WA Racing Hall of Fame

The inaugural Western Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2007 proved to be a prestigious and high profile event celebrating WA’s long, distinguished and eventful racing history including more than 189 years of thoroughbred racing, 132 years of harness racing and 48 years of greyhound racing.

It is an industry that has produced a seemingly endless array of colourful and, at times, controversial characters as well as many champion performers on the track. The luminaries of WA pacing include the mighty Mount Eden in the 1970s, Pure Steel, Preux Chevalier, San Simeon and the enormously popular Village Kid in the decades that followed.

Greyhound racing’s brief history has already generated a long list of outstanding performers headlined by the legendary Sandi’s Me Mum, which raced 92 times for an incredible 62 victories, before retiring in 1991 and being immortalised in the National Greyhound Hall of Fame.

In more recent times, WA racing has been best represented by champion galloper Northerly, whose popularity transcended racing and created a loyal fan base among many who had never previously held a keen interest in the “sport of kings”. Northerly and his trainer/part owner Fred Kersley became ambassadors of the highest order for WA racing, their legacy clearly still evident in the continuing growth of racing audiences in WA since the retirement of the great horse.

All three racing codes are noted for their considerable contribution to the community; each enjoy a significant following, generating support in large numbers and contributing strongly to the sporting fabric of WA and the nation.

So, in 2007, Racing and Wagering Western Australia introduced the WA Racing Hall of Fame to acknowledge the luminaries that have made a significant impact on the racing world through outstanding performance.

It was decided that inductees would include horses, jockeys, trainer/drivers, greyhounds and associates.

Join us to celebrate the contribution WA racing has made to the national industry and to the sporting landscape of WA by acknowledging the outstanding achievements of legendary performers across the three racing codes.

The most recent inductee videos can be viewed on our Youtube channel here.

Selection criteria for induction into the WA Racing Hall of Fame.

1.1 Racing animals 

• Any animal that has raced in Western Australia, excelling at the highest level, and has made an outstanding contribution to enhancing the reputation of Western Australian and/or Australian racing.
• Animals that have raced in Western Australia and excelled interstate or overseas, will also be considered.
• Animals must be retired from racing.

1.2 Trainers 

• Any trainer who has been licensed in Western Australia and has:
  • Made an outstanding contribution to enhancing and maintaining the reputation of Western Australian and/or Australian racing.
  • Consistently achieved results at the highest level.
• Candidates need not be born in Western Australia.

1.3 Jockeys/drivers 

• Any jockey or driver that has been indentured/licensed in Western Australia and has:
  • Made an outstanding contribution to enhancing and maintaining the reputation of Western Australian and/or Australian racing.
  • Consistently achieved results at the highest level.
• Candidates need not be born in Western Australia.

1.4 Associates 

• Any person other than a trainer, jockey or driver who has made an outstanding contribution to the Western Australian racing industry. An associate can be a family, owner, breeder, administrator, bookmaker or member of the media.

• 1.5 A person shall not be excluded from induction to the WA Racing Hall of Fame solely because at some point in their career they have been subject to disciplinary action under section 44 of the Racing and Wagering Western Australia Act 2003 in accordance with the rules of racing and regulations. However, any such disciplinary action should be taken into account by a selection committee in assessing whether a person has enhanced and maintained the reputation, development, welfare and integrity of the racing industry of WA.
• 1.6 Members of the Australian Racing Hall of Fame Subject to the chairperson’s veto discretion in clause 2.3, racing animals or individuals meeting the criteria for induction to the WA Racing Industry Hall of Fame that have been inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame, will receive automatic entry into the WA Racing Industry Hall of Fame.

2.0 Procedure for selection of initial inductees

3.0 Number of inductees (inaugural year)

4.0 Selection of future inductees

5.0 Removal of inductees

Thoroughbreds

• Australian Racing Museum – Hall of Fame
  

Harness

• Inter Dominion Hall of Fame
  

Greyhounds

• Australian Greyhound Racing Association – Group Racing Hall of Fame