West Coast racing clubs have been called to a meeting this weekend with the country's racing bosses to discuss the future shape of racing in the region.
The meeting will be hosted by New Zealand Racing Board chief executive John Allan, head of New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Bernard Saundry and Harness Racing New Zealand chief executive Edward Rennell.
It follows a disastrous summer racing season during which the Kumara and Hokitika annual meetings were cancelled.
In February, the organisations launched the Future Venue Plan to re-evaluate the country's racing facilities.
The plan is seeking the opinion of a wide range of racing organisations and participants to help shape the future of New Zealand's racetracks.
Sunday's meeting at Westport is not being held as a part of the Future Venue Plan, a NZRB representative said.
It is unclear when Future Venue Plan would be held.
Mr Allen is scheduled to host public meetings in the Otago and Southland in next month.
The meetings are informal public gatherings that will enable Allen to gather opinions on a range of racing matters, rather than just the future of racecourses.
Allen will be joined by Mr Rennell at Wingatui on April 3 and in Invercargill on April 4.
The Futures Venue Plan, which was unveiled in February, pledged to future-proof the country's racing facilities.
''We need to invest in the right racing, trialling and training infrastructure that will drive greater efficiency and sustained growth over the next 5, 10, 15 plus years, while creating the safest possible environment for our animals and modern facilities for racing participants, customers and communities,'' Mr Rennell said following the announcement of the scheme.
Mr Saundry admitted change on the West Coast is inevitable.
Currently there are five tracks on the West Coast, with two trotting clubs and four racing clubs.
''Clearly we need some change,'' he said.
''We need to find a way to sustain the racing in that area and have all four [thoroughbred] clubs engage to ensure racing on the West Coast.
''The four clubs need to throw ideas around and bring those ideas forward, but also acknowledging there is a limitation on funds.''
Buller-West Coast Racing co-ordinator Colin Stevenson said he expected the Westport meeting would be a friendly discussion with representatives from all six West Coast clubs in attendance.
''There is a push to reduce the number of tracks throughout the country and cancellations are a concern, but we're not expecting to talk about centralisation - not at this stage anyway,'' Stevenson said.
-Additionally reported by Paul McBride
