MY CALL: CAIRNS AMATEURS IS IN A GOOD PLACE
By David Fowler | Tuesday, September 5, 2017
David Fowler is the principal thoroughbred caller for Radio TAB. David, who is a keen form student and punter, has enjoyed a lifetime involvement in the racing media. His personal blog, ‘My Call’, appears exclusively on HRO.
The Cairns Amateurs is more than a two day " piss up" or a Carnival for the "silvertails"
I'm reluctant to use such cheap language but the accusations are so far wide of the mark they deserve to be scrutinized.
The pot shots often emanate from south-east Queenslanders and/or those who've only seen Cairns on an atlas.
This is a Carnival clearly underpinned by tradition.
It's beyond argument the Carnival is a totally different beast than the inaugural 1959 event when it was all about country meeting city.
It survived on grass fed horses and amateur "gentlemen" jockeys.
Through the guidance and influence of the late Syd Williams it reached its commercial peak in the seventies and eighties.
It was an event that attracted Australia-wide attention and not just from a racing viewpoint.
Big corporates poured big money into the event.
Troubled financial times saw that corporate influence wane over the decades to a point where the Carnival could have easily been for the high jump.
It had to evolve to an event that returned dollars to ensure its survival.
And the last decade has seen a decent resurgence where it largely relies on a,local younger demographic
It's working as healthy attendance figures demonstrate.
The Cairns Amateurs is currently in a good place.
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But tradition is the bedrock to this "moving" event.
No one laughs at the arrival of the Governor. No one says a "Ball" is old hat.
Racenames like the Governors Trophy or the Amateurs Bracelet stand the test of time.
Cairns society, young and old, are fiercely proud of their annual event.
Social events like the Tulloch Club lunch and the Ladies High Tea serve as an excellent entree to the race day experience,
There is an excellent mix of old and new which makes the whole shebang tick.
And the pride factor certainly extends to the industry itself.
Presentation after presentation regularly produce post-race speeches with lines like "it's wonderful to win a race at the Amateurs".
Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
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Terry Spargo was back calling Queensland races at the Sunshine Coast on Sunday.
I think it's fair to say Terry is "semi-retired" on the Gold Coasf after a distinguished calling career in Dubai.
Of course, he cut his teeth in South-east Queensland in the eighties and is considered world standard.
And he has the powerful asset of being able to broadcast all three codes with aplomb.
Don't be shocked where you hear Terry turn up at in the next few weeks!
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GRAPEVINE:- Expect some big names to be announced and some surprise results when the Queensland Thoroughbred Awards function is held at Gambaros this Saturday night,
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