Historic Wentworth Races
Wentworth District Racing Club has been racing for over 150 years. Our first race meeting was held in Wentworth on New Years Day, 1862, a picnic affair on the clay flats at the northern end of the town, near the Race Course Hotel. 150 years on and the Wentworth Races are still an important part of Sunraysia’s social calendar and history.
Our one and only race meeting for the year is held on Melbourne Cup Day, the first Tuesday in November and droves of country and city folk come from near and far by plane, boat, 4 wheel drive and car, to enjoy the Sport of Kings with friends and family. In fact many make a long weekend out of it and enjoy our BIG DAY OUTBACK FESTIVAL, which starts on Saturday and finishes well after the last race on Tuesday.
Situated a stones throw from the Junction of the Murray & Darling Rivers is Sunraysia’s original Race meeting, The Wentworth Races.
Spend a relaxing Melbourne Cup Day in the Outback at the Wenty Races with Friends, Family & Country Folk that love a good time!
Committee
Committee
President: Breeon Cole
Vice-Presidents: Kate Witte / Jeff Robinson
Secretary: Lois Fraser
Treasurer: Liz Thomson
Committee Members:
- Annette Fraser
- Liz Buffon
- Brian Beaumont
- Kathy Stuckey
- Colin Mckenzie
- Kate Witte
- Nicola Job
- Andrew Buffon
- Stacey Jonas
- Jim Jacobs
- Patron: Mr Robert Baker
History
History
Wentworth held its first race on New Years day in 1862.
Races held in Wentworth from 1862 – 1872 were a picnic affair on the clay flats at the northern end of the town, near the Racecourse Hotel.
In October 1862, a group of Graziers and Townsmen met in the Wentworth Hotel and decided to organise races in Wentworth on an official basis. The Club’s first event was on the 23rd & 24th of January 1873 at the Billabong, one mile from the Towns centre.
Organised racing boomed and within a few short years the Wentworth Club was to become NSW’s leading Country Race Club.
In 1880 conditions were found inadequate on the Billabong Flat and the Racecourse was moved to its present location, the eastern side of the Darling River.
The club was disbanded in 1960 after years of gradual decline. Three years later Graziers from the Stations urged that a new Club be reformed which happened in 1966 and it still runs today as Wentworth District Racing Club.
Life Members
HONORARY LIFE MEMBERS:
- MR L C LANE
- MR R W FORD
- MRS J HILL
- MRS N J REID
- MR R WAKEFIELD
- MR J FRASER
- MR G S BYRNES
- MR E N ABLETT
- MR O M MCLEOD
- MR W S GRACE
- MR J D ANTONIE
- MR C N WATTS
- MR R BAKER
- MR M WELLS
- MR N WILLIAMS
- MR R SCADDING
- MR A DAWES
- MR M THORBURN
- MR J SWANN
- MRS P MCKENZIE
- Mr R HILL
- MR R HARVEY
- MR J BARNFIELD
- MR D CARROLL
- MR B CLARKE
- MR C MCKENZIE
- MS A FRASER
- MS L THOMSON
- MRS B COLE
News
Contact
Address: PO Box 118 Wentworth NSW 2648
Secretary: Lois Fraser 0488 273 043
Email: info@wentworthraces.com.au