The race caller heaven is richer this week with the sad news that West Australian Race caller Max Simmonds has away after a long battle with cancer.
Simmonds, 79, a Midland boy and very proud of it, Max was born in 1936 and went to work at the West Australian newspaper in 1953. He trained as a racecaller under Keith Gollan and called his first race in 1953.
Max called 42 Perth Cups and filled in for the ABC as a harness racing caller when the late George Grljusich.
He called 42 Perth Cups and his dulcet tones were heard for the last time after Tumeric won the Perth Cup in 2003, that’s 50 years of calling races. Max worked as an assistant judge at the prvincial races and was the best known face in his beloved Broome carnival.
Simmonds also built a special affinity and affection with North-West race clubs and spent three months each year based in Broome.
He called 43 Broome Cups, 33 Port Hedland Cups, 25 Roebourne Cups, 23 Wittenoom Cups, 15 Newman Cups and 10 Kununurra Cups.
In 2013 Simmonds was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia for his services to Australian racing.
In 2012 he was among 35 nominees considered for induction to the West Australian Racing Industry Hall of Fame. He missed his first round last year in many seasons because of his illness.
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
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