non-fiction A history of the Wodonga Turf Club produced and presented to the community in 2003. The first race meetings took place in Wodonga as early as 1859, when there was an annual three-day race meeting known as the Belvoir annual races. More regular racing in Wodonga dates back to 1870. The first formal race club, the Wodonga Racing Club, was founded in 1873. In 1901 it was renamed as the Wodonga Federal Racing Club. In May 1901, the Wodonga Amateur Turf Club was formed. Also in 1901, on 3rd July, another body, the Wodonga Citizens’ Race Club was formed with a view to satisfying a demand for winter racing. At a meeting at the Wodonga Council Chambers in October 1901, it was decided, seemingly by an unanimous vote, that the three Wodonga race clubs then in existence would amalgamate to form the Wodonga Turf Club. This publication documents key events and personalities involved in the development of racing in Wodonga since that time until 2003.horse racing wodonga, wodonga turf club, country horse racing victoria

"Melton has a long and celebrated history of horse breeding and racing. Draught horses were a crucial aspect of life in the early days of European settlement, and were heavily depended upon for both transport and agricultural labour. Peppercorn trees at the corner of Station and Brooklyn roads have been associated with a horse trough installed there to provide a drink to workhorses carting produce to the chaff mills and railway station south of Melton.20 Breeders, trainers and harness drivers in the area later became such an influential force in the equine industry that this came to be a defining aspect of the district’s identity and reputation.Pioneer of the Victorian horse racing industry and early Rockbank squatter William Cross Yuille was one of the earliest importers of stud racehorses in the district in the 1850s. A leading sports editor and writer, Yuille established bloodstock auctioning agency W. C. Yuille & Co. and was involved in the compilation of the first Australian Stud Book, which ensures the integrity of thoroughbred breeding in Australia. According to early Melton chronicler Alexander Cameron, horse races were first organised in the area by Rockbank farmer William Keating. Keating owned racehorses of his own, and many brought horses from Melbourne for the events, which ‘drew large gatherings’.22 Melton Racing Club meetings were held on the Exford Estate with the permission of H. W. Staughton, who built a small wooden grandstand in 1882. Other early races and sports meetings are said to have been held in the vicinity of the current-day Melton golf course.23 An 1884 article reported that Melton’s ‘race programme … equals any put forth by country towns of far greater size’. Ernest Clarke was another important figure in the early horse racing industry in Melton. He established the Melton Stud in 1902, which bred numerous successful racehorses. Perhaps most notably The Welkin, one of the most famous stallions in Australian horse racing in the early twentieth century. The Welkin sired Gloaming, bred by Clarke at the Melton stud in 1915 and one of Australia’s greatest champion racehorses. During a long and prestigious career in both Australia and New Zealand, Gloaming achieved a triumphant 57 wins out of 67 starts and won a record amount of prize money. Ken Cox purchased the Stockwell Stud in Diggers Rest in 1957 and developed it into one of the largest and most renowned thoroughbred breeders in Australia. With its top-class facilities, international design standards and scientific methods, Stockwell became ‘the flagship of the Victorian breeding industry’.26 As well as racing studs, numerous trotting tracks were established on the flat plains around Melton in the 1960s.27 Other studs to play a leading role in the development of Melton as thoroughbred country were Cornwall Park and Merrywood at Toolern Vale, St John’s Lane Stud at Diggers Rest and Birchwood, Teppo Park and Dreelburn in the far north-east of the shire, near Sunbury. By 1985, thoroughbred horse breeding was such big business in Melton that the shire council adopted the slogan ‘The Heart of Thoroughbred Country’, which was used throughout its promotional material.29 But the slogan contained deeper meaning and was not just about Melton’s great equine industry and thoroughbred champions, the council explained: ‘“Thoroughbred Country” should be seen as a new concept of Melton, as a place where people can achieve the “Thoroughbred” ideal, excellence in all aspects of life’. The aim of the council in promoting ‘The Heart of Thoroughbred Country’, was ‘to instil in present and future residents the feeling that this is a place that is better than others. A place to be proud of’. In 1988, Melton’s champion reinsman Gavin Lang won his 176th race of the season, claiming the national harness racing record for the most wins in a single season.The following year, the first Melton Plate was held at Moonee Valley Racecourse, cementing the district’s importance in the harness racing industry. The inaugural winner was Victorys Phil, owned by local Danny Mullan. By the 1990s, Melton had earned the title of the ‘Home of Harness Racing in Victoria’. State-of-the-art, world-class harness racing facility and entertainment complex Tabcorp Park opened in Melton in 2009. In 2011, the Shire of Melton was home to over 140 registered trainers and over 1,200 horses. The municipality’s continuing leadership and influence in the industry today is a testament to the skills, talents and leadership of the local community over its history".Shire of Melton pamphlet of a map and information of the equine industry in Meltoncouncil

This certificate was awarded to Violet Murrell for a race sponsored by the Royal Agricultural Society of Victoria in 1929. Violet Murrell (formerly Violet Farmer) was one of the best female riders in Victoria, who won many events for dressage, show jumping and straight-out gallops at country meetings. She protested loudly that she was not allowed to ride at city tracks against the male jockeys despite beating them at country meetings. When she married Bill Murrell, a well-known jockey, they came to live in Mentone. Violet Murrell died in a tragic fire at her home in 1934 while trying to save her favorite horse, Garryowen, and her husband, who had tried to help her, died a few days later.Horse race award certificate awarded to Violet Murrell, riding Garryowen. Light brown in colour, with "First Prize" printed prominently across centre in blue. Dull gold decorative bands at top, bottom and left. Printed gold shield in centre of left band and small printed ornament with crown in centre of top bar. Printed (from top down): "The Royal Agricultural Society/of Victoria.", "First Prize.", followed by blank lines to be filled in: "Awarded to", "Exhibit", "Class", "No." Printed signature at bottom: "Henry Schwieg[ler?]/Secretary" Printed in shield on left: "GRAND/Annual/Exhibition/1929" Handwritten in black ink, to fill in blank lines: "Mrs. W. Murrell's "Garryowen" "[Awarded to], "Lady's Hack/15.3 or under" [Exhibit], "82" [Class] , "357" [No.] murrell, violet, horse racing, garryowen