NZTR 28 April 2025 Ballesty excited to lead NZTR into a new age Newly appointed New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) chief executive Matt Ballesty has had his feet under the desk for a couple of months now, and he is excited about the challenge of leading the industry into the future. NZTR 05 February 2025 New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing Appoints New CEO New Zealand Thoroughbred Racing (NZTR) is pleased to confirm the appointment of Matt Ballesty to the position of CEO, effective 5 March 2025.