Ashburton club spat turns nasty
Ashburton trainers Danny Champion and Kezia Murphy are being evicted from their home and training facility but do not understand why.
In an ugly stoush, the training partnership and their large team of more than 40 horses could be homeless by next Sunday after the Ashburton Racing Club’s (ARC) lawyers served them with an eviction notice.
Champion and Murphy have been at the Golf Links Drive property owned by ARC for around 10 years.
ARC president David Jones declined to comment on why the pair had been evicted except to say it was both a ‘‘private issue’’ and ‘‘legal issue’’.
Jones was adamant the reasons for the eviction were ‘‘legitimate and strong’’ and said talking to the media would not do Champion and Murphy any good.
He acknowledged there was a lot of talk about the situation in the racing community but when asked by Fairfax to provide facts to limit speculation, Jones refused saying ‘‘it will quieten down.’’
But not all of the ARC committee agreed with the decision.
Around 40 years of experience was lost to the committee when long serving members Gilbert Butterick, Rob Harnett and Neville Prendergast walked out at a meeting last month.
The trio were frustrated with how the situation was being handled and thought the conduct of the committee was wrong because it was not prepared to work together to resolve issues.
Champion and Murphy are the largest stable in the district and with their lease, track fees and lining up around 100 runners a year on race days being a major earner for the club.
The pair suspect the eviction was triggered by a verbal argument between Jones and Champion earlier this year over the phone after the trainers were trying to get some assistance for flooding in their stables.
Champion openly admits his involvement in the argument but said he had been waiting for around five years for repairs to a drainage sump and was sick of constant flooding and paying staff to sweep out the water.
Champion alleges that Jones laughed and implied he and Murphy were whingers.
‘‘Of course I was going to be frustrated,’’ Champion said.
Champion and Murphy have asked for improvements to the facilities for many years and have told the club they are comfortable with an increase in their lease price but little progress has been made. Murphy said they only ask for maintenance because some of the facilities need serious improvements and they need a certain standard of facilities to operate and hold onto owners.
Several high profile names in the racing industry have offered the ARC mediation but say the club has not replied.
Champion and Murphy feel a personal vendetta from some members of the committee are to blame for the conflict.
Jones said they were given 90 days plus a two week extension to leave but Champion and Murphy said for much of that time they were reassured by committee members it would not come to eviction.
Champion and Murphy said up until April this year the club had given them verbal assurances they would have first right to buy the property but say that offer has disappeared.
Jones refused to say if the club had plans for the home and training complex because it was private matter for the club.
Champion and Murphy are vowing to keep training because they have attracted around 40 new owners in the last two years.
‘‘If it wasn’t for the owners we probably would have had a dispersal sale and walked away from the racing industry,’’ Murphy said.
‘‘We have to do what is right by them because of the money they have spent and because they have supported us.’’
Champion said the stress of the situation has been unbelievable because they were working their normal 12 hour days, plus spending time trying to reassure owners with few answers and fight the evection. ‘‘We just carry on because this is what we do but its the staff and owners I worry about,’’ Champion said.
‘‘Our staff are bewildered, they don’t know if they are still going to have jobs, they’re asking everyday if there is any news,’’ Murphy said.
Champion was disappointed he had to hear of his eviction from staff members of another Ashburton stable at the Timaru races on June 12. He had been sent an email but did not receive it as he was busy at the races.