Sister Cherie NZ getting the win at Kellerberrin Photo by Photography by Jodie Hallows
Kellerberrin is gearing up for their biggest celebration to date, with 100 years of racing approaching on September 22, and the club promises that it’s one not to be missed.
Kellerberrin had their opening meeting on Wednesday, September 24, 1924, and almost 100 years to the day, they celebrate their century of racing, with the day featuring the $11,000 TABtouch North Eastern Districts Cup.
The day not only celebrates the success of Kellerberrin but acknowledges their neighbouring clubs that have since shut their doors; Cunderdin, Wyalkatchem, Trayning and Merredin and their continued support of what is now known as the Central Wheatbelt Harness Racing Club.
Once run at ‘Olympia Park’, situated on the outskirts of Kellerberrin, a mere 203km east of Perth, the Kellerberrin Trotting Club was affiliated with the WA Trotting Association ahead of their inaugural meeting, but getting horses to the track looked a little different 100 years ago, and their usual means of transport was by train, with horses racing on the night stalled behind the Kellerberrin Hotel.
In 1947, a new track was constructed and the track that was once Olympia Park is now home to the local airstrip, with some of the boundary land used for the training of horses still located in the area, and with that opening, the club hosted their first Kellerberrin Cup, with the win going the way of Royal Stamp, trained by Don Ryan.
It was a progressive time during the 1940’s, with the track receiving lights in 1948, and the club hosted their first night meeting on the 1st of December that year, with over 2000 spectators in attendance for the memorable event.
Home of the standing starts, it wasn’t until the construction of their new and current track in 2000 that the mobile made its way up the hill, and mobile starts were introduced to racing at Kellerberrin, but one thing has never changed, and that is that even after all these years, the club embodies the very essence of grassroots.
“In between all these years, a tremendous amount of hours of voluntary labour in administration, maintaining the facilities and track maintenance (have gone into the club), we are truly thankful.”
Harness racing has been a big part of the Kellerberrin community for many years and the clubs aim for the day is to showcase just that, with plenty on offer on the day, with memorabilia on display from the many years of racing at their beloved track, plenty of entertainment for the whole family as well as the pint-sized races also making an appearance, with the pony trotters adding a level of adorableness to the day.
Fields for Sunday’s meeting will be released on Wednesday afternoon, September 18.
