Club Spotlight: Stanthorpe

By Jordan Gerrans

From the days when only 150 people attended a race meeting in the town to well over 2000 at Armstrong Park in recent years, the Brunckhorst family have been central to the Stanthorpe Jockey Club’s turnaround.

Led by club secretary Jill and president Neil – the Brunckhorsts have been the backbone of the club for over 30 years, with both in their roles on the committee for more than three decades.

Based in the Eastern Downs racing district of Queensland, Stanthorpe race their annual Cup day on October 16 this year, with the team behind the club expecting a huge influx of racegoers, punters and bookmakers to the border town.

A self-described racing lover, as well as former owner of gallopers, Neil detailed just how the club had come along in leaps and bounds over the decades.

“We have turned it around pretty well, the club is going good now,” Neil said.

“It used to be very quiet; we would be lucky to get 100 or 150 people to the races in the old days, now we are getting over 2000 to a race meeting.

“In the space of 20 years, it has completely changed.

“We did not race last year because of COVID but this year the bookings are well above 2019, it is all looking really good provided everything goes to plan.”

Neil explained that over the years the club and their staff had focussed in on promotions, sponsorship and marketing to grow the interest in racing around Stanthorpe, including attraction people to town for the weekend.

There has not been permanent stables or trainers based at Armstrong Park in some time, with Warwick the closest training facility to Stanthorpe.

Racing began in the former tin mining town in 1872 and once raced many more times a year than they currently do, having just the one annual meeting in 2021.

“One of the oldest clubs in Queensland, there has been racing in the Stanthorpe area since the 1872,” the club’s website explains.

“This rich heritage comes from its origins as a mining town - when almost everyone used horsepower as their means of transport, and the notion of gambling was an inherent part of prospecting.”

As well as large numbers of patrons on course come race day, Neil believes the club boasts the biggest number of bookmakers at a bush meeting in the Sunshine State – averaging 12 at the track in recent years.

“We have as good a betting ring as you will find anywhere,” he said.

“I think we will have 14 come Cup day. Punters come from everywhere, they support the local club. Local people, a lot of them are once a year punters and when they do come to the races, they have a bet.”

As far as the Brunckhorst’s contribution to the club goes, husband Neil was first on the committee before wife Jill followed not long after.

They have been there ever since, both estimating they had been with the club between 32 and 33 years.

“He loves race horses and always have; Neil was on the committee, and the current secretary at the time retired mid-term and I got put on as secretary for six months until they found the time to get someone more permanent,” Jill said.

“That six months has morphed into 32 years.”

Neil, who has owned a few bush gallopers over the years and fell in love with racing by having a punt on a Saturday afternoon as a youngster, modestly played down the family's contribution to the club over the years.

“It is no big deal really, we only race once a year so it is not too much work and you do not mind doing it when we get a result for the club as we do,” Neil said.

“I have always loved racing; I joined the committee and then I was on that for 18 months before becoming president.”

The Brunckhorsts' five children basically grew up at the town’s race track, Jill jokes.

“We have got a really good committee and everyone works really hard,” Jill said.

“It is a huge social day here.”

While it is a massive social day on the local calendar, President Neil stresses that racing comes first in Stanthorpe with everything else that goes along with the day at the races secondary.

The club’s committee has invested large sums of their own money into their facilities over the last 15 years, with the president of the belief they would be some of the best in regional Queensland.

“We have got really good facilities,” Neil said.

“We have built 60 new tie-up stalls, a new covered bookies around and betting ring and we are in the process of doing a covered around for our patrons – for sponsors and guests for lunch.

“Hopefully it will be ready for when we race this year.

“I do not think there would be too many race clubs in Queensland who have as good a facilities as we do now.”

The Southern Downs Region of Queensland experienced heavy rain and hail late last month and into early October, which Neil thinks will only help the track come race day.

“We actually needed a bit of rain, there is plenty of grass on it and it should be beautiful,” Neil said.

The 2021 Stanthorpe Cup will be run over 1200 metres as an Open Handicap with $15,000 on offer.

Club spotlight will be a regular feature that shines a light on the unique and individual racing clubs across Queensland.