Big push to bundle Jim Rundle as thoroughbred industry’s sole representative on new RQ board

THE appointment of Rockhampton-based Jim Rundle as the thoroughbred industry’s sole representative on the new RQ board has been met with heavy criticism.

News BCM 11.9.07 Rocky Races. Trainer Jim Rundle (front) with other owners and trainers protest at the Rockhampton race track because they are unable to bring their horses to the track. Pic Peter Wallis

THE Queensland branch of the Australian Trainers Association has demanded the Government rescind the appointment of Rockhampton-based Jim Rundle as the thoroughbred industry’s sole representative on the new Racing Queensland board.

ATA Qld branch president Barry Baldwin said he was likely to resign from his post because in his opinion Rundle “is not the desired person for the job”.

Rundle was the inaugural president of the Queensland Trainers Association, a separate body to the Queensland branch of the ATA, which represents most of the leading trainers in the state.

“I put my name forward, went through the process and am honoured to be appointed to the board,” Rundle said.

In a statement released on Sunday, the Queensland branch of the ATA said it could only assume Rundle was appointed because of a mistaken belief that his QTA represented all trainers in the state.

“The simple fact is the professional trainers that provide the majority of our race fields and are responsible for the majority of the economic churn that in turn supports the industry through betting turnover and employment, are not in any way associated to Mr Rundle or his Queensland Trainers Association,” the statement read.

Rundle told The Courier-Mail he was disappointed with the ATA statement and said he intends to be a representative for the entire state across all spectrums of the industry.

“I’ve always taken a whole-of-industry approach. Sometimes we will disagree and sometimes we will agree. I would like to think I’m an issue person, not a person person,” he said.

“Division is the last thing I want. That has been around far too long. We need to work ­together for the good of the industry.”

Leading Queensland trainer Rob Heathcote says Jim Rundle’s appointment is a negative step in moves to unite the industry.

In an article published in Rockhampton’s Morning Bulletin in December, Rundle was attributed as saying “southeast Queensland wants all of it on its own”.

“They don’t care about country racing. They want to slash and burn country racing because it costs money to run and they want all the money themselves,” he said.

On Sunday, Rundle denied saying that.

“I don’t recall saying that. Irrespective, I have always been a promoter for the good of racing as a whole,” Rundle said.

Glenlogan Park Stud manager Steve Morley said the board as it stood was “far from good enough”.

“This appointment dramatically highlights the board structure deficiency that this industry has been screaming at the Government about from day one,” Morley said. “They continue to say they consult with us, but the reality is they are simply not listening or in any way comprehending.”

International Group 1-winning trainer Rob Heathcote said Rundle’s appointment was a negative step in moves to unite the industry.

“Who is actually responsible for this appointment? I just want to know the name of those responsible for choosing a person without any consultation to the wider industry,” Heathcote said.

Originally published as Big push to bundle Jim Rundle as thoroughbred industry’s sole representative on new RQ board