The combined Cloncurry Derby Day and Rodeo held last October raised $5000 for the community group. 

Cloncurry and District Race Club president Luke Daniels said the club reached the fundraising target they set.

“All they (the Hospital Auxiliary) are trying to do is when people are a bit crook, make it a bit more comfortable,” Daniels said. 

He understood that the auxiliary aimed to use part of the funds to add more channels on Foxtel in each room for patients. 

“We’re going to make a request if they can put the racing channel on,” Daniels said. “I think they are looking into that.” 

Daniels’ confirmation of the funding amount at the last meet comes as the club prepares for its first race meet of 2017, which is to be held at Schumacher Park on Saturday, March 25. 

Like last year the club’s first race meet of the year will have a Hawaiian theme. 

“It’s a bit warm still and there’s a few new people in town,” Daniels said.

“We want to make it a relaxed type of a day and later on in the year we’ll get a bit more formal with Derby Day.

“We’ll try and build on that side of it, don’t take it too seriously, have a bit of fun.” 

He said the local racing industry in Cloncurry was looking “pretty healthy” towards the end of the region’s three month spell. 

“We’ve got a few trainers in town now – local people who have been here a long time – starting to get a few horses together,” Daniels said. 

“It’s been a 10 year period where nobody trained in Cloncurry. We’re trying to put more emphasis on that to encourage people to take up training.” 

He said the club was trying to improve its track facilities to make local training more appealing, and to perhaps eventually have a swimming pool for horses and a treadmill. 

“But that’s down the track,” Daniels said. “We’re looking into that sort of stuff.” 

He said everything for a not-for-profit club happens “slowly and surely”.

“Money is hard to come by at the moment which is making it difficult to make the club show a profit after each race meeting, but we appreciate any bit of help we get,” Daniels said. 

He advocated the importance of the industry in rural communities and for the overall racing industry. 

“We need it because not every horse can be a Black Caviar,” he said. The slower horses in the advanced metropolitan races had to compete somewhere.

“Racing in the bush is the backbone of the racing in the south. We all need each other to survive for a little bit.

 “And you only have to ask Dan Ballard (jockey), he could tell you how many it employs. Horse feed, jockeys, trainers and even right down to your vets and ambulance on the day.”

“It’s a small stimulant for the economy too.”