Inter Dominion
Encyclopedia
- for winners of the Inter Dominion see: Inter Dominion Pacing ChampionshipInter Dominion Pacing ChampionshipThe Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The rotation of the Championships is fixed...
and Inter Dominion Trotting ChampionshipInter Dominion Trotting ChampionshipThe Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final is a race for trotters within the overall Inter Dominion series. The series is held each year, and is a harness racing competition for both trotters and pacers that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand...
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Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia
Harness racing in Australia
Harness racing, also colloquially known as trotting, is an important spectator sport in Australia, with large amounts of money wagered annually with bookmakers and the Totalisator Agency Board . In Australia there are 91 harness racing tracks, which hold over 1,900 meetings annually...
and the North
North Island
The North Island is one of the two main islands of New Zealand, separated from the much less populous South Island by Cook Strait. The island is in area, making it the world's 14th-largest island...
and South Island
South Island
The South Island is the larger of the two major islands of New Zealand, the other being the more populous North Island. It is bordered to the north by Cook Strait, to the west by the Tasman Sea, to the south and east by the Pacific Ocean...
s of New Zealand. The 2011 series will be held at Alexandra Park in Auckland, with the original venue of Addington in Christchurch deemed unsuitable due to the February 2011 Christchurch earthquake.
Traditional programming of the series
Traditionally the series was held over a two week period with three heats held in the first week, over a sprint distance (1,600 metres - 1,900 m), a middle distance (2,100 m - 2,300 m) and a staying distance (over 2,400 m). The trotters series usually had two heats. The scheduling of the distances is usually at the discretion of the host club. At each round of heats there are three races to accommodate the number of horses in the series. The final and consolation are held usually around a week after the final round of heats. The usual distance is a longer distance in excess of 2,400 metres.Programming of the 2008 Melbourne Series
Harness Racing Victoria proposed a new system for the 2008 series that was accepted by the Interdominion Racing Council that rewards Grand Circuit race winners. Each winner of a Grand CircuitAustralasian Pacers Grand Circuit
The Australian Grand Circuit for Pacers began in 1977 and was designed to be the showpiece of the Australian Harness Racing Industry with horses competing from every state within Australia. In 1992 New Zealand was admitted and the Circuit was renamed the Australasian Grand Circuit.The best horses...
race and the Grand Circuit Champion from the time period from the last Interdomion all gain an automatic start in two minimum $70,000 semi finals with the balance to be made up from horse that qualify through heats of at least $25,000 held a week previous. The first five horses in each heat along with the sixth horse in the fastest heat qualify for a minimum $750,000 final. The prizemoney had been originally put to $1,000,000, but due to the dire effects of the equine influenza that crippled the industry the final prizemoney was reduced to $750,000. The trotters series consisted of two semi-finals and a final.
The trotting series was reduced to a simple semi and finals series raced over seven days. The semi finals were of $40,000 and the final was $250,000 which was comparable with previous series.
Programming of the 2009-2011 series
The system used in Melbourne received much criticism and therefore wasn't chosen to be used in the 2009 series on the Gold Coast. The Gold Coast series had two rounds of heats and bonus points for winning major races. The bonus points races are not only include Grand Circuit races in Australia and New Zealand, but also The Graduate at The MeadowlandsMeadowlands Racetrack
The Meadowlands Racetrack is a horse racing track at the MetLife Sports Complex in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States.The track hosts both thoroughbred racing and harness racing...
and the Canadian Pacing Derby, both open age races in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
. The prizemoney has also been raised to $1,000,000 for the final. The trotters series remained as a two semi-final series held in Melbourne.
The 2010 series in New South Wales kept a similar format with no bonus points. The trotters series was again held in Melbourne. The 2011 series at Alexandra Park featured two rounds of heats for both pacers and trotters. A change to the points system saw points awarded only to the top eight placegetters - previously all heat runners earned points.
The 2012 series in Perth will return to the traditional three-heat format, while the trotters series will be held in Melbourne, and is set to be discontinued after 2012.
New South Wales will host the series from 2013-2015. However, a new structure will see seven heats run at different racetracks across Australia and New Zealand, with the winners and highest-ranked placegetters contesting a 14-horse final at Menangle.
Date and time of rotating championships
The rotation of the Championships is fixed annually at a meeting of the Council. It is fixed five years in advance. Historically, it was held in New Zealand once in each four years, but that pattern has been recently broken. The Championships are held once in each racing year at a time and venue approved by the Council by the completion of the Championships in the preceding year. The Grand Circuit race is not held at the same time as the Championships.Venues
- 1987 - ChristchurchAddington RacewayAddington Raceway or The Met is the home of the Metropolitan Trotting Club in Addington, Christchurch in New Zealand. The venue consists of a trotting track, a greyhound track conference centre and restaurants...
- 1988 - SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
- 1989 - PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- 1990 - Adelaide
- 1991 - AucklandAlexandra Park, AucklandAlexandra Park is the home of the Auckland Trotting Club in Epsom, Auckland. The park consists of the Alexandra Park Raceway trotting track, conference centre and restaurants. It is also home to many feature harness races, including the Auckland Trotting Cup and the Rowe Cup.It is also the home of...
- 1992 - MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
- 1993 - BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
- 1994 - SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
- 1995 - ChristchurchAddington RacewayAddington Raceway or The Met is the home of the Metropolitan Trotting Club in Addington, Christchurch in New Zealand. The venue consists of a trotting track, a greyhound track conference centre and restaurants...
- 1996 - PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- 1997 - Adelaide
- 1998 - HobartHobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
- 1999 - AucklandAlexandra Park, AucklandAlexandra Park is the home of the Auckland Trotting Club in Epsom, Auckland. The park consists of the Alexandra Park Raceway trotting track, conference centre and restaurants. It is also home to many feature harness races, including the Auckland Trotting Cup and the Rowe Cup.It is also the home of...
- 2000 - MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
- 2001 - BrisbaneBrisbaneBrisbane is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Queensland and the third most populous city in Australia. Brisbane's metropolitan area has a population of over 2 million, and the South East Queensland urban conurbation, centred around Brisbane, encompasses a population of...
- 2002 - SydneySydneySydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
- 2003 - ChristchurchAddington RacewayAddington Raceway or The Met is the home of the Metropolitan Trotting Club in Addington, Christchurch in New Zealand. The venue consists of a trotting track, a greyhound track conference centre and restaurants...
- 2004 - PerthPerth, Western AustraliaPerth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
- 2005 - AucklandAlexandra Park, AucklandAlexandra Park is the home of the Auckland Trotting Club in Epsom, Auckland. The park consists of the Alexandra Park Raceway trotting track, conference centre and restaurants. It is also home to many feature harness races, including the Auckland Trotting Cup and the Rowe Cup.It is also the home of...
- 2006 - HobartHobartHobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony,Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as...
- 2007 - Adelaide
- 2008 - MelbourneMelbourneMelbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
- 2009 - Gold Coast
- 2010 - Menangle, New South WalesMenangle, New South WalesMenangle is a village in the Macarthur Region of New South Wales, Australia.-Location:Menangle is part of the Wollondilly Shire. At the 2006 census, Menangle had a population of 327 people.-History:...
- 2011 - AucklandAlexandra Park, AucklandAlexandra Park is the home of the Auckland Trotting Club in Epsom, Auckland. The park consists of the Alexandra Park Raceway trotting track, conference centre and restaurants. It is also home to many feature harness races, including the Auckland Trotting Cup and the Rowe Cup.It is also the home of...
Eligiblity
A horse shall not start in a race outside the Championships except in a race held after the completion of all qualifying races. The Controlling Body of the State or New Zealand in which the Championships are to be conducted or the Council may request a veterinary surgeonVeterinary surgeon
Veterinary surgeon is a term used to describe:*The full title of a vet, who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals, in the United Kingdom and several Commonwealth countries**See also Veterinary medicine in the United Kingdom...
to inspect and provide a report on any horse scratched after final acceptances are declared.
Trophy
A perpetual trophy is competed for. The conducting Club of the State or New Zealand in which the winning owner resides holds the trophy for a period until three months before the start of the next Inter Dominion Championship. The winner of the Inter Dominion Championship Final is presented with a trophy.Pacers
- for a complete list of winners please see: Inter Dominion Pacing ChampionshipInter Dominion Pacing ChampionshipThe Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The rotation of the Championships is fixed...
Trotters
- for a complete list of winners please see: Inter Dominion Trotting ChampionshipInter Dominion Trotting ChampionshipThe Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final is a race for trotters within the overall Inter Dominion series. The series is held each year, and is a harness racing competition for both trotters and pacers that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand...
External links
- 2009 Watpac Inter Dominion Official Site
- Rotation Program - Inter Dominion Championship Series
- Queensland Harness Racing Homepage - Host state for 2009 Inter Dominion
See also
- Inter Dominion Pacing ChampionshipInter Dominion Pacing ChampionshipThe Inter Dominion is a harness racing competition that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand. The host of the series is rotated between the six harness racing states of Australia and the North and South Islands of New Zealand. The rotation of the Championships is fixed...
- Inter Dominion Trotting ChampionshipInter Dominion Trotting ChampionshipThe Inter Dominion Trotting Championship Grand Final is a race for trotters within the overall Inter Dominion series. The series is held each year, and is a harness racing competition for both trotters and pacers that has been contested since 1936 in Australia and New Zealand...
- Inter Dominion Hall of FameInter Dominion Hall of FameThe Inter Dominion Hall of Fame is an organization created to recognise and honour those whose achievements have enriched the world of the Harness racing industry, particularly in the Inter Dominion series. The Inter Dominion is a horse racing series for standardbred horses which takes place every...
- Harness racingHarness racingHarness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
- Harness racing in AustraliaHarness racing in AustraliaHarness racing, also colloquially known as trotting, is an important spectator sport in Australia, with large amounts of money wagered annually with bookmakers and the Totalisator Agency Board . In Australia there are 91 harness racing tracks, which hold over 1,900 meetings annually...
- Harness racing in New ZealandHarness racing in New ZealandHarness racing in New Zealand is more often called trotting in the "old school" rather than the more fashionable name of "harness racing". The sport is long standing with events being held as early as 1864...