Thoroughbreds » Selection Panel
Please select from below:
- Bill Bovington
- Robert Edwards
- Rennie Gardiner
- David Hunter
- Ernie Manning
- Darren McAullay
- Bob Pearson
- Neville Pratt OAM
- Max Simmonds
- Ted van Heemst
Robert Edwards
Robert was born in Newcastle, NSW and came across the then dirt track of the Nullabor Plain to WA in 1962 with his parents, Roy and Maureen. He gained firsthand knowledge in the thoroughbred industry working for his father, who was a leading trainer in the 1970's and 80's during weekends and later full-time before going to University.
Robert became a cadet journalist with The Western Mail Newspaper in 1981 and later lived in Hong Kong where he worked as the Racing Editor for The Standard Newspaper before returning home in 1987, where he gained employment with The West Australian as a member of the racing team.
He had educated, trained and owned thoroughbreds in a lifelong career in the racing industry.
Rennie Gardiner
Rennie is a third generation racing administrator and follows in the line of his father and grandfather. Born in Bunbury, Rennie’s first visit to the track was at the age of nine when the races commenced with an open strand barrier in the era when there were no starting gates or photo finishes.
Rennie, a successful businessman in the Great Southern, was a race caller for 22 years, from Albany and Mount Barker to Broome.
He has been a committeeman of the Albany and Mount Barker race clubs.
David Hunter
David made a career in government as an Accountant after earning a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Curtin University.
He made the move to thoroughbred racing in the late nineties as Executive Officer and Handicapper with the Western Australian Turf Club and on its inception in 2003 he was appointed Manager Thoroughbred Racing and Chief Handicapper with RWWA.
He brings a degree of freshness to the panel along with the knowledge gained in the very relevant position of Handicapper.
Ernie Manning
A baby boomer, Ernie was raised and educated in the south west of the state and has had an illustrious career in journalism, specialising in racing and pacing, for nearly forty years.
His encyclopaedic knowledge of all things thoroughbred saw him the chief racing writer of the Daily News for 16 years and is he currently writing for The West Australian.
He owned many city winners during the 1970's and 80's and has been attending Melbourne Cup Carnivals for over thirty years.
Darren McAullay
Raised and educated in Kalgoorlie, the talented young Goldfields sportsman decided to pursue his passion for horse racing and broadcasting when he commenced race calling professionally at the age of 16 with the Kalgoorlie Boulder Racing Club.
After being offered a position with former racing station 6PR in 1980 at the age of 17, McAullay has since risen to become one of Australia’s most prominent and respected thoroughbred commentators. He has been Racing Radio’s (1206 AM metro) senior race broadcaster for the past 15 years.
McAullay also broadcast WA Harness Racing for well over a decade, including covering 5 Interdominion Series, has been a prominent bloodstock auctioneer throughout Australia since 1985 and is currently the Executive Officer of the Western Australian Racehorse Owner’s Association.
Bob Pearson
Born in 1956 Bob is a well known West Australian business man who has always had strong ties with racing in WA as well as other sporting bodies. He is currently Chairman of the Australian Racing Board and a director of RWWA.
He was President of the East Perth Football club in the early 90's and at about the same time served a period on the W A Turf Club Committee.
Bob has strong ties with swimming as his son Todd is an Olympic gold medallist.
Having raced some very good gallopers over the years he is definitely the man to get the good oil from.
Neville Pratt OAM
Neville started writing for the Sunday Independent in 1976 and carried on with the Sunday Times when it purchased the Independent, he has rarely missed a metropolitan race meeting since.
At the same time he has put together a remarkable career in horticulture as well as being awarded the Order of Australia in 1992 mainly for services to Baseball administration after representing his country in the sport.
He has bred and raced thoroughbreds over a long period of time and has vivid memories of many of the Hall of Fame nominees.
Max Simmonds
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.
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 still works as an assistant judge at the provincial races and is the best known face in his beloved Broome where he has visited every year for as long as most people can remember.
Ted van Heemst
Ted has a background in business with degrees from the University of Victoria and the University of Western Australia and held various positions in the Thoroughbred Breeders Australia as well as the W A Bloodhorse Breeders Assoc from the late eighties.
He is best known for his still continuing Chairmanship of the Western Australian Turf Club from 1996 and under his stewardship the code has gone from strength to strength.
He has a wealth of knowledge particularly in the breeding industry but has also raced gallopers with plenty of success including Group I wins.
