KEVIN ‘BOOFA’ INNES By Lucy McCormick Kevin was a member of the celebrated Innes clan from Inglewood, in Central Victoria. “I think the first Innes’ came to Inglewood in 1851. My daughter used to say she can’t marry anyone from Inglewood, because she’s related to them all,” says Kevin. ‘Boofa’ is enjoying some well-earned relaxation on the couch after breaking a kneecap six or seven months ago in a track work incident. Not that it seems to be bothering him too much; he’s got plenty of time to keep up with the trots on television. “I do follow them,” Kevin says. “I don’t miss many, and I do have a bet. I like to sit in the chair and drive a race as much as anyone.” With an illustrious career both as a trainer and in the sulky, it’s a safe bet that Kevin Innes is a more than handy ‘grandstand driver’. His name is associated as a trainer/driver with many handy horses, including Lea Sands, Imatoff and Stormy Morn to name a few. Kevin is typically circumspect about his bigger triumphs, however that doesn’t seem to be what interests him the most. “I’ll tell you something,” he declares, doing just that, “I like winning with the horses that were no good. Some people never get a good horse. Imagine that. Luck is a very, very important thing. You have to have luck to buy a good horse at the sales, to get it going, keep it sound, find a race for it, find and owner and get a draw. And they still make a liar of you.” Funny, interesting or quirky stories seem to be of greater interest to Kevin, such as the time he had a strong chance in a standing start race – the favourite in the race being his only worry. “I told the owner it only had a 20-metre handicap – I couldn’t beat it off that,” he remembers. “So I was leading, waiting for the favourite to run past me. Toward the finish, I heard it coming, and it ran straight past all right – minus the driver. He’d fallen out of the cart and I won the race. Just lucky.” The Innes family have always been heavily involved in one sporting pursuit or another – Kevin himself being a champion bike rider of his time. “My Uncle Roy was a good bike rider, so he dared me to have a go. It turned out I was quite good at it as well.” So good, in fact that for many years Kevin was able to make a living from bike riding, riding the ‘board track’ for many years. “We trained hard. Bike riding was very big back then, we’d train and ride three or four times a week.” Kevin’s riding career spanned four Herald Sun Tours, a Warrnambool to Melbourne and a Sydney to Melbourne race, to name a few. “It definitely gets you in – it was long hours,” he muses. “But like anything, horse racing included, you only get back what you put in. We trained hard. I never drank, and I still don’t. I’ve seen that many athletes, great ones too, brought down by alcohol.” Lucky with injury too, Kevin can only remember a sore ankle – as well as the requisite scrapes and abrasions from tumbles on the wooden boards of the velodromes. He still enjoys watching all the big bike races when he can. “You can watch them race all over the world – France, Sweden, Germany. “To be honest I sit up and watch them with my son and we get just as much of a kick looking at the countryside than anything else. It’s so different to when I was racing.” Betting on the bike racing was big in Kevin’s day as well, and some of the bookies Kevin saw betting on the bike racing, he saw at the Showgrounds betting on the trots on a Friday or Saturday night. “Racing was different back then. There would be twelve thousand people at the showgrounds – they don’t have to come anymore, it’s just as easy to watch it on the TV.” Kevin remembers in those days that drivers had to ‘weigh in’ as well – everyone who drove needed to weigh ten stone (just under 65 kilograms). It’s something he remembers fondly. “I know not everyone will.” Kevin won’t be drawn on the subject of favourite drivers, either. “Look. Driving is different now. No disrespect to current drivers, but you had to think a lot more on a three furlong track than they do now on the bigger tracks. You had to drive with brains. And I really believe that good horses make good drivers. The horses are very good these days. Today’s drivers – your Gavin Langs, Chris Alfords – they’re thinkers, and brains will beat brawn every time. The girls are just as good now too. You only have to look at Kerryn Manning.” A garrulous and popular character, Kevin has trained horses for the likes of legendary Richmond player Jack Dyer, and also spent his fair share of time hosting sportsman’s nights, holding his own with the likes of Ron Barassi. On one such night, they had flown in a light aircraft to their destination. During their show, Kevin noticed their pilot, sitting in the front row, laughing appreciatively. There was one problem. He had a beer in his hand, and was consuming it with some enthusiasm. As the night wore on, the pilot became more and more inebriated, and Kevin became more and more disturbed, knowing that this was the same pilot who was to fly them home when they finished. Unbeknownst to Kevin, however, the flight had been cancelled and the pilot hadn’t told anyone, instead deciding to take full advantage of his client’s hospitality. For now, Kevin is happy living in Inglewood with partner Barbara. Son Grant and daughter Carla aren’t far away (both work at the Bendigo Harness track, and Carla has held both a trainer and driver’s licence). His granddaughter, Barclay Sands, was born on the same day of the demise of their star performer, Lea Sands, and may give the biggest hint yet just how important the world of harness racing is to Kevin ‘Boofa’ Innes. Blue with white yolkKevin Innes embroidered on left side chestkevin innes, k innes, bendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trotting, pacing, harness racing

The race colours of the Hall of Fame trotter Maoris Idol. Trained at Marnoo in Victoria's Wimmera by Rick Healy, and driven in all his races by his son Bryan. Maori's Idol (September 1972 – 20 October 2006) was an Australian Standardbred racehorse. He was the first Australian trotter to break two minutes with a time of 1:59.3 on 19 November 1977 at Moonee Valley. Maori's Idol became one of Australia's greatest trotters, with a record 24 successive race victories before placing third in the 1978 Melbourne Inter-Dominion Final. He is still the trotting record holder with 22 wins in a season.He was so superior to his rivals that he may have gone through his career unbeaten had he been placed to advantage by his connections. He was by Ike Frost US (by Adios) his dam was Maori Miss by Grand Monarch. Maori Miss won a heat of the 1966 Inter DominionTrotting Championship and was selected as the Australian Broodmare of the Year in 1977, 1978 and 1979. Maori's Idol older half-brother Maori Monarch won the Victoria Trotters Derby and the Australasian Trotting Championship. Maori Miss has founded a very successful family of her own and is the third dam of Sumthingaboutmaori.bryan healy, ric healy, r healy, maori's idol, bendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trophies, trotting, pacing, harness racing, br healy, b healy, r mcd healy

Jack Moore, Maryborough trainer-driver won the first Bendigo Pacing Cup with Kalama's Peak. Among the top class horses that he trained was Richmond Lass who won 35 races and went on to win the 1969 Inter Dominion Pacing Championship. The horse was owned by Fred Miller, from Richmond House, Bung Bong, Victoria and driven by "respected local horseman Jack Moore.Light blue with red starbendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trotting, pacing, harness racing, jack moore, j moore, jp moore

Large hand colour photograph depicting a driver on his sulky and horse.New Derby / Globe Derby New - Zealand Greta / Owner L. King - Trainer and Driver C. Robertson Jnr / Winner of Ascot £500 Trot 1932trotting, new derby, boort, jack king, globe derby, new zealand greta, ascot, 1932, charlie robertson jnr, c robertson jnr, charlie robertson, c robertson

Tom Beecham (1926-2000) was an American painter and illustrator known for his scenes of wildlife. Large gilt framed monochrome print of trotting horses.Flora Temple, A Brush on a Country Lanetrotting, flora temple, historic print, tom beecham

From the collection of Morris Hesse, grandson of trainer/rider George DanielWon 1932 Bendigo Jockey Club Open, 1923 Boort CupLarge Silver framed photo of George Daniel riding the pacer Val RosaVal Rosa, George Daniel. Val Rosa by Le Rosier NZ from Mimbric Queentrotting, george daniel, val rosa, bendigo trotting, g daniel

First Voyage won the first £200 2 mile Trotting Cups in successions, contested in Victoria, driven by T HardmanLarge rectangular black and white photo of horse and driver mounted on cream paper.Centered at the bottom: Belmont Stud Farm's / "First Voyage" (Imp) / "Bon Voyage," - "Elsie Downs" / Who won the first two (£200) 2 mile trotting cups in succession / Contested in Victoria / Driven by T.R. Hardman Bottom right corner: Sutcliffe & Akers / Cromwell Bldgs / 366A Bourke St / Melbournetrotting, first voyage, belmont stud farms, bon voyage, elsie downs, t.r. hardman, brian glasheen

Champion sire First VoyageFirst Australian stallion to sire 100 trotting winners. Wooden framed black and white photograph of a horse.Bottom center, handwritten in black ink: First Voyage, Record 2.19 ½ / Bon Voyage - Elsie Downs Bottom right corner handwritten in black ink: Vincent Kelly - Bendigotrotting, stallion, belmont stud, first voyage, bon voyage, elsie downs, horse

Race winning colours Bendigo Cup, Empire fella 1990, Driver Peter Ward,Bendigo pacing Cup 1990,Race colours, Pink with black bandtrotting, peter ward, bendigo, pacing cup, 1990, p ward, empire fella, pacing, bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, horses, race colours

Bendigo Pacing Cup, 1988, Jim OSullivan, Driver, TrainerPink, dark blue V, Green sleevesjim o'sullivan, j o'sullivan, quite famous, margaret shannon, bendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trotting, pacing, harness racing

Season 1981/82 Bendigo District Trotting Club Membership BadgeEnambelled Green Badge attached to length of Yellow CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo District Trotting Club. Back: Not transferable / Season 1981-82 / Ends 31st July 1982 / 48 / Taiwan.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1981/82

Season 1985/86 Bendigo Harness Racing Club Membership BadgeEnambelled White Badge attached to length of White CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo Harness Racing Club. Back: Not transferable / Season 1985-1986 / Ends 31st July 1986 / 254.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1985/86

Season 1988/89 Bendigo Harness Racing Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Blue Badge attached to length of Blue CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo Harness Racing Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1988-1989 / Ends 31st July 1989 / 305.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1988/89

Season 1987/88 Bendigo Harness Racing Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Green Badge attached to length of Green CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo Harness Racing Club. Back: Not transferable / Season 1987-1988 / Ends 31st July 1988 / 128.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1987/88

Season 1984/85 Bendigo Harness Racing Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Red Badge attached to length of Red CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo Harness Racing Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1984-85 / Ends 31st July 1985 / 255.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1984/85

Season 1989/90 Bendigo Harness Racing Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Red Badge attached to length of Red CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo Harness Racing Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1989-90 / Ends 31st July 1990 / 201.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1989/90

Season 1986/87 Bendigo Harness Racing Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Black Badge attached to length of Black CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo Harness Racing Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1986-1987 / Ends 31st July 1987 / 54.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1986/87

Season 1980/81 Bendigo District Trotting Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Blue Badge attached to length of Blue CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo District Trotting Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1980-81 / Ends 31st July 1981 / 030 / AJ Parkes.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1980/81

Season 1981/82 Bendigo District Trotting Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Green Badge attached to length of Green CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo District Trotting Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1981-82 / Ends 31st July 1982 / 50 / Taiwan.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1981/82

Season 1983/84 Bendigo District Trotting Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Blue Badge attached to length of Blue CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo District Trotting Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1983-84 / Ends 31st July 1984 / 45.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1983/84

Season 1982/83 Bendigo District Trotting Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Yellow Badge attached to length of Yellow CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo District Trotting Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1982-83 / Ends 31st July 1983 / 142.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1982/83

Season 1979/80 Bendigo District Trotting Club Membership BadgeEnamelled Red Badge attached to length of Red CordFront: Imprint of horse, sulky, driver / Bendigo District Trotting Club. Back: Not Transferable / Season 1979-80 / Ends 31st July 1980 / 013 / AJ Parkes.bhrc, bendigo harness racing club, harness racing, trotting, badge, membership, 1979/80

Sweet Trip won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 11 January 1966, followed by Fosmar and Macaree. Sweet Trip owned by I & K McLean, was trained and driven by BK Coram. Sweet Trip raced from 1963 (3YO) through to 1967 then raced in US from 1968 until 1969 (9YO). Career: 18 wins 34 seconds 19 thirds 140 starts.Two colour photographs, one small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Trotting Club 11-1-66/ Pacing Cup At the bottom: Left corner: Distance 2600 metres/ Mile rate 2.7-1/5 / Greg Matthews Photo Centre: Sweet Trip (Ribands - Graceful Spring) / Fosmar 2nd / Macaree 3rd Right corner: Owned by- I & K McLean/ Trained and driven by - BK Corambendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, sweet trip, bk coram, i & k mclean, 1966, fosmar, macaree, bruce coram

Wongala Glen won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 22 December 1966, followed by Bon Adios and Tara Monarch. Wongala Glen owned by Mr WA McKenzie, was trained and driven by WA McKenzie. Two colour photographs, one small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Trotting Club 22-12-66/ Pacing Cup At the bottom: Left corner: Distance 2600 metres/ Mile rate 2.9-2/5 / Greg Matthews Photo Centre: Wongala Glen (Lord Kara - Spring Queen) / Bon Adios 2nd / Tara Monarch 3rd Right corner: Owned by- Mr WA McKenzie/ Trained and driven by - WA McKenziebendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, 1966, wongala glen, wa mckenzie, bon adios, tara monarch, bill mckenzie

Miss Raidal won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 5 January 1971, followed by Allegiance Choice and Gallymont Road. Miss Raidal owned by A & M Perry, was trained by A Perry, driven by B Morse. Miss Raidal raced from 1969 (3yo) through to 1974 (8yo). Career: 15 wins 11 seconds 8 thirds 123 starts.Two colour photographs, one small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Pacing Club Bendigo 5th Jan 1971 At the bottom: Left corner: Owner A & M Perry/ Trainer A Perry/ Driver B Morse Centre: Miss Raidal (Alcoran - Cissy Raider) / Allegiance Choice 2nd / Gallymont Road 3rd Right corner: Dist 13 furlongs/Time 3.26.2/5/Mile Rate 2.7.1/5bendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, miss raidal, b morse, a perry, a & m perry, 1971, allegiance choice, gallymont road, brian morse

Lincoln Star won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 22 February 1978, followed by Mark Radium and Diamond Charger. Lincoln Star owned by Mr & Mrs RB Conroy, was trained and driven by RB Conroy. Lincoln Star raced from 1974 (2yo) through to 1979 (7yo). Career: 29 wins 15 seconds 19 thirds 139 starts. Refer to Identifier 15.178 (Media) for Full Career Performance Record.Two colour photographs, one small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Trotting Club 22-2-78/ Pacing Cup At the bottom: Left corner: Distance 2700 metres/ Mile rate 2.5 / Greg Matthews Photo Centre: Lincoln Star (Royal Dollar - Flora Scott) / Mark Radium 2nd / Diamond Charger 3rd Right corner: Owned by- Mr & Mrs RB Conroy/ Trained and driven by - RB Conroybendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, 1978, lincoln star, mr & mrs rb conroy, mark radium, diamond charger, rb conroy, bob conroy, r conroy

Yellow race colours with white sash and red sleevesBiris Devcic embossed left chestboris devcic, b devcic, aim first, bendigo harness racing club, bhrc, bendigo, horses, race colours, trotting, pacing, harness racing

Bay Chapel won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 11 January 1977, followed by Purple Para and Gallagher. Bay Chapel owned by Mr & Mrs J Hussey Jnr, was trained by RV Knight, driven by V Knight. Bay Chapel raced from 1973 (2yo) through to 197 (8yo). Career: 23 wins 14 seconds 17 thirds 132 starts. Refer to Identifier 15.035 (Media) for Full Career Performance Record.Two colour photographs, one small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Trotting Club 11-1-77/ Bendigo Pacing Cup At the bottom: Left corner: Distance 2615 metres/ Mile rate 2.5.3/5 /Track Record / Greg Matthews Photo Centre: Bay Chapel (Chapel Chief - Princess Del) / Purple Para 2nd / Gallagher 3rd Right corner: Owned by- Mr & Mrs J Hussey Jnr/ Trained by RV Knight/ Driven by - V Knightbendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, 1977, bay chapel, rv knight, mr & mrs j hussey jnr, purple para, gallagher, vj knight, vin knight, bob knight

Chapel Elect won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 20 January 1976, followed by King's Mead and Thoron. Chapel Elect owned by MJ Tate, was trained and driven by K Pocock. Chapel Elect raced from 1974 (3yo) through to 1978 (7yo). Career: 17 wins 9 seconds 8 thirds 79 starts.Three colour photographs, two small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Trotting Club 20-1-76/ Bendigo Pacing Cup At the bottom: Left corner: Distance 2615 metres/ Mile rate 2.7.2/5 / Greg Matthews Photo Centre: Chapel Elect (Chapel Chief - Lady Pat) / King's Mead 2nd / Thoron 3rd Right corner: Owned by- MJ Tate/ Trained and driven by - K Pocockbendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, 1976, chapel elect, mj tate, king's mead, thoron, ken pocock, ke pocock, k pocock, a robinson, alan robinson

Glamour Chief won the Bendigo Pacing Cup on the 21 January 1975, followed by Yallara and Go Van. Glamour Chief owned by M Robinson, WR Lanyon, B & C Hill, was trained and driven by RA Robinson. Glamour Chief raced from 1970 (2yo) through to 1976 (8yo). Career: 29 wins 9 seconds 4 thirds 59 starts. Refer to Identifier 15.127 (Media) for Full Career Performance Record. Two colour photographs, one small one large in a white frame. At the top: Bendigo Trotting Club 21-1-75/ Pacing Cup At the bottom: Left corner: Distance 2615 metres/ Mile rate 2.6.2/5 / Greg Matthews Photo Centre: Glamour Chief (Chief Rainbow - Dainmont) / Yallara 2nd / Go Van 3rd Right corner: Owned by- M Robinson, WR Lanyon, B & C Hill/ Trained and driven by - RA Robinsonbendigo harness racing club, horses, race, winner, bendigo trotting club, pacing cup, driver, trainer, owner, 1975, glamour chief, ra robinson, m robinson, wr lanyon, b & c hill, yallara, go van, rex robinson