Ladies rein in championship

BATHURST and Blayney will play host to the best female drivers in the nation in the coming fortnight as the Blayney Harness Racing Club hosts the inaugural Great Western Reinswomen’s Championship.

The Blayney track will host the heats of the championship on Saturday, January 30 before the finals are held at the Bathurst track a week later.

Blayney club secretary Ken Davis says the initiative is one designed to try and bring spectators back to the track and at the same time recognise the growing place reinswomen have in the sport, particularly in this region.

“It’s all about getting people back to the track, to try and reintroduce that family atmosphere and involvement in the sport,” Davis said.

“Having good crowds at harness racing meetings was a big part of the sport once upon a time but like many sports it has suffered from the amount of television coverage there is and people seem more happy just to sit at home and watch.

“I’m hoping we can get the people back and make it a really social sort of event once more.”

Davis, who has been involved in the sport since 1963 when he first visited Harold Park as a spectator, says the thought process behind targeting female drivers is it could open up a niche in the sport in this state in years to come.

“This is serious stuff. Blayney may well have found a bit of a niche here,” he explained.

“We want a sort of signature event, and once it is going maybe we can look at increasing prize money and really trying to grow it, similarly to the Carnival of Cups - maybe we can get some assistance from Harness Racing NSW.

“And though it is a Blayney idea we are very pleased to have the Bathurst club involved as well for the final, though Blayney will be something unique - it is certainly a good old fashioned country circuit.”

Ten of the best available drivers have been invited to the event, headlined by local trio Amanda Turnbull, Ashlee Siejka and Emma Turnbull, while the line-up is filled out by Rebecca Brown, Amy Day, Katie Hutchison, Cassie Robinson, Lisa Thompson, Sally Torrens and Kerryann Turner.

Bathurst’s Angela Hedges will line up as a reserve alongside Cowra’s Michelle Crooks.

Assuming the nominations are steady, the heats will consist of two races with points awarded according to finishing position - with $1000 prize money for each - before a $3000 final in Bathurst a week later.

“We can see this event going from strength to strength and hopefully next year places will be highly sought after,” Davis said.

“To me, horses tend to respond to female drivers, they have an affinity with the animal that sometimes not a lot of men do - you can see it in equestrian events, thoroughbred racing as well as pacing. These girls are talented, articulate, and they are great ambassadors and have set a great standard.”

The opportunity during both Blayney and Bathurst meetings will be there for local trainers to employ the driving talents of the reinswomen in attendance, while the Blayney club itself is also canvassing interest for a square-gait trots race.