Easter is upon us, and what better to include an afternoon of harness racing at Marburg on this coming Easter Sunday. The trotting folk, in conjunction with major sponsor, “Oakwood Capital” have planned a massive “Family Fun Day” with all kids activities free and supervised, including “dodgem” cars and a rock climbing wall. The mini-trotters are in action, and the Easter Bunny will be dropping in with the chocolate goodies. For the adults there are, the “funny money bookmaker”, where people who like a bet but cant afford to lose can use “Marburg money” to win a stash. The auction of fancy goods after the last race is where the “Marburg money “ becomes valuable. There is a multi prize raffle, a draw based on losing TAB tickets, a lucky race book draw and Fashions On The Field. Keeping the best to last, and again with the assistance of Oakwood Capital, the traditional “Pick The Card” has been boosted to a massive $10,000.(shared if multiple winners).. Buy a $3 Race book, and fill in the coupon with your choices in the last seven races, and follow the updates late in the program to see if you are still” alive”. At the same time cash in your “ funny money” voucher with the bookmaker.
All the above is served on a platter of top burgers and home made desserts accompanied by the cheapest beverage prices at “the Battler’s Bar”.. Adults $5.. Members and Pensioners $3 and Race books $3..
All human activities have a history , sometimes stretching back over millenniums, and, being at the front end of progress at this point, we have the luxury of looking back and reading the story which unfolds. Harness racing, as we know it, when presented in public, consists of a number of competing units which comprise horse, driver and sulky. We are going to examine the development of the mechanical portion of the equation, the sulky, which, as the racing grew in popularity from road to track, “morphed” into today’s race vehicle. We will get to a major turning point today.
Each step in the process is directly linked to the technology and materials available at the time.
Our story begins in the mid 1800s when the “high wheeler” sulky came into vogue. At this point, it became necessary to set a standard race time, or “benchmark” to identify suitable ability to use the winning horses for future breeding stock. This mark was set at 2:30 for a distance of 1 mile. This was not the pedestrian speed we might think today, as the impression of speed gained when driving a high wheeler hitched to the rough gaited fore runners of today’s slick movers, must have been something incredible. (currier and ives one). The materials were for many years, steam bent wood, with joints and stress points supported by hand forged steel, or wrought iron brackets. The top choice of woods was American hickory which had superior flexing qualities.
Various oddities appeared, including designs which had the driver’s seat level with the horse’s back, which made racing very dangerous indeed. Eventually, longer shafts and smaller wheels recognised the need to reduce wind resistance. 1892 saw a direction change in sulky design when the bicycle wheel entered the picture, and this addition has been a factor in all sulky design since. Every facet of the 1892 wheels, from the materials used in its manufacture to its placement on the sulky has been has been improved. Only the principle of the inflated tyre remains. More next week. A marriage of wood and steel.
We are still adjusting the reporting window here. This week covers fifth to eighth of April. Driving laurels very well distributed, with Nathan Dawson leading up with five wins, Narissa McMullen on four and Adam Sanderson and Trent Dawson running a dead heat on three wins apiece.. Top trainers were Mitchell Dawson and Chantal Turpin, preparing two winners each, while most pleasing was Captain Shuffles for Ben Crosby at the Marburg meeting. Not only well prepared but a bonus for Ben’s efforts at the Club. Ipswich Factor 22/37..
Resultsville Albion Park 05/04.. Empress Byline (Nathan Dawson for Melissa Gillies).. Summomentsomewhere (Adam Sanderson for Shannon Price).. Delightful Lou (Mattew Neilson for Darren Weeks).. Beach Magic (Adam Sanderson for Shannon Price).. Marburg 06/04.. Lanoch Boy (Nathan Dawson for Mitchell Dawson).. Good As It Gets (Trent Dawson).. Captain Shuffles (Nathan Dawson for Ben Crosby).. Always at Night (Matthew Neilson for Ricky Gordon).. Schooby (Lachie Manzelmann for Kay Crone).. Kay Nora Shannon (Narissa McMullen for Mark Rees).. Bulldog Brawler (Trent Lethaby for John McMullen).. Redcliffe 07/04.. Connies Spirit (Adam Sanderson for Stewie Dicksdon).. Going Great Guns (Trent Dawson).. Faireachdainn (Nathan Dawson for Mitchell Dawson).. Royal Princess (Nathan Dawson for Peter Greig) .. Lavazza (Hayden Barnes).. Albion Park 08/04.. Streit Kid (Narissa McMullen).. Talent To Spare (Trent Dawson).. Big Wheels (Hayden Barnes for Chantal Turpin).. Infatuation (Narissa McMullen for Ron Sallis).. It Aint The Money (Narissa McMullen).. Lombo Heaven (Pete McMullen for Chantal Turpin)..
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