The Port Pirie Harness Racing Club is a true Aussie success story. Against continued adversity, the Port Pirie club has continued to keep its head above water and remain a beacon for harness racing.
Its survival is due in no small way to the continued passion and commitment of the ‘Pied Pipers of Port Pirie’ – club president Mick Darling and secretary Neville Thomson.
For nearly two decades the pair have been in their roles leading along a hard-working group of volunteers who are just as committed to see the sport survive in a town which has had more than its share of job losses as technology and tough times cut into life.
Despite an apparent reluctance by a number of city participants to travel to Port Pirie, Messrs Darling and Thomson and the hard-working volunteers continue to provide meetings for northern harness enthusiasts to follow their passion.
Credit to the pair, they realised early on that the club could not survive just on receiving a meeting fee from Harness Racing South Australia – they had to generate an income stream.
So began fund raisers such as Bingo nights, 100 clubs, endless raffles, running the canteen, and more recently taking over the running of the bar.
Also the time-honoured Driver’s Invitation which is supported by Australia’s top reinsmen and women who are pleased to support the iniaitive.
Now, the club also supplies a free DVD to the connections of every winner at club meetings.
All done by volunteers with a passion to see the Port Pirie Harness Racing Club remain viable. The canteen is typical of what punters expect when they head to a race meeting of any code – good old fashioned food – cooked fresh with renowned country ingredients.
At the turn of the century, the hard work was rewarded with funding obtained with the support of HRSA and the Port Pirie Council to rebuild the circuit with the new 950m track offering a winning chance for every horse.
The fund raisers continue and so too do the issues.
The latest to hit the club is the drop in on course tote turnover.
Once a guaranteed money maker, the advent of corporate bookmakers and mobile phones and iPads has seen today’s punter not needing to bet on course through the tote.
Such is the drop in turnover that most days it costs the club money to run the on-course tote.
Fortunately, the club may soon may be able to announce another income stream which can offset the drop in turnover but in typical Aussie spirit the committee won’t ‘count its chickens until they are hatched.’
With the removal of racing at several other clubs around the state, the Port Pirie club is now able to focus on a three cup carnival next year.
Port Pirie will stage the Whyalla Cup on February 5, the Kadina Cup on March 4 and the Port Pirie Cup on March 19 and it is hoped that trainers might look to those meetings as a chance to head to the Iron Triangle town.
Port Pirie Harness Racing Club is a perfect example of what can be achieved when people with a passion are prepared to roll up their sleeves to help their mates – all behind the ‘Pied Pipers’ Mick Darling and Neville Thomson.
by Graham Fischer