May'09 - Greyhounds Queensland

THE television was on Sky Channel athome recently and I heard a birthday callfor Doris Steinke.It made me remember some great oldtimes with Doris and her sister Betty whohave been great greyhound stalwarts formany, many years in south-east Queensland.Doris is 88, still drives her car aroundthe suburbs, heads to indoor bowls a coupleof days a week and still owns shares in afew dogs.And every now and then you can stillfind Doris at a race meeting at Ipswich.Ipswich has been a happy place for Dorisfor the past.Her sister Betty died a few years ago,but the pair have seen some great times.Between them and friends they have ownedor shared in the ownership of NewGeneration, Just Jane both winners of theIpswich Gold Cup, as well as Just A Charmwho was the National Distance championat the Gabba.Both New Generation and Just Janewere Ipswich greyhounds of the year.Doris gets fantastic support from hermany neighbours, like Don and Lyn Masseywho have been priceless for Doris.Betty and Doris were just part of theinflux and influence women had ongreyhound racing in Queensland. But backin the early 1970s women in Queenslandhad a bit of a start on those in NSW.No greyhound could be handled bywomen on a racetrack in NSW at that time.It was a ridiculous situation and fortunatelythe officials in that state saw the error oftheir ways.I have always believed women are amainstay in the preparation of greyhounds.They still are today.I firmly believe women handle dogsbetter on a racetrack. Look at some of themover the years, Pauline Fruend and BevBehm, Margaret Quarrell, Maureen Culey,Maree Heck, Edna Stafford.Margaret is still churning out great dogstoday.The first time I met Margaret she waswalking a black bitch called Eskdale Lassshe had brought from Victoria when shemoved up here.Margaret’s mother Kath and my mumIvy would play bingo together four times aweek … at least. I reckoned if they weregreyhounds, the pair of them would be racefit.Look at the greats Margaret has trainedover the years, Wallowa Flash, Coin SpotLass and her famous daughter Coin SpotPride. Eskdale Lass was the greatgranddam of Wallowa Flash, the dam ofCoin Spot Lass and granddam of Coin SpotPride.Then add Hatari Chief, Nobly Born,Wild Coin Lad and Wild Edition etc etc.Coin Spot Pride was a wonderful bitch.I remember her winning the BradshawCorey PearcePhotographyFor all your race photos atAlbion Park (Mon, Tues, Wedand Thursday nights)Ask us about specialised photosof your champion.0417 000130Syd NorrisMemoriesChallenge at Harold Park in 1984, a matchrace against Lease Of Life from JohnClayton’s kennel.The Challenge was a State of Origin typeaffair.Queensland had been on a winning trotin the State of Origin and the Challenge wasa real Queensland v New South Wales clash.Coin Spot Pride won easily and even thoughMargaret is a real Aussie rules fanatic, shegot right into the spirit of the rugby leaguetype challenge.Specially when Coin Spot Pride won.One of my devoted readers of this columnis Maureen Culey, she and Beryl Green, andI always give them a wink whenever I seethem.Maureen raced a bitch called StrongQueen who was a pretty good Gabbaperformer. Maureen was an air hostess whenshe first came into the dogs. And frommemory she was a good swimmer in heryounger days.Maureen took over training StrongQueen and won plenty of races with her.She’s been putting the polish of some smartdogs ever since, except for that break in ahotel around Gympie way.Moon Critic and Brigadier North wereothers that proved Maureen could train aswell as anyone.Her daughter Kellie is one of the nicestyoung women I have met. I remember her asa kid working in the canteen at Capalaba.She was always handling her mum’sdogs on race days and never forgot tocongratulate the winner of every race shewas in.Pups For Sale40 acre property provides ...* Spacious galloping paddockswith dams and shade* Quality feeding and wormingprogram* Pups taught to lead at anearly age and handledregularly* All pups kennelled beforebreaking in* Excellent facilities availablefor whelping littersThe (May, 2009) Journal Page 27Matt Hayden certainly got himself awinner there.Looking to the future, I was talking toan old Wests rugby league stalwart LeeElgood at Capalaba recently and he iscertainly doing his bit for the future femaleinfluence on the sport.Lee’s daughters Mia and Casey are sokeen on the dogs and already want to betrainers.Mia even puts together a little newspaperon her family’s dogs and has a bigreadership.I might get a job writing acolumn for Mia one day … ifI play my cards right.And speaking of gettingin touch with our feminineside … I caught BradNorthfield sitting alone in thegrandstand at Albion Parkrecently holding a handbag.Brad, one of the nicestguys anyone could meet, wastrying so hard to hide thathandbag.He didn’t want a soleseeing him in thatpredicament. I’ve never seenanyone so worried aboutbeing caught out.He was so embarrassed.One of the last people hewanted to see, while clutchinga handbag, was me.Brad furiously tried to convince me hewas simply holding the handbag for awoman trainer who had been staying at hisplace to race a bitch through the Futurity.Right Brad!Z ammit'sRearing andSpelling Farm'If you want yourpuppy to havegood nutrition,plenty ofgalloping andconstant care,take advantage ofyears ofexperience withinthe industry andgive it the beststart in life onour farm'GEORGEZAMMITFor any information, pedigrees, faxes, e-mails or photosContact George Zammit (07) 54266209