Both large and small racing clubs in Otago are the casualties in next year's racing calendar as the national equine racing bodies deal with declining horse numbers.
The Forbury Park Trotting Club drops from 23 meetings to 19, the Central Otago Racing Club is now a one-meeting club after its late February date was scrapped, and the Otago Racing Club meeting at Cromwell - held two days after the Central Otago club's meeting - has also gone.
The final calendar will be publicly released next month.
Forbury Park now has only one date in May, as opposed to three this season, and also loses one June date.
Forbury Park president Gerald Cayford said he had hoped for more dates than the ones allocated, especially considering recent acceptances at Forbury meetings.
"Personally, I would have liked to have seen more at Forbury, because racing number-wise, we've been going well,'' he said.
"For where the club wants to be, and the horse numbers we're drawing, whether it's good or bad, time will tell.''
The club had been starting its meetings half an hour or so earlier than in recent years to allow trainers to get back on the road earlier.
"I think by starting earlier, for the blokes down south and up north, it's been good for our numbers.''
Otago Racing Club chief executive Hannah Catchpole rued the loss of the second Cromwell meeting, but was pleased overall.
"I'm disappointed we don't have the Cromwell meeting [in March] in there any more because of the ideas we had for it,'' she said.
"But the rest of the calendar, I'm totally happy with. We've got a good concentration of races over the summer period when Wingatui looks fantastic.''
Central Otago Racing Club president Mike White could not be reached for comment.
The Waikouaiti Trotting Club's plan for a two-day meeting in February has made the grade, although with a slight adjustment. The club's annual cup meeting on February 12 will be followed by the invited drivers series, created by the Eastern Districts Racing Club, on Wednesday, February 15. The club had asked for a Tuesday.
The Oamaru Harness Racing Club maintains its seven dates, and the Oamaru Jockey Club has three meetings allocated, losing an August date.
Fairfax Media reported the number of thoroughbred permits had reduced by nine in the North Island and seven in the South Island for a total of 319 next season.
Harness Racing New Zealand has 257 licences for next season, 12 fewer than this season, chief executive Edward Rennell said.
"This includes dual-code and partial licences such as Marlborough Racing Club [in late April],'' Rennell said.
