Kumbia parties through the rain on Melbourne Cup day

By Jordan Gerrans

When the rain came on Tuesday morning, the buses were cancelled.

The Kumbia Race Club were expecting hundreds to descend on their tiny South Burnett town for their annual race meeting – which coincides with Melbourne Cup day.

But, following overnight rain, the Kumbia track was deemed unsafe to race on by stewards

However, a “phantom” betting meeting was set to be conducted at the racecourse with all facilities available.

Myolene Voller – who is Kumbia Race Club’s vice-president and secretary – anticipated it would be a quiet day at her track with all the incoming buses from neighbouring towns cancelled.

Then, her phone started to blow up.

The buses full of keen punters – mostly from Kingaroy and other surrounding towns – had changed their mind and they were still coming regardless of there being no horses going around at the non-TAB track on Tuesday.

Many of those are annual visitors to Kumbia and while they were disappointed to not see the action in person, they knew what a special day the club at Kumbia deliver.

“The people still want to come out and that says something,” Voller said.

“It is far spread where people come from and there is others from inland, as well.”

The majority of visitors come from Kingaroy.

Gayndah was represented on Tuesday, as were repeat patron campers from Bundaberg, Gladstone and the Sunshine Coast.

“We are small in numbers but we have a big heart in the community,” Voller said.

“It is party time; it goes without saying for the Melbourne Cup.

“Everyone is here for a good time.”

Voller’s family have lived and worked in the area for over a century.

The packed crowd still turned their attention to the television for the race that stops the nation from Melbourne as well as competing in fashions on the field later in the day. 

Racing Queensland CEO Brendan Parnell was not scared away by the South Burnett rain and made the drive out to Kumbia on Tuesday morning and was heartened by the community spirit.

“A phantom meeting is when a track is deemed unsafe for racing, so everyone still comes out to the track and the community spirit is large but unfortunately there is no horse racing,” Parnell said.

“There is a great atmosphere with lots of community fund-raising, the locals are all dressed up.

“It is a beautiful spot here at Kumbia with a great spirit around racing.”

The Kumbia Race Club is known locally as “the iconic Flemington of the Bush” and has held an event on Melbourne Cup day for the last 52 years.

Racing in Kumbia dates back to 1922 and at one point the club raced eight times a year but now only races Melbourne Cup day.

The Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington enjoyed the festivities of Melbourne Cup day at Kumbia in 2022 – like she has done on several occasions across her life in the area.

“Racing is a vital industry for the South Burnett region, in fact for all of regional Queensland,” Frecklington said.

“We are here on a wet day at Kumbia but I look around and see all the people who have come out and raising people’s spirits.

“I love Kumbia Melbourne Cup day – it is one of the best days.”

For those who cannot make it Melbourne or even for Brisbane for the occasion, Kumbia becomes “Flemington of the bush”, according to Frecklington.

Approximately 20mm of rainfall fell at the Kumbia racetrack on Tuesday morning, making the track unsuitable for racing.

This race meeting was also set to feature a qualifier for the Country Cups Challenge series. 

This qualifying race has now been rescheduled to be conducted at the Mount Perry race meeting on Saturday November 12.

While Kumbia did not get to race in 2022, their facilities were looking immaculate.

They have recently had upgraded tie-up stalls for gallopers on race day as well as a shiny set of new barriers, which is shared between them and other clubs in the district.

“Like many clubs around the state, Kumbia has received a benefit of the Country Racing Program,” Parnell said.

“New tie-up stalls were delivered just a few years ago and only recently; they have got a new set of shared starting barriers.

“It is great to see the upgrades and investment, backed up by a passionate and hard-working local volunteer committee here at Kumbia.”

Brian Lenihan, who is the local butcher, is an icon of racing in the area as a former jockey and long-time administrator of the club.

He currently holds the title of president of the club, after growing up around the industry with his father a successful hoop, and was there to celebrate the occasion on Tuesday.

Lenihan, who has been the president for over 40 years, might be a little biased but believes his club’s track is as good as it gets in regional areas.

Lenihan says the club couldn’t run their annual race day without their 94 volunteers, who he personally contacts all of them in the lead-in, that all chip in to ensure the day’s success.