Flashback September 1981

FRED JONES  AND BOTRA-MANIA

Fred Jones was born in 1924 and passed away in June of 2011

 

Fred played a part in the golden age of South Australian harness racing through the 1950s and ’60s and was the first South Australian to receive recognition from the Australian Harness Racing Council when he was honoured in 1995 with a distinguished service award.

He was a member of the Australian Harness Racing Council (now Harness Racing Australia) and the Interdominion Harness Racing Council for six years.

He sat on the State Harness Racing Board for nearly eight years and was president of the Breeders, Owners, Trainers and Reinspersons Association (BOTRA) for seven years.

Fred was a life member of the SA Harness Racing Club, the SA Harness Racing Board, SA BOTRA as well as the Square Trotters Association.

During 1981 Fred Jones was the Vice President of BOTRA ,  a main organiser of the Sunday Days Road Trials for over 20 years,  as well as being the BOTRA delegate with the Trotting Control Board 

Fred Jones was also an active trotting participant having raced many horses since just after WW2

He had an association with several trainers that included the enigmatic trainer driver Leo Hunt , who provided wonderful entertainment to the Wayville crowds with his after win celebrations as he drove past the patrons in the flat.

Another of his trainers was Jack Barrowcliff , well known for his expertise of the square trotter and also for his BOTRA and Square Trotting Association delegations

The day’s events of 5/9/1981 involving Fred Jones are interesting 

Fred watched his beloved Sturt football team cause an upset by defeating the Minor Premiers Glenelg in the last SANFL round Sturt needed to win , and hoped that 3rd placed South Adelaide would defeat West Adelaide, so that Sturt would participate in the 1981 finals Sturt, coached by Fred’s close friend Jack Oatey ,were 16 points down at 3/4 time, finished well in the 4th quarter home straight and won by 13 points

Unfortunately for Fred , Doug Thomas’s , Lee Harradine’s and Domenic Barbaro’s mob West Adelaide upset South Adelaide

Fred Jones had a trotter running that night rather ‘inaptly’ called Ima Redleg, 

This square trotter, won and may have helped Fred get over Sturt missing the finals

There was a real BOTRA connection with the win at that exact actual particular time

Fred Jones BOTRA Vice President owned the winner, Jim Hurley BOTRA  President drove the winner

Jack Barrowcliff BOTRA secretary trained the winner.

Thats a very very honourable trifecta !

It certainly ended up a day of mixed fortunes for Fred Jones.

Then it became a weekend to remember, on Sunday 6/9/1981

It was the day of the BOTRA AGM, when Fred Jones, was elected unopposed as the new BOTRA President, and held the position for several years.

Therefore he took over from the previous President Jim Hurley who drove Ima Redleg the night before!

Jim Hurley relinquished the Presidency after holding the honour from 1968 to 1981

Jim Hurley had recently taken up a position with the SATC 

During Jim’s tenure as President, he drove the first owned winner I had , a useful performer called Tanover

That was a big thrill for me, and I followed the great man’s trainer/driver career fervently from that point on

I never met Jack Barrowcliff, but have read impressive articles about him in various publications

He was a long serving member of BOTRA for many years, a reinsman for over 30 years , and a great trainer

I also never met Fred Jones, but wish I did

I probably acknowledged him during the trials at Days Road

Have read some of his correspondences and he portrays to me a man of tremendous trotting knowledge. His detail for history is very Joe Coulter’esque’

Fred once had an uncanny sense; he purchased a horse he spotted on the day at a breeders premise.

His purchase was 50 pounds , he was later offered 3,000 pounds before the pacer even raced.

Once again, he showed shrewd judgement and kept the horse, which was Potts Point

Potts Point won more than that purchase, and even more than the pre-race career offer

Fred Jones, Jim Hurley and Jack Barrowcliff are men who got a lot out of the trotting industry, and importantly gave plenty back