WELLINGTON - Former New Zealand Racing Industry Board's chairman Garry Chittick has described as "rubbish" a claim he resigned to avert a strike by racing clubs.
"There is no credibility to that argument at all. It's absolute rubbish," Chittick said last night.
Chittick announced his resignation on Tuesday, citing pressure of work as principal of the Waikato Stud in Matamata as the over-riding reason.
The claim that Chittick resigned to avert a strike was made by Kevin Patterson, national co-ordinator of racing lobby group, Racing Support New Zealand, which is threatening a racing strike over a funding row.
Chittick said he wondered about the motive for the comment, coming as it did after the announcement of his resignation.
"It's absolutely untrue, but it is typical of those guys."
It has also been reported Chittick resigned following a run in with Racing Minister Annette King.
"That is absolutely incorrect and I am very offended," Chittick said.
"Annette King is very, very supportive of racing. I have never had an argument with her over anything."
Patterson said another reason Chittick resigned was because he had been told by King he would not be able to speak at a racing forum, to discuss racing's future, being held at Parliament on June 1.
Chittick said he met King last week to confirm his resignation and discuss the process to find a replacement.
It was only then he discovered King had made no provision for him to speak at the forum - a week after he tendered his resignation in writing.
"To actually suggest I resigned as a result of not having speaking rights is so untrue - it is scurrilous..."
Chittick said if he had continued as NZRIB chairman it was likely King would have made provision for him to speak at the forum.
"I had enjoyed my role as chairman and if it wasn't for other reasons I wouldn't be leaving."
Patterson said adamant his information which had come from "high places" on the reasons for Chittick's resignation were correct.
Patterson said it was no idle threat that racing clubs would stop racing unless changes to the NZRIB's funding policy were made.
Patterson, who is president of the Gore Trotting Club, said he had attended several meetings which had resolved race meetings could not continue under the current funding policy.
"For instance we held one meeting with all the central Otago clubs," he said.
"The motion was put from the floor that we had reached the end of the road. We can't go on any further.
"If we can't get some change in the funding policy, there's no point carrying on because we are going to go broke anyway."
Patterson cited the Oamaru Jockey Club as one example of a club on the financial knife edge.
"They can make more profit by not racing - by running a few sheep in the centre of the track.
"If they have a bad meeting, they're bankrupt."
Patterson said the resignation of Chittick raised hopes changes will be made and they would be led by King.
- NZPA
Racing: Chittick rejects claims he was pressured to go
AdvertisementAdvertise with NZME.