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New Zealand Racecourse Managers Gather in Tauranga for 2026 National Conference
New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing • May 19th, 2026 4:20 pm
(From L to R) Karen Crake, Territory Manager - Waikato and Taranaki, PGG Wrightson Turf; Ryan Thistoll, Riccarton Park; Jason Fulford, NZRMA Chair; Ben Roiha, New Plymouth Raceway and Brent Wall, Otaki Māori Racing Club.
Racecourse managers and industry specialists from across the country gathered in Tauranga this week for the 2026 New Zealand Racecourse Managers Association (NZRMA) National Conference, focused on maintaining safe, high-performing racing and training surfaces for New Zealand racing.
Held over three days, the conference brought together the people working behind the scenes to ensure racecourses continue to meet the high standards required for racing across both thoroughbred and harness codes.
The programme included industry updates, track and turf research, race day incident response, irrigation and turf management, machinery demonstrations, and site visits to Tauranga and Cambridge racecourses.
NZRMA Chair Jason Fulford said the conference highlighted the depth of expertise and commitment within New Zealand’s racecourse management community.
Photo 2: Conference participants at Tauranga Racecourse | Photo credit: Ziba Creative.
“Racecourse managers play a critical role in the success and safety of racing in New Zealand. Their work often happens behind the scenes, but it is essential to ensuring safe and consistent racing surfaces for horses and participants right around the country.
“This conference is an important opportunity for industry professionals to share knowledge, discuss innovation and research, and continue lifting standards across our venues.”
The conference also recognised excellence within the industry through the presentation of several annual awards:
- The PGG Wrightson Turf Emerging Racecourse Manager Award: Ryan Thistoll, Riccarton Park
- NZRMA Rising Star Award: Ben Ropiha, New Plymouth Raceway
- NZRMA Contribution to Racing: Brent Wall, Otaki Māori Racing Club
NZTR Head of Tracks and Infrastructure Tim Lambert said the awards recognised the dedication, expertise and contribution of people working across racecourse management in New Zealand.
“These awards recognise the people who consistently go above and beyond to support racing in New Zealand, whether through emerging talent, leadership, innovation or long-standing contribution to the industry.”
“The commitment, professionalism and pride shown by racecourse managers and their teams around the country is incredibly important to maintaining safe, high-performing racing venues and supporting the future of the sport.”
NZTR also acknowledged the NZRMA, conference organisers, sponsors and presenters for their ongoing support of the industry and commitment to advancing racecourse management standards across New Zealand.
