Rohan recognised for loyal service

Wedderburn Harness Racing Club stalwart John Rohan arrived in the town to play football in 1967 -and he’s been there ever since.

“I used to move about a bit and had a number of coaching stints, or otherwise I played professionally and got paid,” he said.

“To be honest I moved to Wedderburn to play for just one season. Now I’ve been here for 55 years and ended up getting heavily involved in harness racing which has been terrific.”

Rohan has been a loyal club member for more than 50 years and in recognition was awarded Life Membership at the recent Cup meeting.

“I knew nothing about it. It was a well-kept secret, but unfortunately I couldn’t be at the meeting because my health had been a bit up and down,” he said.

“Janice Rothacker, who lives at Huntly with her (trainer-driver) husband Stuart, accepted the life membership award on my behalf. Janice is the daughter of my late partner Roma, who passed away a few years ago.

“My nephew Peter, who lives at Stawell, was also there along with a few other family members. I copped some serious back injuries about seven or eight years ago, including a crushed vertebra, and that’s when I had to give the horses away.

“It was a hard decision, but I decided if I couldn’t yoke them up, then there was no way I could train them.”

But that didn’t stop a passionate Rohan from dedicating his time to track maintenance and other roles around the club.

“There’s always things to be done. I kept doing the track for as long as I could. Three months ago, I went around with the roller and that was probably it,” he said.

In the past the popular volunteer has acted as lap steward, bell ringer, club delegate, track curator on race days between races and other behind-the-scenes tasks.

“I used to have to ring this big bell when the field had one lap to run. I can proudly say I never made an error. Now of course it’s all done electronically.”

Rohan, who is proud of his Irish decent, said he grew up in the Cobden region.

“Dad always had horses. That was the way most lived-by the horse. Everyone had them, it was a way of life. Some for pleasure but there were little race clubs all around the area.

“It would be nothing for dad to be away for two or three days to race horses. He’d drive his trotter and lead the galloper and others would do the same. A few from Wedderburn set off to race at Avoca one time. When they got there, they found no-one around. They checked if there was a meeting on during the week and got told it had been the previous day!

“They probably lost track of the days because there were a lot of wine shanties around then!”

Rohan left Cobden when an 18-year-old to play football for Mortlake. During a long and successful career primarily in the midfield, he was also associated with Murtoa, Jeparit, Hamilton Imperials, Goroke, Wedderburn and Inglewood. He was also an inter-league representative against Latrobe Valley, Bendigo and Western Border.

“I was lucky to play in three premierships. I had interest from Carlton, Geelong, Melbourne and South Melbourne, but I was happy in the bush. The city back then was big to country people,” he said.

“I played up until I was 37 for Inglewood. The first couple of games that year I was okay, but then my body couldn’t do what my brain was saying! I thought I was handing out some bumps, but I realise now I was probably on the receiving end!”

Rohan said during his time at Mortlake, he got to know the great trainer, Bill Davies.

“I’d help him with the horses, and I remember driving Bagpipe Jack and Noble Stranger.

“I was always around horses. In 1963 when I was in Jeparit with football, I got to know some horse people in Herbie Madden and Dennis Miller.

“I was also fortunate to have an uncle in Bill Roberts who was a farrier, blacksmith and funeral director. He had a horse drawn hearse and would walk in front. He said to me one day he’d show me once how to shoe a horse and thankfully I had a bit of a gift in enough knowledge to sort them out.”

Rohan shod all his horses over the years, both trotters and pacers, and wouldn’t go to the races unless he was happy with their feet.

He recalls many longshot victories including trotter Kanoa who won at 130/1 before stringing together seven on end.

“I drove Gingerade to win at the Melbourne Showgrounds at 50/1 and we all backed him. And there was another one in Bells Star that won at Charlton one day at 60/1,” Rohan said.

Other handy horses to race in the Rohan colors of orange, green sleeves and orange armbands, included Hilary’s Conquest (who beat Scotch Notch as a 3yo at Kilmore); Bells Band, Scotch Demand (who Rohan also stood at stud and sired some nice ones); Lowan Star, Gamal, Pharlite and Big N Bold.

Rohan had stables behind his house, situated close to the Wedderburn track.

“While I’m thrilled to get the life membership, it’s not for reward, but for keeping something going for Wedderburn. Without harness racing, the town would be shot.”

By Terry Gange for Harnesslink