Albany Harness Club stalwart Ken Davies believes strength is a “feather in its cap” in 50th year

Proud Albany Harness Racing Club member Ken Davies says the club’s professionalism and strength is a “feather in its cap” as it celebrates 50 years at Harold Reid Paceway this season. Davies has been associated with the club for nearly two decades with stints as president, and has been on the committee for the past six seasons. A passionate pacing fan with shares in numerous trotters, Davies said the club had remained strong over time. “I think (the milestone) is highly significant in terms of longevity and the fact that there’s been lots of clubs closing down,” he said. “Towns that used to have trotting facilities and trotting meetings that no longer have them. “The fact that we can entice trainers and owners and reinspersons to come such a long distance, especially from Perth and surrounding districts, says a lot about our culture and what we offer.” Reflecting on the club’s tenure, Davies insisted Albany’s climate and its passion for racing was a glowing advertisement for the industry’s strength in the region. “I think the beauty of Albany is our climate, which gives us the ability to breed good horses,” he said. “I do think our importance of the industry is that it’s a growing phase of trotting in Albany. “There’s more trainers and more breeders here than there have been for a long time, and we’re on the up. “I think we’ve become more popular to travelling trainers . . . the racing, I think, is a lot more competitive. “I think we’ve become more professional, and I think we’re a very good family-orientated club. “Trainers have spoken about that the track is really high-class, that our facilities to race in terms of stabling horses, the race programs that we run are really inviting for people to come here. “The club owes the travelling trainers and the local trainers just a sense of appreciation for their time and effort to continue to race here.” Having seen plenty in more than 20 years at the club, Davies said its stable committees had always had the club’s best interests at heart. “We’ve had really, really strong committees that have built on one another to where we are now,” he said. “I think we are very, very well run. “But I think in the end, the decisions that we make and how we handle ourselves in the public eye are pretty professional. “I’m proud of the fact that it’s a really community-based club. “A highlight is the fact that when other clubs around us are falling, we seem to be going from strength to strength, which is pretty good.”