Racing WA farewells Tim Walker this week after an incredible 10 years on air and behind the scenes at TABradio as he embarks on his next journey as the Communications Coordinator at the WACA, a massive loss for the racing industry here in the west.
A love of racing saw him excel at Racing WA, but his true love and passion has always been in Cricket, and in the coming weeks he starts his new role in the field.
“I love my cricket. I really, really love cricket, as much as I love racing, I am a huge cricket fan.
“I’ve had 10 years working in the racing side of things in breakfast radio, and I just thought it was a chance for me to be able to take the next step in my career, and it was just an opportunity that looked too good to refuse.” Tim Walker said.
Walking into the studios of what was once Racing Radio at the start of December 2015 as a fresh faced 20-year-old, straight out of university, Tim Walker took on the role as the Breakfast Show producer for hosts David Shortte and Richard Bell.
“I started the day after Lenny The Shark won the inters here in Perth, I remember talking about it because it was the day after, it was right in the middle of a busy time here in WA.”
Walker took over the hosting role in mid-2019 when Gareth Hall headed back to the East, and six years of hosting has flown by, seeing Walker develop into an incredibly well-rounded racing and sports broadcaster, a true promotor of the sport.
“I was lucky enough to step into the host chair which I’ve done for the last six years,
“It’s been unreal to think it’s been six years and obviously great opportunity over that time to be able to speak to people of different codes and different sports.
“I can’t believe it’s been six years, and I can’t believe I’ve been lucky enough to do it for six years.”
Whilst racing wasn’t always in his blood, his love for the industry started in the early 2000’s, witnessing Northerly reach his greatest heights taking out the Cox Plate in 2001 and 2002
“Watching him win the Cox Plate in 2001 and I remember going to watch him in the Railway Stake and he was actually beaten that day, that was actually the first time I can remember going to the races, I was about six years old.
“And I had a few Friday nights down at the trots in primary school, and I sort of always followed the trots, not as religiously as the thoroughbred game early, but I still remember watching The Falcon Strike and horses like that growing up, and obviously into Quinny.
“I’ve had to develop the way I follow harness racing and how intently I follow harness racing over the last 10 years.”
Walker graduated from University in 2015 with a major in Journalism, working part-time at Perth Racing, further developing his love of racing, which got his foot in the door with TABradio, and this Thursday, July 31, he hangs up his headphones and signs off for one final time.
“It probably didn’t hit home until last Friday night when I was down here at the trots and it was the last night doing the twitter interviews and the sky racing, and it probably hit home.
“I had so many participants come up to me, I hadn’t told that I was leaving, I hadn’t gone and openly broadcast it other than mentioning it last Tuesday morning.
“I like to think I get on with most of the participants, but just people that have always been very reserved and very quiet to interviews, but they were coming up and saying, ‘you’ve done a great job promoting the sport and thank you so much.’
“And that’s probably when it hit home.
“But I’m equally as excited to start my new role.”
It’s not goodbye, but see you around for Tim Walker, who looks forward to heading to Gloucester Park on a Friday night in a casual capacity, enjoying a beer or two up at the bar.
“Come Thursday at 9 o’clock, I think it will be pretty sad to turn the microphone off and that will be it.”
We wish Tim Walker all the success in his new role with the WACA, a position he will no doubt excel at.
Ashleigh Paikos