Snippets from around the country

Popular former Swan Hill owner, trainer-driver and breeder Terry Vallance, who passed away suddenly earlier this week, was remembered fondly – and appropriately – by friends and associates at the local harness racing club meeting this week.

“Terry was a much-loved committee member and would be known by so many people in the sport for his work as our numbers room attendant for many years,” President Noel Watson said.

“He was the epitome of a true harness racing person. Salt of the Earth and he’d help anyone out. He was great for advice, super committed to the club, and just so conscientious in his job. When Terry cleaned the numbers, that meant using wipes, and on both sides!”

Watson said Terry had raced some nice horses over the years.

“One that comes to mind is Scotch Lyss. I remember it won in Melbourne one night and there was a fair bit of celebration involved.”

He said club members offered a special salute to their friend after the last at the club’s meeting this week.

“Terry was a big fan of beer in a green can, so we all gathered in there after the last race on Wednesday night. There were a few green cans consumed in his honor. As a noted non-drinker I had one too – although mine was Sprite lemonade! Terry would have got a laugh out of that!

“He’s going to be missed that’s for sure. Race nights at Swan Hill won’t be the same without him.”

Tomorrow night will be the thrill of a lifetime for a small group of fanatical harness racing participants from Inverleigh, near Geelong.

Eighty-two-year-old trainer/driver Bob Kuchenmeister and his owners Brooke Sadler and her mother Jan McLennan have their bay mare Leanne Leeann (Danny Bouchea) competing in the second heat of the first qualifying round of the Sentrack Inter Dominion Trotting Championship at Ballarat (Nov 26).

While the six-year-old has drawn awkwardly in barrier 11, it’s a sure bet Leanne Leeann will start a sentimental favorite with many in the industry.

Kuchenmeister is a popular figure at racetracks, turning up far and wide in his reliable 1971 Chrysler sedan and float. He’s a marvel for his age, crediting horses with keeping him going. And along the way, showing fine touch, driving around 80 winners.

The octogenarian’s interest in harness racing goes back to his younger days when he had a taxi in the northern part of South Australia.

A friend, who was also in the taxi business, had a trotter. When Kuchenmeister was given the chance to have a drive, he fell in love with the sport, and so it began. His father Henry John (Jack), a highly regarded horseman who excelled at camp drafting, tried to discourage his son from standardbreds because of the risk of injury.

And Bob is the first to admit that he hasn’t escaped over years, breaking both his hips.

Known fondly around the stables as “Kate”, Leanne Leeann is a winner of eight races and 14 placings from 58 starts for over $56,000 in stakes. Her four starts this preparation after resuming from a seven-month break have been solid, albeit against lower class runners.

She’s quoted a 100/1 chance in pre-post markets, but win, lose or draw, the 2022 Inter Dominion series is sure to be near the top of many good memories Bob’s accumulated in the sport.

There’s no doubting the pluck and determination of cheerful Charlton reinswoman Denbeigh Wade.

Wade was injured in a nasty fall on Sunday evening in the final race at the St Arnaud Cup meeting and was transferred to Bendigo Base Hospital where she spent the night.

“I was pretty sore and did lose consciousness for a little while, but I came good pretty quickly. Once they got the results of all of the scans and checks I was able to go home,” Wade said.

“I did have a pretty quiet day of it the next day, though – I just kicked back and watched a movie,” she said.

After being released on Monday morning, and a day on the couch, the hard-working Wade was back at work on Tuesday – and driving winners by Wednesday. She scored the narrowest of victories for her trainer partner Michael Gadsden with square-gaiter Sosomaori (Wind Cries Maori) at the Swan Hill meeting on Wednesday (Nov 23) night, thanks to a silky steer from a ten-metre handicap.

“Michael did tell me that if I wanted to take a day off in future, I should probably just say – not be going to those extremes, which is probably a good idea!” she laughed.

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink