Racing meet scuffle ‘blown out of proportion’

Senior greyhound racing figures have been accused of collusion at a hearing about a brawl at a Palmerston North racing meet.

Darcy Poutama, Kellie Gommans and Adam Jenkins have been charged with committing an act that is detrimental to the image of greyhound racing.

But the trio say witnesses to the March 31 incident at a mixed-codes event are either mistaken, lying or blowing the incident out of proportion.

The incident has been subject to a two-day Judicial Control Authority hearing, which wrapped up on Wednesday.

The trio were at Manawatu Raceway when a fight involving Jenkins started. Gommans got involved before people went their separate ways.

One witness said Poutama hit Jenkins in the back of the head. Poutama denied that, saying he and that witness had bad blood.

Members of the Greyhound Racing New Zealand board saw most of what happened, with one saying the incident meant future Palmerston North meets involving greyhounds and harness racing were at risk.

Jenkins used his closing remarks to accuse the board members of collusion over their statements.

He and Poutama had an argument over dogs, but Poutama had walked away by the time the fight started, he said.

He was hit from behind, and any subsequent actions by him were self-defence, he said.

Someone with a mullet kicked him in the ribs while he was on the ground, he said.

Jenkins also admitted making threats, which mentioned a gang, back at that person.

‘‘I was yelling words, saying this was not the end of it.’’

Some witnesses said Gommans kicked Poutama after the fight stopped.

Gommans said she could not remember kicking Poutama, but said she only got involved in the fight because she was trying to protect Jenkins.

While the incident did not look good, she denied it had done as much damage to greyhound racing as people alleged.

The authority reserved decision. its