Two Parkes families have been honoured on the National Harness Racing Trainers and Drivers Memorial Wall at Club Menangle.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Called the "National Harness Racing Trainer & Drivers Memorial" it will be a national recognition for the '40 Trainers and Drivers' that have lost their lives from injuries received from a race fall or training accident across Australia.
It will be a permanent place in the Club Menangle Museum.
After many years of painstaking research by Club Menangle Historian, Peter Collier, the opening of the wall has now occurred. "It is long overdue and we now can finally honour and pay our respects to our fallen trainer & drivers who have tragically lost their lives", Collier said.
Forty trainers and drivers had their name and photograph added to the wall including two Parkes men, Barry Power and Keith Thompson, who both lost their lives tragically as a result of harness racing falls.
Barry, 60, died on July 21, 2007, from the terrible injuries he received in a fall at the Trundle race meeting on June 25, 1994. The Trundle Club never raced again after this day.
Barry was a hobby trainer and driver and his main job was a Shunter for the Railways in Parkes, a position he had to forego after the accident.
Barry's best pacers were Kayricia Princess, Steel Dominator and Barry's Miracle who he was thrilled to achieve great success with.
Keith, 70, died on April 2, 2010, the result of terrible injuries he received in a fall working a pacer at the Parkes Showground in February, 2008.
Keith battled away in harness racing for over 50 years and met with mediocre success. His most notable winners included Glendon Miss, Portellis Gift, Newtown Lil and Frednsue.
Both men were very actively involved in the Parkes Harness Racing Club.
Family members of both Barry and Keith attended the unveiling of the wall.
ALSO MAKING NEWS: