Gulargambone Jockey Club

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Gulargambone means literally ‘Place of many Galahs’

The Gulargambone Gold Cup Races

21 August 2010

(Race 2 12th September-Click for more photos)

Bush racing has been a tradition in Gulargambone for something like 90 years now. For a town whose racing calendar had once boasted 11 meetings a year, the Club has now entered a new era in racing. Our spring racing date will draw out the crowds this year. We’re quietly hoping to regain its popularity of more than 1000 just ten years ago.

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Gulargambone – population around 500, 560km north-west of Sydney, midway between Coonamble and Gilgandra has a lot to boast about. A small bush town nestled on the banks of the Castlereagh river. It has that great resilience and fortitude of bush folk that keeps our little community from closing up shop.

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The days of running 11 meetings a year for the Jockey Club, followed by a cost cutting direction from the AJC to 4 then 2 meetings a year seems all so long ago. Now with just the one annual meeting, making it a gala social day and night that the whole community gets involved in is the reason why this mighty little club wages on.

“At Gulargambone, the gambling almost seems to be an afterthought. A few minutes before the start of each race the bar empties and the betting circle fills up. The laughter and cries of “G’day mate” are only drowned out a few times in the afternoon, when the drumroll of hooves roars past the spectators.

Most of the people leaning against the white rails beside the track have come to strengthen old friendships. The whole idea of these races is that they are the social day of the year” ”At the day’s end, the pub bar is packed. Beer gone, racegoers have switched to spirits. Smiles all round. By 5.30 the heavens weep again and at the Gular Bowling Club, they toast the downpour. A good wheat crop last year pulled most people out of trouble. Looks like being another bumper harvest in November. Here at Gular, western gateway to the Warrumbungles, life looks pretty damn good.”

Excepts from Sydney Morning Herald article dated 17.7.95 and The Sunday Telegraph dated 28.7.96

Secretary/Treasurer - Annie Haling

"Wilga" Gulargambone NSW 2828

MOB: (0428) 766 370

PH: (02) 6825 1035

FAX: (02) 6825 1619

EM: anniehaling@bigpond.com

President - Peter O’Connor

MOB: 0427 251075

WEB: www.coonamble.org/gjc