New Steward

[imaufo]

The Singapore Turf Club has announced the appointment of Mr Dudley Feldman, aged 57, as its Principal Chief Stipendiary Steward with effect from 1 June 2002.
Feldman, who had recently retired from his position as Professional Racing Steward with Malayan Racing Association (MRA), has spent 29 years in stipendiary work, having served in various senior positions such as Chief Stipendiary Steward in South Africa, Singapore and Macau before joining MRA as Professional Steward.
Feldman will head the stipendiary stewards' department in the Club and will chair the panel of stipendiary stewards on Singapore racedays.
By: Jo Adams - Sunday, 26 May 2002

[cheesebeast]

No necessity to have two chief stipes at Kranji
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Date Posted: Tuesday May 28, 2002
The appointment of two chief stipendiary stewards by the Singapore Turf Club has set tongues wagging. The New Paper tipster Lionel Lee, who himself was a stipe with the club for 10 years, makes his call on the matter.
Why have two chief stipendiary stewards if bigger racing establishments around the world can do with just one?
Given that the function of a stipendiary stewards' panel and the job scope of its members are virtually the same everywhere in the world, the decision to appoint two chief stipes does seem strange.
In an apparent attempt to avoid confusion, the Singapore Turf Club (SNTC) had taken great care in last week's media release to spell out who the actual chief would be.
David Fisher, chief stipe with the club for the past eight years, will no longer chair the panel come June 1, according to the SNTC release.
Taking over the helm will be 57-year-old Dudley Feldman, the principal chief stipe.
Well-respected by many who has worked with him, Feldman's appointment to the top post is regarded as a move to enhance the level of stewarding, which has come under scrutiny in recent times.
The stipes' protest in the Superb Effect-Pacific Prince case in 2000 and the resulting change of placings caused a major uproar.
And then there was the controversial decision to disqualify jockey Greg Childs for one year last July.
A day after imposing the ban on Childs, the stipes were to deliver yet another contentious decision.
This time, it was jockey Oscar Chavez who was hauled in. The Panamanian was found guilty of a charge which, in essence, stated that he had "fluctuated the pace of the race" while many felt that Chavez was fully entitled to do so given the circumstances and as the race had turned out.
Both Childs and Chavez subsequently won their appeals, which did not surprise me at all.
While the club's appointment of Feldman is laudable, I am hesitant about the idea of seeing two chief stipes co-existing under the same racing jurisdiction, especially when there is a clear difference in roles.
Is the club out to create local racing history by naming two chief stipes?
On a global scale, they may even have scored a first. Sure, flashy titles is the in-thing in most businesses today. In racing, however, awkward situations can arise from taking that route.
Take, for instance, the so-called chief stipe's post. In this case, the person holding the position happens to be Fisher.
Can you imagine how uncomfortable and difficult it can be for him to explain to foreign racing officials that he is not the No. 1 man although his business card states that he is the "Chief Stipendiary Steward".
A business card the size of an A4 paper on which the media release was written may help. Until he finds one, why not save everyone the agony. - NP