen as weak links. Acklin said that was not the case.
"We don't see it as a weakness. Unless a club cannot meet its financial requirements we don't see we have any right to close that club down."
Acklin said a number of the smaller clubs have been top performers.
"In many cases those one and two-day clubs have done exceptionally well.
"To me it would be a tragedy to take them out of the calendar because in some respects that's where many young people get their introduction to racing."
Stake money has shown a steady decline over the past few years.
In 1989-90 season total prize money paid was $35.7 million. Last season it was $32.5 million. Betting turnover in the 1989-90 season was $657 million. Last season it was down to $461 million.
Acklin said it was unfair to compare figures of a decade ago when the economy was booming.
"Anybody will tell you that to compare the crazy days of the 1980s, when everything got overheated, it is blatantly unfair to compare it with today."
He said it was fairer to compare figures over more recent years.
For example the average stake in the 1994-95 season was $8691 and last season it had increased to $11,063.
"This season it is going to be in excess of $12,000 and that's a 50 percent increase over the last five years.
"It's more relevant to compare the figures over the last seven or eight years in preference to using the halcyon days of the eighties."
While total betting turnover and on-course attendances had declined in that period Acklin said New Zealand was not alone on those fronts.
"That is a world-wide trend. I can tell you that in the last three seasons that has occurred in Hong Kong and Japan - two nations that we continually look up to. Both counties have thrown millions at it with no success in turning it around," Acklin said.
- NZPA
Racing: Acklin defends leadership role
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