2018 Camden Haven Cup cancelled due to poor track condition

The highly anticipated annual event was scheduled to be on August 25, but now the meeting has been transferred to Kempsey.

Port Macquarie Race Club (PMRC) chief executive Michael Bowman said the condition of the track is not up to standard.

“It was hoped the track would repair itself following the poor performance of the racing surface at our June and July meetings,” he said. 

“Unfortunately, with the winter temperatures it has not recovered sufficiently to allow the meeting to go ahead.

“It just needs a bit more time and water.”

The chief executive remained confident there were no concerns about the Port Macquarie Cup or Prelude meeting’s.

The Prelude is scheduled for September 23 while the Port Cup will be run on October 5.

He remained tight-lipped about how much the club could have lost by not being able to host the Camden Haven Cup meeting.

“It’s certainly one of our better meetings socially, but it’s difficult to say,” he said.

“You get a flat payment to offset some of your fixed costs.

“Hopefully that’s the end of the issues for now and we can go on our merry way.”

Mr Bowman apologised on behalf of the PMRC for any inconvenience the cancellation caused the community and organisers. 

The Camden Haven Chamber of Commence hosts the cup as a fundraiser for the Camden Haven Schools to Schools Shared Pathway. 

In 2017 the event raised over $6000 for the cause, which went directly to the pathway.

Camden Haven Schools to Schools secretary Jason Koenig said while he is disappointed the group’s major fundraiser has been cancelled, he understands why the event can not proceed. 

He thanked the chamber for its ongoing support. 

Mr Koenig said the group would plan future fundraising events and would continue to push for the next section of pathway upgrade. 

At its completion, the entire pathway project will be 14 kilometres long and connect Kendall Public School to Laurieton Public School.

Since its establishment, the Schools to Schools committee has helped to establish 3.7 kilometres of pathway through three developments. 

The next section the group wants to push for is the section between Henry Kendall Reserve and the industrial estate on Ocean Drive. 

“This is a heavy traffic thoroughfare with students from St Josephs Primary School and Laurieton Public School both utilising this section,” he said. 

In 2017 the crew were joined by MPs Leslie Williams and David Gillespie, acting mayor Lisa Intemann and Diane Pope from the Kendall Community Op Shop to mark the construction of the latest section of the pathway at Lakewood.