A true “Visionary” that was the first to recognise the value of women to Harness Racing
James Brennan (1872) was an owner who became widely regarded as the father of Western Australian Harness Racing and the finest administrator in harness racing history
He, together with JP (John) Stratton personally guaranteed the loans required to build Gloucester Park
The same man had the inspiration and vision to create what was to become the Inter Dominion Championships
James Brennan is not quite as well known for his third “visionary” stroke of genius
Few would know that this major contribution to harness racings future began far from Western Australia in the tiny Victorian hamlet of Koo–Wee–Rup some 60 kilometres from Melbourne
Ken Dyer relates this tale in the July/August 2010 of the sadly missed independent publication Harness Racing International
In 1894 a baby girl was born in Koo-Wee-Rup and was named Pearl O’Brien
Her family moved to Perth where she married to become Mrs Pearl Kelly
In 1912 Pearl applied for a licence to compete at meetings conducted by the newly formed WATA
The president of this Association was James Brennan and being one of the rare administrators far in advance of his time he foresaw the promotional advantages of women participating in harness racing granting Pearl a licence to compete at Perth’s metropolitan raceway
It was a over century ago that the value of women to the sport of harness racing was first recognised and the seed planted by a true “visionary” that has led to their highly valued status in the sport today
But it has been a long road with a many male dominated executive management roadblocks along the way
Opportunities for women drivers were spasmodic to say the least up until the early 1970’s when there became an Australia wide acceptance of ladies “exhibition” races
Then the South Australian Trotting Club introduced the inaugural
Australian Reinswomen’s Championship at the Wayville Showgrounds in 1973
An approach was made to the South Australian Totalisator Agency Board to bet on and off course on the Reinswomen’s Championship which created a first in Australian racing history
The Adelaide media provided extensive coverage and fuelled strong debate as to the worthiness of female drivers as betting propositions (Come on down Kerryn Manning, Amanda Turnbull and today’s entire female headline grabbing contributors to the sports image!)
This generated enormous awareness and interest amongst the general public and a huge crowd flocked to Wayville to see Fran Donohue from NSW take the first “Australian Reinswomen’s Champion” title
You might find this hard to believe but the last and only time the “Australian Reinswomen’s Championship” was conducted was forty two years ago
Hopefully there is another modern day “Visionary” harness racing leader out there who recognises the value of our female participants and has the influence to recognise the talents of our reinswomen in the best way possible – Their very own “Pearl Kelly Australasian Reinswomen’s Championship”
Ray Chaplin
Approved By Dean Baring www.harnessbred.com
Driving The Future Of Harness Racing
