This humble website does its little bit for country racing in Queensland by sponsoring the scratching, results and time board at the non-TAB Lockyer Turf Club at Gatton. If everyone does a little bit, big obstacles can be overcome. Queensland Racing and XXXX have announced help for country racing.

There is a dark side to the drought that is currently affecting Queensland and other Australian States and that is the rarely spoken of suicide rate that is happening, right now, among our farmers, as some give up hope and walk away from life in general. They don’t ever mention suicides off Brisbane’s Gateway Bridge in the media any more, but personally I don’t think you solve any problem in life by turning a blind eye to it and not discussing it.

I heard a radio interview about a fortnight ago, of John Howard’s visit to country New South Wales, from memory to the Griffith area, to assess the severity of the drought and heard a young wife interviewed and she confessed that she “checked the gun cupboard” if her husband was running late from being out working on the family farm for the day. Fancy having to live life like that? They then interviewed her husband who admitted the thought (suicide) had crossed his mind, but he went on to say a close friend who had lived nearby on a farm had suicided. The interviewee said his son had said to him the night when news had broken of the other nearby death “you would never do that Daddy, would you”? Fancy scarring a child for life through those actions? Another farmer interviewed spoke of selling 400 sheep for $360 and the freight to get them to the market was $480, so the family had to find $120 just to get rid of 400 of their sheep, rather than have them die on the family property. It was a gut-wrenching quarter of an hour of radio and the interviews were not staged in any way, shape, or form. They had asked people from the many hundreds that had attended to come forward as couples, and explain to other Australians what the drought meant, so people spoke out, to allow them to help other farmers out and educate non-farmers.

Personally I was bought up on the land and to the day I die I will have childhood memories of seeing my late father killing cattle that were bogged, or cows simply to weak to stand up again, with the back of an axe head, to put them out of their misery. He would not have a gun on the property because he wouldn’t rate himself a good enough shot to hit the right spot first time and if you have ever seen someone shoot a cow, or a horse and miss the “right spot” - you will know what I write of. If you haven't seen it, believe me, it is not worth watching and your life can be complete without witnessing it.

There are no winners in any of the aforesaid – only losers – but droughts are part of life on the land - as are floods - and people know that the day they choose to become farmers.

During the touching radio interview, they interviewed another woman who spoke from the heart and said words to the effect “we women can help keep our men together and alive and we do that by organizing social outings, so that we can all be together as farmers - and all work on helping each other out. It gives us all some social interaction and a chance to be with people with similar problems”. Vivid memories of that radio interview all came rushing back to me when Queensland Racing issued this Media Release late yesterday. With rain falling over a lot of South-East Queensland in recent days, maybe there will be cause for a double celebration in the next few weeks.

The Media Release from Queensland Racing reads (and maybe racing governing bodies in other States could follow suit with the idea):-

Queensland Racing and XXXX have joined forces to give something back to those regions severely affected by the drought.

Working in conjunction with Black Toyota, Queensland Racing and XXXX have selected five race meetings throughout regional Queensland, at which Queensland Racing will provide ‘free entry and XXXX will shout the bar’.

 “This initiative was instigated by Stan Johnson and Craig Black and is aimed at providing something different to those communities in the grip of the drought,” Queensland Racing’s Paul Brennan said.

This promotion will apply at the following race meetings:

Lockyer Race Club – 18 November

Tambo & District Race Club – November 25

Emerald Jockey Club – December 2

Roma Turf Club – December 9

Dawson Jockey Club – December 30

The above race meetings will also have additional prizemoney added to a selected race on the day.  

“People in the drought are suffering from depression as well as many other issues and we are trying to help them overcome this hurdle as they go through this tough time,” Craig Black said.

“It’s great to see both XXXX and Queensland Racing come on board and provide a day at the races and a free beer to those people in regions adversely affected by these conditions.”

“Country Racing has always been a part of the social fabric of regional communities and Queensland Racing is hoping to make these five racedays an affordable option, for those people struggling under these trying conditions,” Paul Brennan said.

“The funds for this initiative have been provided by Thoroughbred Marketing Queensland and XXXX, and it’s great to see both these organisations support such a worthy cause.

“All five Clubs will be programming extra activities on the day and I would encourage all locals to get behind this initiative.” 

For further information please contact Queensland Racing’s, Racing Services Manager, Mr Paul Brennan on 07 3869 9721.