Oakbank Racing Club committee under pressure to resign over decision to stop jumps racing

One of Adelaide’s oldest racing committees is facing calls for it quit en masse as fury continues over the decision to dump jumps racing.

The committee of one of South Australia’s oldest racing clubs is under pressure to resign over its decision to ban jumps racing.

Almost 60 members of the Oakbank Racing Club have called for an urgent special general meeting to sack chairwoman Arabella Branson, deputy chairman Barney Gask, Stephen Charlton, Chris Dittmar, John Lewis, Andrew Watson and James Jordan.

Two committee members, Mark Angus and Roma Williams, already have resigned in protest against the removal of jumps racing from the club’s program.

Oakbank’s annual two-day event at Easter was regarded as the world’s biggest picnic racing meeting, with a history reaching back to 1875.

Jockeys clear a hurdle during a jumps race at Oakbank. Picture: Brenton Edwards

However, crowd numbers have been declining in recent years, with the meeting regularly targeted by anti-jumps racing protesters.

The club’s committee had attempted to restructure the program in an attempt to remain viable, including moving key events such as the von Doussa Steeplechase to different weeks.

Together with other clubs which host jumps racing, it had been under pressure from racing’s controlling body, Racing SA, to instead focus on flats racing.

Racing SA had collected statistics which it claimed demonstrated jumps racing was no longer viable, participation rates were falling and it was becoming increasingly unpopular with the general public.

Oakbank Racing Club Arabella Branson in the club’s committee room. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Oakbank Racing Club chairman Arabella Branson confirmed members had requested a special general meeting to sack its committee.

Ms Branson said the committee “values the views and feedback of our members”.

“However, all but four of the 57 individuals who requested the special general meeting are people who have sought to join as members after the recent announcement to end jumps racing in South Australia,” she said.

“A significant proportion of those people are residents of Victoria – which is the last state in Australia to conduct jumps racing.”

Ms Branson said the club’s members were “entitled to have their say”.

“But they need to understand that Racing SA have made it very clear that the decision will not change irrespective of whether a new ‘pro jumps’ committee takes over at Oakbank,” she said.

Oakbank fans Barry Costar and Di Blowes from Balhannah with Craig Cox and Belinda Walker from Seaton. Picture: Brenton Edwards

Ms Branson said the club had received “overwhelmingly positive feedback” since it announced it was ending jumps racing.

“It has already generated renewed interest in the club in a very significant way, and this makes us very confident about our future,” she said.

“It would be disappointing, if not very damaging, for Oakbank to have a change of leadership based on a group of self-interested individuals and at the cost of good governance and progress.

“Ultimately, it is up to our members, but we implore everyone who is happy with the decision to end jumps racing to join our club now and have their say at the special general meeting.”

Ms Branson said the meeting had to be held within 21 days of receiving the notice under the club’s constitution.