This serves to bring everyone up-to-date on where we stand at the moment with regard to the WPOTA. As the Competitions Committee Tribunal ruled in favor of the demerger between The Western Province Racing Club and Gold Circle ( KZN ) and with the agreement that is in place going forward for Western Province Racing, the intention is for the WPOTA to phase down its operation and the RA (Western Cape Branch) is being established now, as a branch of the RA in Gauteng.
The stakes formula for the Western Province Racing Club races will be associated with the RA Stakes Policy and be a percentage of the National Turnover, as is the case with the RA as present. Therefore we are in a position that we cannot have two Owners Bodies serving Western Cape Racing and that is why we will phase down the WPOTA operation and become dormant.
The WPOTA, in its constitution and in the constitution of the WPOT Benevolent Trust Fund states the following :
Our WPOTA constitution states
Page 12 (g) establish and maintain a Benevolent Trust Fund for the benefit of Members; (h) vote from the funds of the Association such amount as at may decide as an honorarium or subscription to any charitable or Benevolent Fund, and to decide as to the investment of the Reserve or other funds of the Association;
Page 13 (i) deal with any condition or circumstance of the arising for which specific provision is not made in these rules.
As I am the Chairman of both these organisations, and one of the reasons I was brought onto the WPOTA Committee in the 1980’s was for the purpose of raising funds for the WPOT Benevolent Trust and to maintain and uphold this body to service the Western Province Owners and Trainers. I have now committed myself to continue to work and raise funds to keep the well respected WPOT Benevolent Trust charity going. Our WPOT Benevolent Trust committee are also committed to continue with our WPOTA “Photo Galleries” on the ground floor at Kenilworth and our “Honour the Greats Programme” on the 2nd floor at Kenilworth Racecourse. These galleries place on record the history, and tradition of the Western Province Owners & Trainers, thus embracing the ethos of horse racing in Cape Town.
As all the funds in this WPOT Benevolent Trust have been raised through our Fund Raising Events over the years, going forward, we trust that you will continue to support the Benevolent Trust and the work we do to assist our beneficiaries. We take this opportunity to thank everyone, especially our breeders for their wonderful support of “Cocktails and Racing” our Charity J&B Met function.
WPOTA
In our last financial year the total of the 1% levy received by the WPOTA amounted to R360 087.00 and our day to day running expenses of our office and costs was R392 043.00 (Difference of R32 016.00). A lot of our achievements have been funded through fund raising projects and donations as we have promoted racing and racehorse ownership for Western Cape Racing.
The structure of the RA (Western Cape) should be completed and up and running by the end of February 2013.
The 1% levy from winning owners of horses that win in the Western Cape, which has been in operation for many years, will stop from 1st March 2013. The RA (Western Cape) have requested this and they are willing to give a donation each year, to the WPOT Benevolent Trust Fund so we may enhance the “Fund” to further support our beneficiaries.
The WPOT Benevolent Trust Fund Trustees take the opportunity to thank Vidrik Thurling (Chairman of the RA (Western Cape)) and Larry Wainstein (RA – CEO) and their Committess, for the wonderful gesture of support.
The RA (Western Cape) will be sending out a newsletter bringing everyone up to date on the winning owners RA bonus system and more initiatives to promote and support owners.
Should any owner or trainer that is a member of the WPOTA disagree with the procedure that is in the process of being adopted, they can contact me, Rodney Dunn (phone, write or email) at the WPOTA Office, soon to be the RA Office.
We look forward to all owners supporting the RA (Western Cape) by becoming members.
Rodney Dunn – WPOT Benevolent Trust Chairman
