Sixteen race meetings have been cut from the 2016-17 calendar.
"That is in line with the Strategic Plan released by the Board in August of last year," said New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's general manager of racing and handicapping Matthew Hall.
"We have to cater for the horse population and maintain average field sizes and also provide a better platform for distribution of prize money.
"A minimum of $20,000, outside of maidens, for feature days is made possible by fewer races."
Seven meetings have been cut from the South Island next season, five from the central districts and four from the northern region's programme.
"We are the first to acknowledge that the average field sizes in the south have been terrific in the last 12 months and we will continue to monitor that," Hall said.
"We think the northern region in winter was over-catered for and, again, we will continue to look at that.
"There has been a two to four percent reduction in the foal crop and by taking meetings out now there will hopefully be a three to five year correction time to address some of the funding challenges and increases across all levels.
"We need to maintain field sizes and what I am stressing to all clubs is that there is no desire from us to make further dramatic reductions in meetings for the next two or three years." – NZ Racing Desk.
"That is in line with the Strategic Plan released by the Board in August of last year," said New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing's general manager of racing and handicapping Matthew Hall.
"We have to cater for the horse population and maintain average field sizes and also provide a better platform for distribution of prize money.
"A minimum of $20,000, outside of maidens, for feature days is made possible by fewer races."
Seven meetings have been cut from the South Island next season, five from the central districts and four from the northern region's programme.
"We are the first to acknowledge that the average field sizes in the south have been terrific in the last 12 months and we will continue to monitor that," Hall said.
"We think the northern region in winter was over-catered for and, again, we will continue to look at that.
"There has been a two to four percent reduction in the foal crop and by taking meetings out now there will hopefully be a three to five year correction time to address some of the funding challenges and increases across all levels.
"We need to maintain field sizes and what I am stressing to all clubs is that there is no desire from us to make further dramatic reductions in meetings for the next two or three years." – NZ Racing Desk.
