Greyhound racing is in mourning following the shock death of leading Queensland trainer Peter Ruetschi last Tuesday.
Ruetschi, 56, was killed in a car crash on the Brisbane Valley Highway while returning home from Ipswich greyhounds, where he had trained the winner of race five.
The accident occurred at Fairney View, 60km west of Brisbane.
Ruetschi, who trained 157 winners last year, became Well known throughout Australia as the trainer of former top class stayer Hougenie, who won 27 of 89 races from 2013 to 2016.
Tributes from the greyhound racing community quickly flooded in on social media after news of Ruetschi’s death became known.
Well known Brisbane race caller and journalist Paul Dolan paid tribute to Ruetschi.
“Peter was a lovely bloke and had been among the leading half dozen trainers in Queensland for several years,” Dolan said.
“He was runner-up in the 2015 Albion Park trainers' premiership and finished a close fifth on last year's table.
“Best greyhounds in his kennel at present would be Sheza Keen Size, who has won 20 of 49 starts, and My Awesome Magic, winner of 20 from 42 races.
“My Awesome Magic won the top grade race at Albion Park last Thursday night and Peter believed she had a tremendous future both as a sprinter and as a middle distance performer.”
Racegoers at Wentworth Park on Wednesday night observed a minute's silence in Ruetschi's memory.
