What started off as a race to honour two great stalwarts of the harness racing industry, the Hewitt Memorial race day has evolved into an afternoon of high class harness racing action and community engagement.

While also remembering the contributions of Aubrey Frost, and from this year on Robert Allport, the afternoon is also recognized for its support of the Crookwell Community Trust charity.

“The Crookwell community has really got behind the day, and each year it seems to get a little bit bigger with really good crowds getting to the track” said club secretary Mark Croatto.

“We’re always looking to add to the day, and this year we’ll have the singing talents of brothers Lachlan and Thomas Bensley who perform as Short Notice” added Croatto.

The brothers, who are great grandnephews of Tom Hewitt, will perform between races throughout the afternoon. With Thomas commencing his second year at NIDA, and Lachlan to commence his first year at the renowned JMC Academy, both boys are well entrenched in careers in the performing arts and will be a welcome addition to the afternoon.

As in the last couple of years, the afternoon of racing also doubles as an important fundraiser for the Crookwell Community Trust.

The Crookwell Community Trust provides aid to people of the Upper Lachlan Shire who have experienced extreme difficulties due to personal trauma and or natural disaster. The shire includes Gunning, Crookwell, Taralga, Binda, Bigga and Tuena, and each year tens of thousands of dollars are provided to those who have suffered.

Tim McCarthy, Chairperson of the Trust and local solicitor at Crookwell, was delighted with the ongoing partnership between the Trust and Goulburn Harness Racing Club.

“We’re looking forward to another wonderful afternoon, and we’re delighted with our ongoing relationship with the harness club. The funds we raise go to help the many people who require our assistance and we are forever grateful to the many who help us do that” said McCarthy.

As in previous years, Trust members will conduct a major raffle with multiple prizes including a Reflections Holiday Park accommodation package for a family of four, a $150 dinner voucher at The Argyle Inn where patrons can delight in the delicacies of the world class kitchen.

Other prizes include a McGeechans Farm Supplies gift voucher and a carton of quality wine bottles. Community Trust members will set up inside the Grace Millsom Function Centre and the harness club encourages all those attending the race meeting to generously purchase tickets in the raffle.

All funds raised on the day will be used to bolster a pool of money that can instantly be made available to people who are in distress, when they needed it the most, which is usually immediately after the emergency has arisen. To meet the needs of those who require help, the Trust must remain financial and Sunday’s raffle is but one of the annual fund raising efforts the Trust conducts.

The $12,720 Tom and Angela Hewitt Memorial has been won by an array of quality horses with last year’s event taken out by the Bernie trained and driven Royal Story. One of three sons of Tom and Angela Hewitt, Bernie had not previously met success in the race. Royal Story confirmed her quality as a race horse going on to win a further six races including a $20,000 Country Series Final at Menangle last October.

Supporting the Hewitt Memorial will once again be the $12,720 Walla Walla Stakes for the C4 and better grade pacers. With the immortal pacer buried adjacent the Goulburn Paceway’s home straight, the Walla Walla Stakes is being held for the fifth year and provides trainers with the ideal lead up race to the Group 3 $31,800 Goulburn Soldiers Club Frank and Edna Day Goulburn Cup scheduled for the January 28 Carnival of Cups meeting.

Goulburn harness racing is brought to fans by the kind support of Tabcorp, Goulburn Soldiers Club, Hollingworth Crane Hire Service, Randwick Equine Centre, Southern Highlands Equine Centre, Sun Solutions Goulburn, Semco Equipment Sales, RSM Accountants, and a host of smaller businesses including Top Water Carters Crookwell, First National Real Estate Goulburn, Goulburn Livestock Transport, Landmark Southern Livestock Agenices, J.A. Communications, Crust Gourmet Pizza, Glen Mia ACT Saddlery and Ranvet.

For all the latest Goulburn harness racing news visit the club’s website at www.goulburnpaceway.com.au and don’t forget to like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/goulburnpaceway/.