Race day committee: Kyabram Bowling Club’s Greg Shilling, club president John Hausler and Paul McInnes with Martin White, the ferret master, at the Kyabram Cup meeting on Friday evening.
There were no jockeys, the race caller had a much huskier voice than is the norm and there was certainly no fashions on the field, but one thing remained — the sheer excitement and enthusiasm for race day.
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Kyabram Bowling Club’s inaugural ferret racing Kyabram Cup attracted a sell-out crowd and several syndicates bid enthusiastically to have a runner in one of the six events.
The fundraising event involved the auctioning off of five ferrets for each event, then had the ferrets negotiate a series of clear piping — the course — to the finishing box.
Video finishing technology was used to avoid any disputes and half of the funds secured from the sale of ferrets were distributed to the winning syndicate from each race.
The remaining funds went to the bowling club to assist in its Goulburn Valley pennant season — which officially starts this weekend.
Scott Donaldson took on the role as auctioneer and Des Campbell was race-caller for the race evening.
Avenel-based ferret racing entrepreneur, Martin White, is no newcomer to Kyabram and spoke glowingly of a history of race days at the Kyabram Football Netball Club.
He was fresh off events at Katamatite, Heathcote and Jerilderie — where one winning ferret in the cup was sold for $1000.
“My experiences in Kyabram have been fantastic, people always generously support their club and it is a fun way for sporting and community groups to raise money,” he said.
Race 1 Advanced Ag Sprint: Captain Coffee Cup (owned by Kane Burt). Race 2 Techies Tyres/Hurley’s Hotel Maiden Plate: The Fossil (owned by Andrew Pryde). Race 3 Ky Rewinding Handicap: Salter (owned by Ky Cleaning). Race 4 Ciavarellas Betta Home Living Handicap: Mustang Sally (owned by Sally Beach). Race 5 Bryan Dillon Memorial: Lomas (owned by David Cartwright/Nardo Dipetta). Race 6 Kyabram Cup: Salter (owned by Ky Cleaning).
Cup connections: Brendan Ryan from M&S Insurance Brokers, Techy's Tyres Francis Ryan, Les Dillon and Mark Dillon before the running of the two feature races on the seven event card at Kyabram Bowling Club on Friday evening.
Winning syndicate: A barefoot bowling group was the connections of the race one winner at the Kyabram Bowling Club's ferret race meeting on Friday. The eight-strong syndicate paid $210 for the ferret and pocketed $450 for the event, celebrating with ferret master Martin White.
