MOVERS AND SHAKERS
Towong Turf Club: a small club with a remarkable history
In 2006 a visiting author asked a jockey about the future of the Towong Turf Club. The jockey’s reply: This place will survive because the people want it to survive sums up the resilience and determination which has driven the progress of the club since its inception.
The fact that in the first hundred years of racing at Towong the club had only four presidents speaks volumes for the commitment of those early committeemen. And it was not only the presidents; the secretary of the Club in 1900, Alf Acocks, held the position for more than forty years. The same family names kept turning up in successive generations of race club supporters.
STAY TUNED - MORE INFORMATION ON THE CLUB, THE HORSES & THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS COMING SOON
Including Henry & Colin Stockwell, Lennie Schintler and recollections from John Whitehead.
The present day racecourse was formed in 1883, and the magnificent elm trees which still grace the lawns and carpark are well over a century old. In 1985, former president, Tom Waters, remarked on the foresight of the early committee members to lay the course out the way they did. Modern committee members have fought hard to preserve these trees against disease and to maintain and improve the course.
The iconic grandstand, built in 1912 by TW Greenhill, has also survived the ravages of time and threat of bushfires and is the oldest of its kind in Victoria. The grandstand has undergone extensive restoration work thanks to Government and local shire grants, and donations from the community. The determination to preserve this landmark is testament to the dedication and commitment of the Turf Club’s “movers and shakers.”
Officials, owners, trainers, jockeys, visitors, filmstars…….you can find out more about the many colourful characters who have helped to shape the history of the Towong Turf Club; just have a look at the commemorative history panels on permanent display at the racecourse.
Enjoy!
