Greater & Lesser Gutsbys

Greater & Lesser Gutsbys

See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/chris-winters-barbers-shop-and-maternity-ward/

Chris Winter and I shared a few anecdotes.

We invented a rating for the ‘Great Gutsby’, the ‘Greater Gutsby’ and the ‘Greatest Gutsby’. F Scott Fitzgerald wrote brilliantly about the Great Gatsby (Jay Gatsby) in New York, but we didn’t have any of those, so we countered with our local variety of which there were plenty. We both arrived at the same decision(s) for clear winners in each category.

Only recently I met our mutually selected ‘Greatest Gutsby’ outside the Scone Post Office. Where else in Scone! He was still a ‘Gutsby’, but not now the ‘greatest’. His midriff reduction strategies have been working. Perhaps its ‘Man Shake’? The Man Shake | Weight Loss Shakes For Men and More It could be to do with the fact he’s no longer working in a pub?

It set me thinking. I believe there’s a ‘Lesser Bustard’ (Bird) in Australia? Like many species, the original Greater Bustards were driven to extinction for being too ponderous, fat, and slow. There could be some lessons there. As soon as ‘Whitefellas’ introduced guns, many species succumbed. I contacted Chris and suggested we should introduce a new category of Lesser (Great) Gutsbys. There are plenty of obesity candidates out there including a few of our elected (political) brethren. The leader of the United Australia Party who likes you to vote ‘no’ and claims all the credit springs to mind. It might remind us of our corpulent cadre and that we can do better. Guilty as charged.

See: obesity – Bing images

Sellwood at St Aubins

Sellwood at St Aubins

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/nifty-neville-sellwood-scone-st-aubins-racetrack-1939/

See also:  https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/hats-were-gone-with-the-wind/

Scone Hospital Racing Club (Registered A.J.C. and N.W.D.R.A.) Office-Bearers-1939 President: Mr. W.J. Smith, Vice-Presidents: Sir Hugh Denison, Mr. A.E. Cooper, Mr. P. Miller, Mr. W.T. Badgery, Mr. W.H. Mackay. Committee: Messrs. F.L. Bragg, A.W. Riddle, J.L. Raymond, L.W. Davies, S. Johnston, J.F. Morris, F.J. Whyte. Judge: Mr. A.W. Riddle. Hon. Surgeons: Drs. W.O. Pye, E.S. Stuckey and O. Barton. Stipendiary Steward: Mr. R.G. Lackey. Detective and Starter: Mr. F. Lane. Handicapper: Mr. H.V. Kelaher. Clerk of Course: Mr. S. Clark. Clerk of Scales: Mr. G.A. Cumberland. Official Timekeeper: Mr. H.V. Cooper. Hon. Consulting Veterinary Surgeon: Mr. W.K. Goodsir. Hon. Treasurers: Messrs. G.N. Lochhead and C.A. Gracie. Hon. Secretary: Mr. Stan. G. Keene. Hon. Ass. Secretary: Mr .J.A. Simpson.

Max Presnell SMH (‘in conversation’) has confirmed that future great international jockey Neville Sellwood rode at the meeting without landing a winner; finishing third in Race 2 (‘Hasten’), second in Race 5 (‘The Ped’) and unplaced in Race 7 (‘Miss Sal’). His mounts were owned by Mr A E Cooper of ‘Alabama’ who also hosted race meetings post-WWII. The trainer of all three was S Thomas who also won with Mr A E Cooper’s ‘Dangar Mark’ winning two races on the day.

Results

  1. Maiden Handicap 4 3/4 Furlongs. £10, £3, £2. 1/1 Danger Mark, Mr. A.E. Cooper’s ch g, 6yrs. Trainer: S. Thomas. by Heroic-Willow Queen, 8.13 (K. Hasler) 1 6/1 Chippani, Mr. F.P. Crittenden’s ch f, 3yrs. Trainer: G.F. Gorrie. by Illiad-Gobble, 8.0 (W.Webb) 10/1 White Park, Miss M. Johnston’s b h, 5yrs. Trainer: S. Johnston. by Parkville – Lady Butler, 8.0 (C. Morcello). Other starters: Coradgery, 8.9 (L. Duncombe); Blue Idol 8.0 (V. Daniels); Maeranie, 8.0 (A. McHugh); Toosoon, 8.0 (R. Smart); Don Loola, 8.0 (J. Donaldson); Larwood, 8.0 (E. Mills); Gee Golly, 7.7 (N. Bradbury). Time: 59sec.
  2. Northern Traveler’s’ Flying Handicap 6 Furlongs. £40, £7, £3. 4/1 Golden Glass, Mr. S.R. Johnston’s ch g, 6yrs. Trainer: S. Johnston. by Luigi-Venetian Glass, 7.0 (L. Duncombe 1 6/1 Babili, Mr. J. Scully’s br h, aged. Trainer: W,Craigie. by Promised Land-Babylon, 9.0 (E.Mills) 2 2/1 Bonnie Don, Mr. A. McLean’s br g, 5yrs. Trainer: H. McLean. by Dunnottar – College Belle, 8.9 (A. McHugh) 3 Other starters: Joan Darling, 9.1 (J. McDonald), Spear Gold, 8.7 (P. Lawrence). Time: 1.15.
  3. Nurses’ Handicap 4-3/4 Furlongs. £10, £3, £2. 5/2 Bill Gauntlet, Mrs. E.M. Stewart’s b g, aged. Trainer: E. Stewart. by Red Gauntlet-Lindrum mare, 8.5 (C. Morcello) 1 5/2 Bowlalong, Mr.C.Duff’s br g, 4yrs. Trainer: C. Williams. by Baralong-Grand Lady, 7.13 (N. Robinson) 2 3/1 Hasten, Mr. A.E. Cooper’s b f, 3yrs. Trainer: S. Thomas. by Baralong-Fleetfoot, 7.7 (N. Sellwood) 3 Other starters: Futurist, 8.9 (—Young); Caisson, 8.7 (N. Bradbury); Fifty Grand, 8.5 (E. Mills); Prapser, 7.7 (A. McHue). Time: 59sec.
  4. The Corinthian Handicap 6 Furlongs. £20, £3, £2. 3/1 Danger Mark, Mr. A.E. Cooper’s ch g, 6yrs. Trainer: S. Thomas. by HeroicWillow Queen, 9.10, inc. 7lb pen. and 3lb over (Mr L. Melvil 1 1/1 Lady Vamp, Mr. J.K. Lynch’s b m, aged. Trainer: W. Paul. by Nassau- Vamp, 10.1(Mr. J. Lynch) 2 7/2 Lady Kerabee, Mrs. R. Gilder’s br m, aged. Trainer: I. Ward. by Rivoli- Flower, 10.10 (Mr. F. Bell)3 Other starters: Gramme, 9.0 (Mr. R. Weber); Affluence, 9.0 (Mr. A. Holman). Time: 1-16½.
  5. Scott Memorial Scone Hospital Handicap 1mile 15yards. £60, £10, £5. 4/5 Housemaster, Mr. G.R. White’s ch g, 6yrs. Trainer: J. Hobson. by Chief Ruler- Fillette, 61 8.7 (K. Shelley 1 2/1 The Ped, Mr. A.E. Cooper’s ch g, 5yrs. Trainer: S. Thomas. by Grand Joy- Fleetfoot, 8.2 (N. Sellwood) 2 10/1 Nargong, Mr. S. McDonough’s ch m, aged. Trainer: J. Cavanagh. by Blue Flame- Calcite, 7.0 (L. Duncombe) 3 Other starters: Mannaland, 7.9 (C. Morcello); Sir Rawson, 7.3(L. Booby); Had, 7.2 (N. Robinson). Time: 1.41½.
  6. Welter Handicap First Division 6 Furlongs. £10, £2, £1/3/4. 2/1 Bonnie Don, Mr. A. McLean’s br g, 5yrs. Trainer: H. McLean. by DunnottarCollege Belle, 10.7 (E. Mills) 1 3/1 Valdrain, Mr. R.A. Hawker’s ch g, aged. Trainer: J. Cavanagh. by King ValNeandria, 9.3 (C. Morcello) 2 6/1 Lady Kerabee, Mrs. R. Gilder’s br m, aged. Trainer: I. Ward. by Rivoli- Flower, 9.10 (W. Donaldson) 3 Other starters: Scarlet Line, 9.7 (-Shelly); Molly’s Frill, 8.11(R. Collins); Improve, 8.0 (J. Shaw). Time: 1.16½.
  7. Welter Handicap Second Division £10, £2, £1/3/4. 6/4 Broadway Rose, Mr. T.J. Nugent’s b m, 5yrs. by Grosvenor- Gay Vixen, 8.0 (L. Duncombe) Trainer: T. Nugent1 10/1 Lady Vamp, Mr. J.K. Lynch’s b m, aged. Trainer: W. Paul. by Nassau- Vamp, 9.1 (L. Kennedy) 2 3/1 Goorka, Mr. Phil Reynold’s b g, aged. Trainer: P. Reynolds. by Ghurka-Wild Night, 9.10 (E. Reynolds3 Other starters: Our Voyage, 8.8 (A. Clifford); Miss Sal, 8.3 (N. Sellwood). Time: 1.15.

Nifty Neville Sellwood @ Scone (St Aubins) Racetrack 1939

Featured Image: Scone Hospital Racing Club 1939:  Did the 16-year-old apprentice ride at St Aubins Racetrack SCONE in 1939?

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/10/Scones-Racing-History-2nd-Edition-.pdf pp 68 -70

See also:  https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/hats-were-gone-with-the-wind/

This meeting marked the rebirth of racing in Scone after a dormant period of a few years. Local agent Stan Keene ignited debate only about three months before the meeting took place. W J Smith of St Aubins generously agreed to host the meeting at his private track.

The winners on the day were:

  1. Maiden Handicap 4 ¾ Furlongs; Mr A E Cooper’s ch g 6yrs ‘Dangar Mark’
  2. Northern Travellers’ Flying Handicap 6 furlongs; Mr S R Johnston’s ch g 6yrs ‘Golden Glass’
  3. Nurse’s Handicap 4 ¾ Furlongs Mrs E M Stewart’s b g aged ‘Bill Gauntlet’
  4. The Corinthian Handicap 6 Furlongs Mr A E Cooper’s ch g 6yrs ‘Dangar Mark’
  5. Scott Memorial Scone Hospital Handicap 1 mile 15 yards; Mr G R White’s ‘Housemaster’
  6. Welter Handicap First Division 6 Furlongs; Mr A McLean’s br g 5yrs ‘Bonnie Don’
  7. Welter Handicap Second Division 6 Furlongs; Mr T J Nugent’s b m 5yrs ‘Broadway Rose’

Neville Sellwood?

Is it possible that the future great international jockey Neville Sellwood rode at the meeting without landing a winner; finishing third in Race 2 (‘Hasten’), second in Race 5 (‘The Ped’) and unplaced in Race 7 (‘Miss Sal’). His mounts were owned by Mr A E Cooper of ‘Alabama’ who also hosted race meetings post-WWII. He was listed as N Sellwood and I have been unable to confirm (or deny) this is one and the same person? The trainer of all three was S Thomas who also won with Mr A E Cooper’s ‘Dangar Mark’ winning two races on the day.

Neville Sellwood would have been a 16 year old apprentice on 26 August 1939. He rode his first winner ‘Ourimbah’ at Doomben, Brisbane on 11 March 1939 when apprenticed to Jim Shean.

See: http://adb.anu.edu.au/biography/sellwood-neville-francis-11656

The committee organising the Scone Hospital Racing Club’s opening meeting was both ‘heavyweight’ and influential. It was loaded with leviathan thoroughbred racing and breeding men of the day including President Mr W J ‘Knockout’ Smith (St Aubins Stud), Sir Hugh Denison (Sledmere), Mr A E Cooper (Alabama), Mr P Miller (Kia Ora), Mr W H Mackay (Tinagroo), Messrs F L Bragg (Rossgole), A W Riddle (Kia Ora), J L Raymond (Sledmere) and L W Davies (Yarrandi). Any one of them could have enticed the very promising Brisbane apprentice to ride at Scone. The most obvious candidate is Mr A E Cooper of ‘Alabama’ for whom ‘N Sellwood’ rode three starters. How likely is it that there were two ‘N Sellwoods’ around at this time? I prefer to believe that the emerging superstar graced the meeting with his presence. In 1939 no-one would have been any the wiser?

Equine Walk of Fame

Equine Walk of Fame

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/installation-of-the-equine-walk-of-fame-plaques/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/horse-heritage-precinct-scone/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/scone-nursery-of-champions/

Very soon we will see 113 bronze plaques embedded in the pathways of Kelly Street, Scone. These are the culmination of several years planning, cajoling and prodding. The categories of famous horses are summarised thus:

Featured Image: ‘I Am Invincible’ Plaque (draft) Scale = 380mm vertical x 280mm horizontal

Scone Equine Walk of Fame Horse Summary:

Category Number of Plaques Sub-total(s) Distribution

(Placement)

Thoroughbred Racehorses 38 Liverpool to St Aubins, West
Champion Thoroughbred Sires 29 Kingdon to Liverpool, West
Australian Stock Horses 20 Liverpool to St Aubins, East
Performance/Other Horses 21 Kingdon to Liverpool, East
(Light Horse) (4) War Memorial
(Polo) (11) Kingdon to Liverpool, East
(Olympian/Equestrian) (6) Kingdon to Liverpool, East
SHF Horse of the Year 5 St Aubins Square
Total(s) 113 (21)  

Although this project has been many years in the making the following have contributed most significantly to eventual delivery in its current format. These include most importantly Jill Macintyre** and Peter Haydon***. Others were Julianne Christopher (HTBA), Steve Guihot (ASHS) and latterly Andrew Cooper** (ASHS), Alan Fletcher, David Gatwood, Belinda Oltenue and Tracey Warner (all UHSC). Chloe Leake (***) and Allan Greer (both UHSC) have been outstanding in driving the concept to fruition.

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Verna Metcalfe Honoured by HTBA

Verna Metcalfe Honoured by HTBA

Media Release – Monday May 16, 2016

See also: Verna Metcalfe honoured by Hunter racing industry | The Land | NSW

See also: Alma Vale Thoroughbreds and Kitchwin Hills Join Forces | Breednet

Featured Image: Courtesy of ‘The Land’ newspaper and Virginia Harvey

This year’s (2016) Murray Bain Service Award recipient is a highly respected and valued member of the Hunter’s thoroughbred breeding industry who has worked expertly and tirelessly in all aspects of thoroughbred foaling, broodmare management, sales preparation and general horse care – Ms Verna Metcalfe.

Ms Verna Metcalfe is a veteran of our industry who’s finely honed skills and “hands-on” experience in thoroughbred care and welfare is both highly respected and sought after.

Over the past 30 years, Ms Metcalfe has demonstrated a commitment and passion for the care and welfare of mares and foals, foal fostering and many other aspects of stud work.

Whether it was at the Manado Stud farm at Sandy Hollow, the Newhaven Park Stud where she worked with the Kelly family, the Widden Stud farm, the Woodlands’ Stud farm, under the tutelage of the late Peter Flynn or her work with John Vincent, Ms Metcalfe has demonstrated a unique affinity for the foaling and after care of broodmares and a passion for reproductive work on mares who find it difficult to conceive.

It was at the Woodlands Stud where Verna first became involved with what is now commonly known as foal fostering. This was then a new initiative. Ms Metcalfe’s skills in this area, coupled with her record of foaling down more than 350 mares each year, are second to none and set a shining example of professionalism in our industry.

Together with her husband David, Verna Metcalfe established and designed Lurline Lodge (now Amarina Farm) and for the past eight years has managed Middlebrook Valley Lodge earning an enviable reputation exceptional care and attention to foals and yearlings.

The HTBA is very pleased to honour Ms Verna Metcalfe for her “hands on” dedication, passion and professionalism and award her the 2016 HTBA Murray Bain Service Award.

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Tulloch Lodge Tribunal 1974

Tulloch Lodge Tribunal 1974

Featured Image: Tulloch Lodge 1974 Gratefully acknowledge ‘Backstage of Racing’ by Bert Lillye ISBN 0 909558 86 8 © Copyright 1985 John Fairfax Marketing, The Herald Building, 2nd Floor, 23 Hamilton Street, SYDNEY NSW 2000.

The image includes T J & Valerie Smith, Dave ‘The Dasher’ Segenfield, Phil Spanton, John McSweeney (dark glasses), Tony McSweeney (dark glasses & dark shirt), Ralph Lucas, Ferd Calvin and Mrs Spanton; a veritable ‘Cadre of Colourful Racing Identities’. An ageing colleague attending our regular Wednesday ‘Camarilla of Coffee Cadre’ at a Cafe in Kelly Street remarked with some perspicacity that ‘characters’ were disappearing from our everyday lives and not just from the racetrack?

T J Smith was at the apogee of his dominance of thoroughbred training in Sydney if not Australia in 1974. The AJC’s move to restrict the number of runners a trainer could have in any given race stemmed from favourite ‘Foresight’ being run down by 80-to-1 outsider ‘Bye Bye’, one of TJ’s five runners, in the 1969 Doncaster.  ‘Foresight’ was backed for a motzer at odds between 16/1 and 20/1 and in doubles with ‘Lowland’ (Sydney Cup) and ‘Rain Lover’ by a trusted commission agent weeks in advance of the race for a leviathan AJC Committeeman. Was it time for ‘payback’?

It’s intriguing to speculate how this proposed rule if applicable today would affect race fields. It’s not unusual for Chris Waller to accept with most runners in many Sydney Metropolitan Races, especially those over middle distances and restricted class staying races.

Kobayashi Quinella in Pat O’Shea Plate

See: https://www.breednet.com.au/news/24033/kobayashi-quinella-in-pat-o’shea-plate-

Mark Smith – Toowoomba, Saturday 23 September 2023

Trainer Less Ross and owner Mike Cooks’ Mishani Enterprises had six of the nine starters for the first 2-year-old race of the season, Saturday’s Pat O’Shea 2yo Plate (1000m) at Toowoomba, and duly supplied the trifecta.

The outsider of the sextet, ‘Mishani Rock’, handed the hammer blow to punters.

Ridden by Les Tilley, the son of Kobayashi was strong to the line in defeating the Kobayashi filly ‘Mishani Ego’ by one and a half lengths, with The Mission filly ‘Mishani Fire’ back in third.

“It was a pleasant surprise. I was hoping one of the fillies would win, but it’s nice to have a winner,” Ross said.

Of those gathered at Tulloch Lodge in 1974 a small few were subsequently ‘warned off’ for a variety of real or perceived misdemeanours ‘incompatible with the rules of racing’. Afficionados of the sport will recognise who they were?

Scone Race Club – First in Photo Finish

Scone Race Club – First in Photo Finish

LETTER FROM JOHN A. SMITH 09/07/1991

John A. Smith

14 Baringa Street

WARANA Q. 4575

Phone: (074) 93-2593

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/scone-race-club-cup-1976/ 

(Scone can possibly lay claim to being the first country race club in Australia to record photo finishes in its turf events. The featured image shows how far we progressed in almost 30 years?)

Just prior to 1947 a Sydney importer, Mr J Farren Price who ran a watch and clock business, brought out a camera from Switzerland which showed promise of removing any doubt about close finishes on racecourses.

The camera was a Bolex Palliard 16mm movie outfit into which was built a stopwatch and prism lenses which projected the face of the watch showing the time on each frame of film as horses were pictured when they finished past the winning post.

It was necessary for the camera’s operator to be in a position in the judge’s box to see the starter lower his flag and send the field on its way. As the flag was dropped the camera clock was activated by the operator who then waited until the field came into view in the straight. As the leading horses headed for the winning post about 50 yards away the camera film was set in motion with the lens fixed on the winning post until the last horse had gone past.

When the film was developed a negative was produced on which 60 frames of pictures per second were exposed. Actually, the finish of the race was recorded in slow motion with the time taken showing on each frame. By this method the time of every horse showed up as it passed the post.

It was intended that the film be processed quickly and dried. Each individual picture frame could be examined under a magnifying glass and. If the finish was extremely close an enlargement could be blown p to show which horse was the winner; or, as could happen, a dead heat may have resulted.

The camera was shown to me by Mr Doug Robertson, then President of the Scone Race Club and I was asked if the outfit could be adapted for trial use at the first meeting to be held on White Park Course in 1947.

As there were no darkroom facilities built onto the judge’s box whereby film could be processed it would have been necessary for me to leave the course and hurry off to a darkroom at “The Advocate”; a trip that would have taken too long to process the film and again return to the course with the photo-finish negatives.

I constructed a small darkroom outfit using a standard sized kerosene case which made it light-proof and contained a shelf in the centre on which to place the camera prior to removing the exposed film. The front was made light-proof with heavy canvas, with two canvas sleeves elastic at the elbows allowing the hands to to enter the darkened box. On the bottom was plastic container for developer and a second one for fixing solution. The box outfit was placed on a chair beneath the judges’ box together with a bucket of clean water for washing the film.

Everything went well for the first race. The clock was set in motion when the starter dropped the flag. The film began its run when the leaders were in close proximity to the winning post. There were no problems unloading the exposed film from the camera inside the portable dark-box and the short length of film was processed in around six minutes before being removed and given a quick film rinse in a bucket of water. The entire operation, from go-to-whoa before the film was in the judge’s hands was around 10 minutes.

On the day there were no close finishes and no necessity for a negative frame to decide the winner. However, it was an interesting exercise as it revealed the fact that for a camera system to be effective by producing a negative and print within a reasonably short time a properly equipped dark room complete with developing and enlarging facilities would be absolutely necessary. To make a black and white enlargement from a finish off a 16mm single frame negative would take all of 15 minutes at the least, a delay which was not considered reasonable before the winner and placegetters’ numbers could be hoisted. Also, to construct a proper darkroom with equipment would have been too costly.

The camera was handed back to Mr. Robertson at the end of the day, and I did not hear of any country race club embodying this form of obtaining photo finish results after the experience gained at the Scone meeting.

John A. Smith

Former photographer for the “Scone Advocate” until 1956

9/7/’91

(Transcribed from the original hand typed letter 17/09/2023 by WPH)

Equimillion

Equimillion

Just when it seemed Racing NSW had reached its apogee with the $20 million Everest Peter V’Landys has come up with another golden chalice.

See: Equimillion

See: Equimillion Launched – $1m Equestrian Event For Retired Thoroughbred Racehorses – Racing New South Wales (racingnsw.com.au)

Racing NSW welcomes you to support retired NSW Thoroughbred racehorses you were connected to, during their racing careers, in the inaugural Equimillion Equestrian Competition.

Equimillion will showcase the versatility and suitability of Thoroughbreds for careers outside of racing, with the event to be held on the October long weekend in 2023 at Sydney International Equestrian Centre.

Equimillion is an equestrian event with a minimum $1 million in prizemoney exclusively for retired NSW Thoroughbred racehorses across disciplines of Eventing, Jumping, Dressage and Show horse. Each discipline will include classes for junior, amateur, and open professional competitors with a total prizemoney of $30,000 per class and prizemoney paid down to 5th place in each class.

How to be a part of the journey?
Reach out to the new carers of your rehomed horses and sponsor them into Equimillion. All eligible horses will compete across the 3-day Equimillion festival of the Thoroughbred competition.

Event entries close on Sunday 10th September. 

What horses are eligible to compete in Equimillion?

*All named horses bred in NSW are eligible to compete*

Named horses bred interstate:
Horse must have been trained, trialled, or raced in NSW
Named horses bred internationally:
Horse must have been trained, trialled, or raced in NSW
Unnamed Horses:
Bred in NSW with the intent to race in NSW.

#talentbeyondracing
#theroadtoequimillion
#equimillion2023

 

Police stepped in after Carey family targeted with vile abuse.

Police stepped in after Carey family targeted with vile abuse.

See: Subscribe to The Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps

Alex Carey has opened up on the infamous Jonny Bairstow Ashes incident, and the shocking abuse directed at his family which forced the Australian star to delete his Instagram account.

I’ve previously waxed lyrical myself about the execrable and egregious otiose ordure liberally ladled out by the captious cavilling of the cowardly carping curs.

See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/the-sewer-of-social-media/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/cockroaches-emerge-from-the-dark/

Perhaps I should acknowledge my ‘vicarious guilt’ on the cricket pitch. I played School Cricket (Ackworth, Yorkshire) and University College Cricket (Edinburgh University). I was a wicket keeper. If I saw the opportunity I did exactly what Alex Carey did at Lords. There was much less at stake. Johnny Bairstow should have known better. He was raised on the playing fields of cricket-mad Yorkshire County as was his late father, David. It was firmly inculcated into the psyche to never give an inch. The late Wally Grout put it more succinctly: “Never give a sucker an even break”. As an ex-POM I was much more affronted by the appalling reprehensible behaviour of the Members at Lords.

PS 2005 Australian of the Year Dr Fiona Wood is an alumnus of my old school. A relative of Harold ‘Dickie’ Bird was in my class. Geoff Boycott attended a local Grammar School. He was very good indeed.

Stephen Gageler to replace Susan Kiefel as High Court Chief Justice.

Stephen Gageler to replace Susan Kiefel as High Court chief justice.

By political correspondent Brett Worthington posted 22 August 2023

See: Stephen Gageler to replace Susan Kiefel as High Court chief justice – ABC News

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/the-harvard-man/

See also: Stephen Gageler to be next High Court chief justice (afr.com)

See also: Stephen Gageler – Wikipedia

There is little doubt that Stepehen Gageler is one of the Upper Hunter’s most distinguished sons.

High Court justice Stephen Gageler will replace trailblazing lawyer Susan Kiefel as the head of the highest court in the land.

Key points:

  • Stephen Gageler will become the High Court chief justice on November 6
  • The government has also appointed Robert Beech-Jones to the highest court in the land.
  • The appointments come ahead of the early retirement of Susan Kiefel

Justice Gageler, the most senior justice after Chief Justice Kiefel, will assume her role when the incumbent retires in November.

He will become the 14th person to lead the court since its inception.

The federal government has also appointed Robert Beech-Jones, from the NSW Supreme Court to the High Court, with the Sydneysider set to become a justice on November 6, when Justice Gageler assumes his new role.

The appointments mean the court will no longer be female dominated, which it became earlier this year.

Justice Gageler joined the High Court in in 2012, having served as Australia’s solicitor-general prior to his appointment.

He is 65 years old and can serve in the role until he turns 70, when the constitution dictates, he must retire.

Legal circles had long expected he would replace Chief Justice Kiefel, who in June announced she would retire from the court earlier than expected.

Speaking in June, Justice Gageler paid tribute to the chief justice, telling the court her “firm and gracious presence” would be missed.

Chief Justice Kiefel was the first woman to hold that role.

The federal government picked Susan Kiefel to join the High Court bench as a justice in 2007, having previously served as a judge on the Federal Court of Australia. A decade later, she became the chief justice, replacing Robert French.

She left school at 15 and worked as a legal secretary.

The Queenslander later started studying law part time and eventually studied at the University of Cambridge. She was admitted to the bar in 1975 and became her home state’s first female Queen’s counsel in 1987.

Justice Gageler studied at the Australian National University and Harvard.

Tasmanian-born Robert Beech-Jones has served on the NSW Supreme Court since 2012. In 2021, he became the chief judge at common law on that court.

Prime Minster Anthony Albanese and Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus announced the appointments following months of consultations.

Earlier this year, the court made history when it became a majority-female bench with the appointment of Justice Jayne Jagot.

Following the new appointments, the court will have four men and three women serving on it.