History - Harold Park (NSW HRC)

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History of Harold Park

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HAROLD PARK HISTORY

THE New South Wales Harness Racing Club was proud to celebrate its 100th anniversary in 2002, having been inco The scene of Harold Park in the early 1900s rporated on October 10, 1902.

Few of the small but sedate crowd which attended Harold Park's first meeting on 19th November, 1902, visualised that in 1960, 58 years later, on the same course a world record crowd of 50,346 would tear down partitions in the grandstand to get a better view of a big event.

Few at that first meeting visualised that in 1975, some 78 years later, trotting drivers from North America and Europe would compete against Australian and New Zealand drivers on a racing strip, described by the visitors as the "best lit trotting track" in the world.

Then in March 2002, the biggest Inter Dominion crowd in a decade gave the Bathurst pacer Smooth Satin a standing ovation as he fought on to take a last stride victory over the Victorian, Shakamaker.

However the crowd at that first meeting would marvel at the magnificent sporting area, which Harold Park is acclaimed in its centenary year.

The Harold Park course in 1902 was known as Forest Lodge, and for the first meeting there were five events with total prizemoney of 99 sovereigns.

Just prior to the turn of the century, and before meetings commenced at Forest Lodge, the present Harold Park course, trotting and pacing was confirmed primarily to match races between enthusiasts without and serious attempt at organisation.

Following some preliminary discussions, 33 of the sport's keenest supporters met together on 4th June, 1902 at the saddlery shop of J.McGrath, a well-known harness maker of the day.

Between them, those present at the meeting raised the sum of 19pounds 17shillings and 6 pents to launch the proposed Club. The general contribution was 2/6 per person, while the maximum donation was 10 pounds 10 shillings by Mr.J.A.Buckland, owner of the famous horse "Fritz".

A week later the Club was incorporated on 10th October, 1902, with 22 members paying a subscription of 2 pounds 2 shillings, and the inaugural meeting was held on 19th November, 1902, the Forest Lodge course it was then known, being leased from the Metropolitan Rugby Union.

Following two meetings at Forest Lodge, racing was continued at the old Kensington Pony course where it was conducted until June 1904. Racing was then resumed at Forest Lodge, which had in the interim period became Epping.

1911 was an eventful year in the history of harness racing in New South Wales. It marked the recognition by the Colonial Secretary of the Day, of the New South Wales Trotting Club as the Controlling authority of the sport in the state. From that year onwards, successive Governments have continued to give that recognition, until 1976 the control was transferred to the Trotting Authority of NSW.

1911 also included the Club purchasing the course from the Metropolitan Rugby Union for 10,400 pounds.

The track was known as Epping until 21st March, 1929, when, due to the confusion of the name with that to well-known Sydney suburb, it was renamed Harold Park, after the imported trotter Childe Harold – one of the great progenitors of the stock of the early night trotting days.

Childe Harold was bred in Kentucky, and was imported from Glasgow, Scotland, by Mr. Andrew Town of Richmond, New South Wales. [CLICK TO CONTINUE]