In the early 1970’s, greyhound racing was booming.
Zoom Top had captured the racing public's imagination and her first litter of pups was born in November 1973, some 50 tracks in NSW - from Albury to Griffith, Broken Hill, Moree and Tweed Heads - were operational but, south of Dapto to the Victorian border there was a void.
Gallopers raced at Worrigee and harness racing was conducted in the same precinct in Nowra which sprawled over 150 acres but there was no greyhound racing presence.
But on July 30, 1971 approximately 60 people were in attendance at a meeting in the Nowra School of Arts Hall and the Greyhound Club was founded.
“The club was formed in 1971 and the (Shoalhaven City) council decided (in 1973) to grant the Nowra club a five-acre allotment for a track,” Nowra Secretary Manager Glenn Midson said.
As Midson explained, in September, 1973 the Shoalhaven City Council granted the Club a $20,000 loan and along with grants from the NSW GBOTA and National Coursing Association of $5,000 each the construction of an amenities and kenneling block was completed. Volunteers within the club devoted many hours in assisting with the development of the Club's racing track and facilities. The acquisition of a racing licence took a number of years as licences were keenly sought by a number of areas within NSW.
The first race meeting on January 30, 1976, was a huge success and a deserved reward for the Committee and Members who strived to achieve their goal of a local greyhound racing track. On opening day, a two dollar note bought you entry with another 20 cents needed for a form guide. A total of 10 bookmakers fielded on the day with another 10 on the reserve list.
“The club was allocated 40 meetings on the old grass track but we were not a TAB club such as Dapto or Bulli … our funding came from the non-TAB sector,” Midson said.
“That was really tough. We struggled at times but the committee has always been very proactive and, since 1971, our president Glenn Summerfield has been a constant – it’s a remarkable effort.”
A former Westpac banker, Glenn Midson – a third generation greyhound racing participant- sold his property at Bringelly in Sydney’s west to head south with wife Karen and two toddlers in 1990.
“We operated a rearing and breeding property and when the global financial crisis hit in the late 80’s, people had no money to pay for rearing ... the business became unviable,” Midson added.
“Volunteers kept us afloat here at Nowra and there have been tough times yet, at our 50th anniversary, I’m proud to say we have $500,000 in the bank and have innovated and stayed relevant.
“In 1998 we decided the track needed to be sand and, by means of a $160,000 loan from council, we got it done and that was repaid in just 24 months.”
From modest beginnings, racing with TAB coverage on a Tuesday evening without proper funding, the Shoalhaven Greyhound Racing Club at Nowra is thriving.
Tough times are endured by tough, resilient characters.
Glenn and Karen Midson can proudly claim their family-friendly venue is an integral part of the Shoalhaven community.
