Annus Horribilus Plus

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Annus Horribilus Plus

NZ Harness Trainers & Drivers Assn
Published by Pete Cook in News · Wednesday 23 Dec 2020 ·  1:45
Way back in 1992, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth in her Christmas message, made popular a Latin phrase, describing her year as an “Annus Horribilus” (loosely translated as a horrible year), after a number of controversies swept through her family.
 
It will be interesting how she describes 2020, Annus Horribilus Plus, perhaps?
 
Apart from her family playing up once again, their antics have been well and truly overshadowed by something that almost no-one in the World had heard of this time last year, Covid.
 
If you’re keeping up with current happenings overseas, you’ll be well aware of how the year in New Zealand has been much less ‘horribilus’ than most other Countries around the globe.
 
I suppose, given the awful scenes at the Central Otago meeting on the second day of the year, harness racing fans were given an indication that the omens weren’t good. Thankfully, the little man in the gold cap has come out of his predicament as well as New Zealand has come out of the pandemic, in fact better….for now anyway (as far as the Country goes that is). While the lockdown was obviously a disaster for the industry at the time, the way it has bounced back is nothing short of astounding. Obviously, there are still many problems and challenges around, but when you consider that, back in April, there were predictions that we wouldn’t be racing again until September, stakes would be around $6k, and Cup Day would be staged without any people on course, you’d have to say we’ve had, at worst, an ‘Annus Horribilus Minus’.
 
Anyway in a few days, we’ll be into another year, and wondering what life can throw at us this time. I suppose the moral is, enjoy it while you can and win plenty of races. All the best to all from the Association, back soon in 2021.
 
Pete Cook


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