| SECRETARIES & EXECUTIVE STAFF |
YEAR: 1989
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Mr Mike Godber has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of Addington Raceway. He replaces Mr Trevor Davis, who retires from the position of Secretary-Manager in November.
Since 1983, Mr Godber has been Secretary and Chief Executive Officer for the NZ Racing Authority. Aged 36 Mr Godber is an honours graduate from Massey College - where his thesis was on the classification of racecourses. He then joined the Authority as Research Officer, became acting Secretary in 1982 and Secretary a year later.
Mr Godber will have the responsibility of maximising the economic position of Addington Raceway on ac national and regional basis. This policy started started in 1983 when the Raceway was restructured on a more commercial basis. "I know the main theme at Addington is racing, but there are other areas supplementary to it, such as a conference centre," he said.
Credit: Mike Grainger writing in HRWeekly 17May89
YEAR: 2008
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David McCarthy writing in ChCh Press 20 Oct 2008
After 19 years as Chief Executive at Addington Raceway, Mike Godber is leaving next month to take the helm at Queensland Harness. What does he expect, and what does he believe his Addington leagacy to be? He talks to Dave McCarthy.
Your move is something of a surprise. Maybe it had something to do with an upcoming 20th anniversary in the job?
Well, we have often talked about doing something different, and with our youngest child in the last year of school there was a feeling if we did not do it now we might just drift on. Then the Queensland people contacted me in August. We had had a week and a half of rain and it was 5deg. Maybe they got me at a weak moment.
How is the set-up there going to differ from here?
They have combined the state and club administration over there. My job is the equivalent of chief executive of Harness Racing New Zealand, and also the club racing side. There are about 30 staff doing club and executive work. Th board has only four members and they are all appointed by the minister. The seem to me to be ideal people to work with.
How does it compere in size with New Zealand?
Surprisingly close. There are about the same number of permits, but the stakes are lower - maybe $12 million to $13 million total. There are only three tracks. Albion Park races Tuesday afternoon and Saturday night, Redcliffe on Wednesday night and Parklands on Thursday afternoon and Friday night. So five meetings every week. While the stakes are lower, the horses race more often and stay competitive in their grade.
The Albion Park grandstand has been condemned. What sort of challenge will that represent?
The Inter-Dominions have been shifted to Parklands. I am not worried about that. Parklands(on the Gold Coast) has really good facilities in terms of space. They have a big boy's toys-type day and handle 60,000 people. But clearly there will be rebuilding of some sort at Albion Park.
What are some of the major differences you expect to deal with?
In Canterbury, harness racing is a significant activity employing a lot of people, but the economics of the area limit growth. In Queensland, harness is not so popular, but even in slower times the economy is much stronger there.
What major changes would you point to at Addington in your time?
There are only three buildings which were there when I arrived still standing(office block, public stand, Twiggers Stand), and there have been big innovations such as the Westpac stadium, the office building complex across the back and now the new stable area. The stewards stand was being built as I arrived.
There have been some rumours the new stables are behind schedule and over budget. Comment?
Neither is true. Some people have been confused maybe that we borrowed $5.7m from the Racing Board and the actual cost is $6.2m. But that was the financial plan from the start. We managed to advance purchase a lot of the steel involved, which has turned out a wise move with the way the price has gone recently. It is on track time-wise. Our biggest worry has been getting compliance to allow public use of stage one, which means using the roof on Cup week. We have signed off on that.
Some people always claim Addington would be better sold up for the big money and a track built further out, as has happened in Sydney and Melbourne. Can you see that day ever coming?
Frankly, no. Everything we have done in my time in developing the property for secondary income has been from the approach that it will not compromise the racing. I think some of the values placed on the land are more notional than real. Besides, it would only probably become residential with a park. The importance of being in a central place and part of the city is crucial for days like the New Zealand Cup. You are never going to get that sort of atmosphere going to West Melton and the night meetings would have a similar loss. We got the Wespac staduim because of the opportunities in terms of access and parking at Addington had over other proposed venues such as near what is now the AMI Stadium.
There must have been some things which have happened which have affected your enthusiasm for the job.
Yes, I would say there is less involvement at club level now, and you do not control your own destiny to the same extent. We cannot even decide what times the races will run, we have more trouble keeping track of what is going on and generally have less and less say.
Galloping has introduced a guaranteed payments system for smaller clubs. Harness does not have that. Which would you prefer?
I am not a fan of guaranteed payment days. I see galloping clubs running races at a loss they would not have run a few years ago when they had to balance their own books, and I cannot see that being good in the long term. Ours is a turnover-based payment system and I think it is better.
Some critics say Addington has put money into business developments better put into stakes. Any comment on that?
Yes, but it won't be popular. I think clubs are putting too much money in stakes. We are paying between 93% and 106% of racing income on stakes, depending on the measure. When we developed the business park at the back of the track in partnership, we had to borrow money to come up with our share for something which will give back income over a long term. If we were able to fund that out of our income, it would have put us in a much stronger position. In racing we tend not to look at the long-term economics, and I think each code is the same. But people are passionate about the game, and that is the way we do it.
Any thoughts on how you would like your era to be remembered?
I recall years ago Robert Muldoon being asked what he would like his legacy to be, and he said, "To leave the country in no worse state than I found it". I thought that was a bit lame. I would like to think we have the place in better shape than when I came, but I hasten to add that there were several chief executives before me who did great things for the development of Addington.
Are club administrators harder to attract now?
Yes, and it is the same everywhere. Even when board members are paid for their efforts it is a big task for someone with their own business interests. Retired professionals, like (the late) John Penney was, for example, provide most of the leadership.
What will you miss most?
Cup week and the build up to it. It is huge for a place the size of Christchurch getting over 20,000 people on the day. There is nothing else like it in Australasia for harness racing.
Will the economic situation affect this year's event?
Not significantly. We could be a little down on corporate numbers and some of them might like to keep a lower profile if they are in financial structures, but the signs are all good so far. Our betting is now tracking up to last year's levels.
-o0o-
Katie McKone writing in The Star 22 Oct 2008
Where were you born and where did you grow up?
I was born in Hastings and grew up there until I was 18 when I went to Massey University in Palmerston North. Hawkes Bay was a great place to grow up, with a climate very similar to Canterbury.
Can you give a rundown on your career to date? Have you always been involved in Harness Racing?
Racing has always been a passion and I have always worked in the industry, but to start with, my interest was thoroughbreds rather than harness. This was because in Hawkes Bay there was no harness racing when I grew up. I worked for the New Zealand Racing Authority through to 1989 when I came to Addington, apart from a short secondment to the TAB when they were introducing the Jetbet on-course computer betting system in the early 1980's.
The much-anticipated Cup Week is looming - this must be a stressful, albeit exciting, time for you. Are you expecting a big turn-out this year?
I find Cup Week more exciting than stressful. That comes from the fact that I have great staff who I have complete confidence in and who know what they are doing. We are expecting another big turn-out this year - Lindauer Lawn has already sold out and corporate sales are also going well.
What can punters and race-goers expect in 2008? Any new additions to the events calendar or the facilities?
A number of changes have been made for Cup 2008, including a significant increase in the number of totes(from 193 to 215). There will be more entertainment in the fashion marquee, and of course the Lindauer Lawn now has an upstairs and downstairs, and better access to the Twigger's Stand with the new stable block roof area being used for the first time.
This will be your last Cup Week while at the helm of Addington Raceway before taking up your new role in Queensland. Are you sad to leave and what memories will you be taking with you?
I will miss the hype of Cup Week but it is time to move on. The main memories are the people you meet and friends you make, not only during Cup Week, but inside and outside the industry. A memory will always be the buzz of excitment in the air throughout the whole day.
How did the job come about in Queensland and what does it involve?
It entails being CEO for all Harness Racing in Queensland - that covers the regulatory functions as well as the commercial and betting side of the operations. I received a phone call in August to see if I would be interested in applying for the position. It was five degrees at the time and had been raining for a week, so Queensland did have some appeal.
What is your favourite part of Cup Week?
Arriving on the course at 6am on Cup Day and seeing everything perfectly set out and knowing that all the planning and effort was worth it. Then 7.20pm on Show Day when we run our last race for the week and we can all relax.
What has been the most memorable New Zealand Cup win and performance from a horse over the Cup meeting?
Luxury Liner's win over Our Maestro, the Australian visitor, in 1988. Our Maestro burst past Luxury Liner at the top of the straight, but Luxury Liner drew him back in with a wonderful stayer's run, not unlike Flashing Red catching Monkey King last year. The performance over the Cup meeting would be Blossom Lady winning the Cup and Free-For-All in 1992 and Flashing Red's two Cups in 2006 and 2007.
What has been your favourite horse to have raced at Addington and why?
Blossom Lady. She always did her best and was an Addington crowd favourite.
If you could trade jobs with anyone for a day, who would it be and why?
All Black coach - we all think we can do a better job, don't we?