Les Chapman tonight added Victorian harness racing’s highest individual honour to his CV when he was crowned the 2009 Gordon Rothacker Medallist at Tabcorp Park, Melton.
The tireless Maryborough Harness Racing Club secretary and owner-trainer became the first winner of the prestigious Frank Ryan Secretary of the Year to also claim the Gordon Rothacker Medal.
Named in honour of the man who won 14 Melbourne Drivers’ Premierships and 10 Melbourne Trainers’ Premierships, the Rothacker Medal recognises those who have made an outstanding contribution to harness racing over a sustained period.
Chapman joins Ian McCallum, Geoff Hill, Jim Barker, Ron Pocock, Matt Donaldson, Peter Manning and last year’s joint-winners Bruce and Elizabeth Clarke on the honour roll.
The 61-year-old this year celebrates 50 years’ involvement in harness racing. His love for the sport started when he drove his first standardbred in training at age 11 and was driving race winners five years later.
After combining hobby training with a professional career as a banker then later a deli owner, in 1986 Chapman embarked on a full-time career training and breaking-in.
He has handled many quality horses, but by far the best was former champion trotting mare La Coocaracha, who he trained to seven wins from her first 15 starts before she was transferred to Andy Gath.
In 2000 his involvement took a different twist when he replaced Merv Gray as secretary at Maryborough, a position he still holds today.
The Club has thrived under his management and he is best known for his development of the outstanding Redwood Trotting Carnival into one of the State’s premier events.
Tonight’s ceremony was also where the 2008/09 season’s outstanding performers came in for recognition.
Ballarat reclaimed the mantle of Victoria’s premier club when it was crowned the Victorian Club of the Year. It is the sixth time in eight years that the industry leader has won the award.
Yarra Valley continued its emergence as a harness racing force when it was the most awarded club for the night, taking out three awards.
The Yarra Valley club claimed the Best On-Course Promotion award for its work with the Fashions on the Field competition it conducts at its successful Melbourne Cup Day non-TAB fixture, while it was also crowned the Best Presented Venue.
In light of those awards, it is not surprising Brett Shambrook was crowned the Secretary of the Year for clubs which conduct fewer than 16 meetings.
Yarra Valley just pipped Cranbourne for the most successful club of the night. CHRC chief executive David Scott won his second consecutive Frank Ryan Secretary of the Year award, while Cranbourne also won the Best Country Cup Meeting.
Scott wasn’t the only person to win back-to-back Secretary of the Year awards with Kyabram Harness Racing Club’s Ian Purdey again winning the Graduation Club award.
Stawell Harness Racing Club snared the Country Club of the Year (16 meetings or less) award for the second time in three years, while Bacchus Marsh is the Country Club of the Year for the first time.
Horsham cemented it reputation as the benchmark for harness racing coverage when it took home the Best Media Coverage award for the third time since 2005.
Two Curator of the Year awards were also presented with Kilmore’s David Benson winning the one for clubs that conduct 20 meetings or more and Ararat’s David Spiller taking out the award for club’s that host fewer than 20 meetings.
The full list of the award winners are:
Gordon Rothacker Medallist – Les Chapman
Country Club of the Year (More than 16 meetings) – Ballarat
Country Club of the Year (16 or fewer meetings) – Stawell
Country Club of the Year (Graduation) – Bacchus Marsh
Frank Ryan Secretary of the Year (Full Time) – David Scott (Cranbourne)
Secretary of the Year (16 or fewer meetings) – Brett Shambrook (Yarra Valley)
Secretary of the Year (Graduation) – Ian Purdey (Kyabram)
Best Country Cup Meeting – Cranbourne
Best Local Media Coverage – Horsham
Best Presented Venue – Yarra Valley
Best On-Course Promotion – Yarra Valley (Melb Cup Fashions on the Field)
Curator of the Year (20 meetings or more) – David Benson (Kilmore)
Curator of the Year (Fewer than 20 meetings) – Arthur Spiller (Ararat)
For Further Information: Lucy Brennan, HRV General Manager – Marketing & Events
Ph: (03) 8378 0287 Mob: 0425 770 000
