Austrotforum

Swedish trot fans had their big day out at Solvalla ruined when winner,JAG DE BELLOUET and LETS GO were disqualified for failing post race dope tests.JAG DE BELLOUET came up positive to VOLTAREN,a well known treatment for arthritic pain in this part of the world.LETS GO showed to a product,not on sale in Sweden,but thought to be a masking agent.
The amended placings are:1st CONNY NOBELL (Bjorn Goop) Sweden, 2nd THAI TANIC (Olle Goop) Norway, 3rd HOT SHOT NICK (Thomas Uhrberg) Sweden..
As one French trotting reporter,after commending the Swedes on their ZERO TOLERANCE policy,sadly commented,"Thepeople who do these things do not love horses."

Posted by dlsmith at 10:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

All roads will lead to Rome when the top guns of light harness amateur race driving will gather to decide just who is the WORLD CHAMPION for 2006.The series will commence on July 18 and will consist of 9 races spanning three meetings.In a format which is considered quite strange in this country,the races contested will carry full tote betting status and will be the feature element of the meetings at which they are programmed.
Australia will be wonderfully well represented by COLIN REDWOOD,a farmer from Bridgewater,in the picturesque Loddon Valley of Victoria.COLIN is a hobby breeder,trainer,and now, in his 70th year,a fill in driver for his son DARREN.The REDWOOD family are well known for their preference for the trotting as opposed to the pacing gait,with the prestigious "REDWOOD CLASSIC" ,a memorial to COLINS father,HUGH.
You will read much more of COLIN REDWOOD,and his fellow competitors as we move towards and cover the international event.Suffice to say,at this point that the genial veteran's 53 year stint in the sulky,mainly on trotters,fits him well for the job to come.

Posted by dlsmith at 02:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pint sized Tamworth based reinsman Anthony Varga,will represent NSW in the "State of Origin Drivers Challenge'"to be held at Rocklea on Saturday,July 15.Sixteen year old Varga is in his first season of driving and has greeted the judge on six occasions from a handful of drives.He was placed third in the recent "NSW Rising Stars Challenge"
With sponsorship from COLLIER BLOODSTOCK to assist his assault on trotting fame and fortune,young Anthony will be in Brisbane from July 12 through July 15.He is hungry for drives,and can be engaged through Peter Collier on 0419 329 536..

Posted by dlsmith at 04:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One assumes that they have TV,professional football and all the other distractions which are blamed for our miserable on course attendances in this country.They certainly have the equivalent of Sky Channel and the Swedish TAB (ATG).We should find out how the Swedish admin men lured this crowd to Solvalla.

Posted by dlsmith at 07:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Crowd scene at Solvalla,Sweden,on Elitlopp Day..

Posted by dlsmith at 07:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Why some people are bent on trotters.Yet another German trotter"KENNETH SUN" showing the gait that comes from more than a century of breeding.

Posted by dlsmith at 06:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We are often told to "think outside the square".The above photo falls in the category of "same,same,but different"

Posted by dlsmith at 08:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When Kerryn Manning became the world's winningest lady driver,very few people knew whose crown she captured.The top German amateur reinswoman Rita Drees had held the title with 2,300 plus victories lifetime.Still super committed at 63 years young,Rita is still up there with the best,churning out 70/80 wins a season.

Posted by dlsmith at 01:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Jogging in lovely surroundings on 7 kilometres of slow tracks at "Den Heyberg". Ideal for horse and trainer.

Posted by dlsmith at 08:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Former NATO munition bunkers converted to stable blocks at "Den Heyberg" training centre near Krefeld in Germany.

Posted by dlsmith at 08:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)