MEMBERS of Gold Circle Horseracing and Betting have voted overwhelmingly in favour of all the Resolutions which give effect to the “demerger” between KwaZulu-Natal and the Western Cape and the restructuring of the respective regions.

The well attended special general meeting of the company, which  took place on Monday, 14 November, was held simultaneously via video conference between Greyville Racecourse and Kenilworth Racecourse.

The demerger will see the parting of the ways between the KwaZulu-Natal and Western Cape racing regions and, if all goes according to schedule and all conditions precedent are met, the final split will take effect on 1 April 2012.

Pending the adoption of the Racing Association’s constitution at that time, Members in the Western Cape agreed to an interim constitution to facilitate the running of the region’s affairs while at the same time Members in KZN also approved a new constitution for Gold Circle and the three former KZN turf clubs, namely the Durban Turf Club, the Clairwood Turf Club and the Pietermaritzburg Turf Club, will be amalgamated into the newly named Gold Circle Racing Club.

In closing the meeting, the Chairman of Gold Circle, Robert Mauvis, reminded all members of the need for the sport of horseracing to remain vibrant and sustainable in all established regions of the country and wished the Western Cape well into the future, pledging Gold Circle’s full co-operation at all times.

In response Vidrik Thurling (headline photo), Chairman of the Western Cape Racing Board, echoed Mauvis’ sentiments stating that the welfare and growth of the sport of horseracing was a common goal which had to be pursued vigorously by all stakeholders working in harmony.