Industry loses two popular stalwarts

Harness racing devotees don’t come much more fondly remembered than former trainer, driver and studmaster the late Eddie Walsh, once reputed to be Victoria’s oldest registered trainer.

The northern Victorian horseman passed away at the weekend at the age of 92 having remained passionate about the industry throughout his life and an active participant aged into his 90s.

It was a sad few days for Shepparton Harness Racing Club – Mooroopna stalwart Val Hill also passed away during the week.

Alongside Eddie Walsh, Val was another of the long-serving passionate harness racing identities of their generation. Val and her husband Geoff served the Mooroopna Club for many years.

Walsh was a registered trainer as recently as 2018, at age 88 – and lived and breathed harness racing since he first became involved almost 70 years previous.

Although well known for his achievements with outstanding pacer Meadow Lawn, who Walsh later stood at stud, it was perhaps his passion for the industry that will be most fondly remembered by his many friends in the sport.

“Dad’s life was his horses…along with mum and his children,” said daughter Bernadette Baker.

“He just loved the sport.  He had a trainer’s licence since 1952 and loved harness racing right through his life.  He was a life member of the Shepparton club and had the numbers room named after him – he loved doing that role in later years.

“He had a lot of handy horses, but he always said Meadow Lawn (Meadow Vance) was the best one he trained.”

Walsh became involved in harness racing while living on the northern outskirts of Melbourne and had his first race drive on the old Woodend track. His maiden victory was on Wilbur Direct (Don Wilbur) at Warragul on New Year’s Day in 1952.

In the 1970s Eddie left the city, moving to northern Victoria to combine farming with his great love of training standardbreds near Benalla.

A decade later, in 1982, he purchased a property at Congupna so he could be located in the heartland of trotting, and he stayed there for eight years before moving into Shepparton.  He enjoyed working for and alongside a number of respected owners, breeders and trainers, including the late Leo Newbound, Kevin Riseley, Clive Dalton and the O’Donoghue family.

Walsh was elated at a popular and memorable win four years ago at Cobram with Concorde Dawn (Panpacificflight), a pacer previously prepared by Wayne Potter.

The win was followed by a massive ovation from the crowd for Walsh, who was then aged 88 and reputed to be Victoria’s oldest licensed trainer.

“Not being able to be involved in the last few years was hard for him, but he kept positive. All his life he had this outlook to just grit his teeth and get on with things,” Bernadette said.

“He always looked out for people and was an awesome family man.  Last April he celebrated his 69th wedding anniversary with our mum Carmel and he had brekkie with mum on the morning he passed away.”

Bernadette said her dad always had “at least a few” horses in his stable.

“I’ve got four brothers and we can all remember clambering into the car when we were young with boxes of sandwiches and off to the trots,” she said.

“When we were at the meetings we’d always stay until the last—there was no rushing home because dad had to catch up with friends and congratulate the ones who had winners!

“Last Friday I took him to the Shepparton track where he had stables. They’re all pulled down now to make way for the new training centre and dad was aware they weren’t there anymore, but still wanted to go for a visit.”