She fell in love with the sport as a teenager and now Julie Maughan is driving harness racing in Tamworth into what she believes is a bright future.
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The Tamworth Harness Racing Club Volunteer of the Year for 2015/2016 was last week appointed the new THRC chairperson.
“When I retired from the work force I decided I wanted to put more into harness racing,” she said.
Born into the industry, with parents Toby and Judy Grant avid participants, Maughan started “mucking around with horses” when she was 13.
“When I was 17 I used to go over and take the trial nominations for the trials at Tamworth,” she said.
And so started an association that has covered many roles, from club secretary to on course interviewer. She was one of the first directors of the club when they changed to a board set-up, and has served as president of the North West Harness Racing Association for the past 15 years.
She’s also held various other positions in the industry, and is an owner and breeder, holds a trainers licence, and does trackwork.
Maughan’s appointment followed the news that Harness Racing NSW had purchased the Tamworth Showground, and with it securing the club’s future.
“To me harness racing at Tamworth has always been at the showground,” Maughan said.
“Now something has been done and settled there’s a really purposeful sense of moving forward.”
“We can now have a sense of direction in building the club.”
Figuratively, and literally, with HRNSW committing to upgrades to the facility including a new club house, and improvements to the stables and training facilities.
“Tamworth has always been a good club. At the moment they’re getting full fields and can fill nine or 10 races,” she said.
That will only be enhanced with the proposed developments, and Maughan spoke of the potential to attract professional trainers.
Her first meeting in charge was on Sunday, and she paid credit to the work of her predecessor Terry Browne, who she said put in “a mighty effort”.
Anthony Varga meanwhile celebrated his 27th birthday in the best possible way on Sunday with Mitrhys Magic winning the Johns Auto Service Pace (1980m).
“I think the run at Maitland topped him off nice,” the reinsmen said with the gelding coming off a second the Sunday prior over 1646m.
“He came back to a bit more distance tonight,” Varga said.
From four, Mitrhys Magic went straight to the lead and was never headed to come away with a 4.6m win over Anna Bay Al (Stacey Weidemann) with Mister Skye Rocket (Lola Weidemann) 1.7m away third.
“I knew if he could sit up for a while he would come on home,” Varga said of the gelding which is raced by Varga’s parents - John and Noelene.
Varga’s father John was also the sponsor of the race.
“That is the second time dad has sponsored a race and the second time we have won it,” he said.
