The Goulburn Greyhound Racing Club is currently running on a day-by-day basis as updates continue to flow from Greyhound Racing NSW about the COVID-19 pandemic.
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As of March 23, the Goulburn track is one of ten tracks which remains open in NSW. This is due to GRNSW's decision to close 70 per cent of state tracks in order to "continue racing in the safest possible environment" the organisation said in a statement.
Goulburn club manager, Pat Day, said the local track was "fortunate enough" to remain open, but does not know how long the club will continue to operate.
"We can only be directed by the professionals and the government," he said.
Along with the track closures, GRNSW announced that participants may only compete in their zoned region at the 10 open tracks.
Along with Goulburn, the other tracks are: Bathurst, Bulli, Dapto, Dubbo, Richmond, Grafton, The Gardens (Newcastle), Gunnedah and Wagga Wagga.
The closing of the tracks was accompanied by biosecurity measures from GRNSW which will be implemented statewide.
These include:
- No more than 50 people allowed at the venue at any time
- No interstate dogs or trainers allowed to race in NSW
- Where appropriate, new protocols will allow trainers to leave the venue after their race
- New pre-race kenneling procedures with designated times and space allotments
- GRNSW to work with individual venues and clubs to organise takeaway food and drink
- One designated toilet block to be used
- Trials to continue but must be booked
- Clubs must provide best practice hygiene for greyhound and participant
These will be added alongside the initial restrictions in place, which state that no spectators are allowed to attend meets.
These measures, GRNSW CEO Tony Mestrov said, were to ensure the health and safety of trainers while allowing them to maintain their primary source of income.
"Like every business across the country, we have had to be decisive and do everything possible to continue operations while protecting the safety of all concerned. We feel the plan we are putting in place serves two very important purposes," Mestrov said.
"Firstly, it strengthens our biosecurity measures significantly, in the battle to contain the spread of COVID-19.
"Right throughout this worrying time for everyone, our number one priority and focus has been the health and safety of our participants and staff.
"Secondly this allows our participants to continue to race, which means they can continue to work.
"For many, if not most of our thousands of participants, this is their livelihood and only form of income.
"We cannot underestimate how critical it is for both the livelihoods of our participants, and the economies of regional NSW, that we work out a way to continue to race."
Day said the club and committee were "not really" worried by the tightened regulations, and were keeping their perspective about the situation.
"Racing's not an essential service," he said.
"We take our hat off to all the other people out there like the Woolworths workers, cleaners, and doctors and medical staff."
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