I DON’T care what your slant is on the fall from grace of horse trainer Darren Weir.
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I’ve only got praise for the man.
Let me clarify this.
As a long-time horse breeder and owner (of trotters) and an animal lover I don’t condone what Weir was doing with some of the gallopers he trained to make them perform to their capabilities, or at least somewhere near it.
One prominent trainer once told me that jiggers (I know them as prodders), the discovery of which was crucial in destroying Weir’s racing empire, are used only on horses who are not performing to their capabilities.
Champions and good horses don’t need to be persuaded to do their best because it comes naturally — they actually want to do it (run fast) and they enjoy doing it.
So it’s usually the horses who are bludgers who need to get reminded what they are being trained for.
Experts claim the practice is not harmful to the beast, so it is not cruel.
A similar practice is allowed and legal in the cattle industry. It is employed there when it comes to handling them — a bit of shock treatment enticing them to do what is being asked of them rather than let them run their own race, which would be no help to anyone.
In Weir’s case there were no drugs involved, something I’m sure some fellow trainers would probably harbour a conscience about.
My unwavering admiration for the man they call Weiry goes back a few years ago when he had just won the Melbourne Cup.
I was one of the hundreds at the Mallee whistlestop hamlet of Berriwillock the day when Weir brought the cup back to his home town.
I still rate that day as one of the best experiences of my now lengthy time on this planet. Nothing will ever change my opinion on that.
Not only did I get to see a proud Weir display the cup to adoring, genuine race fans and also to people who probably had never been to a race meeting in their life, I actually got to have a good old tongue wag with him.
As far as he was concerned I was a complete stranger. He could have fobbed me off because a lot of other people qualified more than I did that day for him to spend a few minutes with.
If that wasn’t a lasting memory for me it was when I cheekily asked to give me a horse to follow from his stable that I could have my 50 cents on.
The horse he told me didn’t start for a few weeks but when it did it won — and it kept winning.
Yes, of course I’m talking through my pocket. But my point is that he didn’t have to answer my questions. He didn’t have to give me the time of day or that good tip.
But he did.
Those moments are what I’m always going to remember Darren Weir for rather than what has unfolded over the past two weeks.
To me he’s still a hero and I hope his days as a trainer are not over as some would like to think and believe.
Yes, he has done the wrong thing but he is a fine horseman and he can bounce back.
Darren Weir is not a bad person. He has just made some bad decisions.
T20 scheduling critics should give it a rest
KYABRAM Cricket Club was due to replay its Cricket Shepparton Twenty20 semi-final against Northerners last night (Tuesday) after it was washed out on Wednesday night of last week after only six overs were bowled.
The winner is due to meet Katandra, which won its semi-final last Thursday night, in the final tomorrow (Thursday) night at Mooroopna.
There has been a kerfuffle about restaging the game and the social media critics have been active as usual in their typical negative approach to Cricket Shepparton’s handling of the situation.
Apparently there are contrasting rules covering what should have been done in light of the washout. I suggest many of those ready to criticise should take the time to join the voluntary administration ranks and experience first-hand what can be thrown up at times.
From my understanding both Kyabram and Northerners agreed on the replay and I believe it’s the fairest solution.
Hicks bowled a perfect 10 in 1931
THERE is at least a hat-trick of bowlers who can lay claim to having taken 10 wickers in an innings in Cricket Shepparton’s top grade of competition.
Recent publicity of the feat achieved by Numurkah bowler Tim Arnel in January quickly revealed another Cricket Shepparton player, Katandra’s Rod McLeod, had also performed the feat.
That got Mooroopna’s Lloyd Freer remembering being told of a George Hicks from Ardmona performing the feat.
One thing led to another and it has now been officially established Hicks did perform the feat in 1931 with the now defunct Ardmona Cricket Club.
A grandson of George, Ross Hicks even has the ball to acknowledge the feat.
The only issue still clouded is how many runs did George Hicks concede in picking up his 10 wickets.
The trophy reads 10/28. But a report on the feat at the time in the Shepparton Advertiser credited him with taking 10/20 and in a later report 10/26.
If the 10/20 is right he has pipped Tim Arnel, who took 10/26 in his single-handed demolition of Euroa’s batsmen, for the honour of having the best figures in the ‘10 For’ club.
It could be a four-day week
KYABRAM Cricket Club players are having a big week.
They played a semi-final in Cricket Shepparton’s Twenty20 competition last night and if successful would meet Katandra tomorrow (Thursday night) in the final.
And in the normal season Ky’s clash with Tatura will take place this Saturday and Sunday. Play starts at 1pm on the Saturday and 10.30am on Sunday.