60 years on the trot for volunteer Ray

Harness racing is full of stories and characters – but Ray Lunghusen from northern Victoria's Gunbower Harness Racing Club is the real deal.

The club stalwart became the first recipient of Harness Racing Victoria's Alice Laidlaw Award at the weekend – and was also recognised by his club for an incredible 60 years of volunteerism.

The Gunbower club hosted one of its two major annual race meetings, the George Croxford Tribute day on Sunday, and used the occasion to present their hard-working life member with an appreciation award.

But on hearing Ray's story, Harness Racing Victoria added to the accolades, by presenting him with the inaugural Alice Laidlaw Award**.

Ray has performed almost every role in an incredible six decades of involvement at Gunbower – and was one of the key players in ensuring the club could return from the "wilderness" after being shut down in a State-wide rationalisation in the early 2000s.

President of the Gunbower Harness Racing Club, Roger Brereton said Ray, who's about to turn 82, became involved in "the trots" by mistake.

"He went to a mate's place to buy a dog – and ended up buying a brood mare, fortunately for us!" Brereton said.

"That broodmare then went on to produce a number of foals and she got Ray hooked on the sport and he's been with us ever since," he said.

Ray became passionate about his harness racing and a highlight was a Gunbower Pacing Cup winner in 1989.

"It was with Metro Fella (23 wins from 158 starts in the late 1980s, early 1990s) who I bought as a yearling at the sales," Ray said.

"But my best horse was Keystone Fella – I bought him as a yearling from a bloke who was selling up all of his horses. He won 13 races from about 60 starts, including winning four at Moonee Valley. We ended up selling him to America, which wasn't that common back then (mid 1980s)."

These days Ray is content to watch the fortunes of horses raced by his son Grant.

HRV Chairman Dale Monteith made the journey to Gunbower to present the Alice Laidlaw Award and also paid tribute to Ray's commitment as track curator.

"It was Ray's dedication that kept the track in a condition that Gunbower's Pacing Cup could be returned to the club in 2012," Mr Monteith said.

"One of our great strengths is commitment of so many volunteers and passionate people like Ray, who just love the sport. He personifies all that is good about the family of harness racing and it's great to be able to recognise him," he said.

"We've established the Alice Laidlaw Award with the aim of recognising some of those great contributors."

Brereton said Ray's efforts had been pivotal in keeping the club functioning over a six-year period when it was not racing, and in being in a position to regain two major race meetings a year for Gunbower.

"He's performed almost every role in the club that there is, including being our club steward for a number of years, but his passion has always been and still is, the maintenance of the track."

And, true to form, Ray was back at the Gunbower track on Monday morning, cleaning up, servicing the tractor and dragging the track.

"I just love it – the atmosphere, the comradeships with all the committee and of course the race days. I hope I can keep doing it for a while yet," he said.

**Alice Laidlaw (1894-1947), is a Harness Racing Hall of Famer. She was one of Australia's most respected and accomplished female riders and she also trained, rode and drove trotters, competing against the men. In 1929 she won several races with Bazil Bells at country tracks, but authorities refused to grant women licences at the metropolitan track at Richmond, so she engaged male drivers.

Terry Gange

NewsAlert PR Mildura