![Ted Wilkinson has continually risen to the challenge. Picture by Mark Bode Ted Wilkinson has continually risen to the challenge. Picture by Mark Bode](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/962f394d-ae48-4d6d-8845-7b1105e50592.jpg/r0_0_3847_2722_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
At age 78, Ted Wilkinson knew it was time to exit stage left.
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And so it came to pass that for the first time in many a year, this respected gentleman of NSW country racing was not in the driver's seat when the Quirindi Jockey Club staged its annual Boxing Day happening on Monday.
After an 11-year stint as the club's secretary manager, he has handed over the reins to his former personal assistant, Sam Taylor.
"These days I'm getting a bit old," Wilkinson said, "and I'll forget something one of these days that's far too important."
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As Taylor darted around Quirindi Racecourse on Monday, while revelry rippled through a rippa crowd, Wilkinson chilled. Sitting in the QJC's office, he reflected on his tenure at the club, and on a life dedicated to rising to the challenge.
It's a story that has its roots in the Barraba stock property his parents worked on and where he grew up, and then morphed in an unexpected direction when he became a trainee accountant at Tamworth TV station NEN - now Prime.
He said he landed the gig "by accident", adding: "Right place, right time."
In a 40-year media-industry career, primarily in radio, Wilkinson rose through to ranks to become a station manager and then a network manager. In radio, he mainly worked at 2AD in Armidale and TM in Tamworth.
![The QJC's new secretary manager, Sam Taylor, says Wilkinson is "still very much at arm's reach ... because I certainly don't come with the wealth of knowledge that he brings [to the role]". Picture by Gareth Gardner The QJC's new secretary manager, Sam Taylor, says Wilkinson is "still very much at arm's reach ... because I certainly don't come with the wealth of knowledge that he brings [to the role]". Picture by Gareth Gardner](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/KUhQizDbwW8WqAyPP4x5yp/4c4199fa-d75e-4e47-b1e2-0c3ce3635f5b.jpg/r0_0_1034_678_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
As network manager of Super Network Radio, he oversaw the operations of more than 30 radio stations from Gympie in the north to Parkes in the south.
He ended his media career in order to fulfil a long-held ambition: operate his own farm. He did that on 485 hectares just west of Willow Tree. "And then I retired from that when the body said no more."
He added: "I had a Murray Grey [beef] stud, and I wanted to show the rest of the breeders that you could breed good, big Murray Greys - and achieved that over 20 years, I suppose. So I'm happy with that."
Wilkinson also grew a number of crops on the farm, including wheat, barley and canola.
So I pretty much had to learn how to drive a tractor again after many years [off the land].
"Loved it," he added, in reference to his time on the property.
Wilkinson retired from farming some 13 years ago, then moved into a house he had built in Willow Tree. There he remains.
He lives by himself but has two sons. One of his boys lives in Sydney, and the other one is based in Gunnedah. "So I'm midway between the two," he said.
Wilkinson had been the QJC's long-serving president when he became its secretary manager, thinking he would be in the role for only three months.
It was challenging at the time and I had the time, so I decided to take it on.
Quirindi has only seven scheduled race meetings annually, but must maintain the track in race-ready condition 12 months of the year in case a nearby meeting needs to be transferred there due to rain or something else.
"The demands of racing and Racing NSW and the punting public is really high pressure; everything must be spot-on," Wilkinson said.
Eventually, Wilkinson may find his way back on to the QJC's committee. As has been the case throughout his life, he would be the right man for the job.
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