The Tuapeka Harness Racing Club has decided to join the Southern Harness group. The application by the Club was unanimously endorsed on Thursday night at a Southern Harness Presidents meeting in Gore.
They'll continue to race at Forbury Park, however although the meeting will be managed on the day by Southern Harness staff, the Club will continue to use the Forbury Park mobile vehicle and starter assistants from the Otago area.
It was also agreed that some of the race series that Southern Harness runs throughout the season will include Tuapeka.
Early records show that the Club began in the 1961 – 1962 season when it held non-totalistor events at both Roxburgh (November) and Forbury (March) before getting a tote licence in 1978. The Club's main race – the Selwyn Paul Tuapeka Cup has been run since 1993 when the first winner was Mighty Silks driven by Peter Shand. This season's cup will the 24th running.
The Tuapeka Club will race this coming season on Sunday 22nd October.
Southern Harness now consists of clubs from Invercargill, Winton, Wyndham, Northern Southland, Wairio, Gore, Riverton, Central Otago, Roxburgh and Tuapeka.
Bruce Stewart
Southland Harness Racing