The Leigh Plunkett Foundation is entering its second year with the launch of the stallion auction.
The Foundation is named in honour of one of Tasmania’s most respected trotting participants.
Leigh was a member of the Harness community on every level, working as a trainer, driver, studmaster and administrator before passing away in December 2007, aged 57.
His life was claimed by Leukaemia, a form of cancer that has touched many within the industry.
The charity is set up this year to broaden its charitable donations to a wider variety of people in need, whether from Cancer or other chronic illnesses.
The first aspect is the stallion auction which can be accessed by clicking here.
There are 10 stallions up for auction and the Leigh Plunkett Foundation is extremely grateful to all the studs involved:
- WESTERN TERROR – EMPIRE STALLIONS
- SIR LINCOLN – LINCOLN FARMS
- SHOOBEES PLACE – LOCHEND STUD
- MCARDLE – NEVELE R STUD
- A ROCKNROLL DANCE – ALABAR & NEVELE R STUD
- BETTERTHANCHEDDAR – ALABAR
- SMILING SHARD – ALABAR
- GREAT SUCCESS – NIOTA BLOODSTOCK
- YANKEE SPIDER – NIOTA BLOODSTOCK
- JULIUS CAESAR – GLOBAL STALLION MANAGEMENT
One key facet to the Foundation is the Leigh Plunkett Memorial Scholarship, giving one lucky young trotting participant the chance to travel abroad and fast-track their learning experiences.
Ellen Tormey was the worthy winner in 2013/14 and has only recently returned from one month in the USA and Canada where she attended some of the major carnivals and worked with leading trainers.
Aimed at anyone, in any harness field, between the ages of 18 and 30, the Foundation will give the winning contender the chance to jet off to training or breeding establishments across North America, or Europe and New Zealand. Applications will be called for shortly, so all young participants around Australia should start to think about their application.
The judging panel includes experts from each state and the winner will be announced early in 2015.
For more information on Leigh Plunkett, or the Foundation that has been set up in his honour, head to www.leighplunkettfoundation.org.au.
