Lockhart Picnic Races History

Lockhart Picnic Races as we know it today was first run in 1993 at the Lockhart Showground.  However, racing in Lockhart started far earlier than this.

The first race meet held in Lockhart was on Boxing Day in 1898.  Race meets continued in Lockhart until 1946 with breaks during World War 1 and World War 2. 

The Lockhart Picnic Race Club was formed in 1993 and since then Lockhart has seen crowds of over 5000 patrons at the Picnic Races. 

Lockhart Picnic Races created history with a record setting dead heat two horse race which made national news at the 2009 meet.  In a two horse 1400m event, not even the photo finish camera could separate Cameno Road and Panton.  Later trainers Dick Dale (Cameno Road) and Paul Banks (Panton) tossed a coin to see who would take home the winner's trophy.

In 2010 Lockhart Picnic Races were flooded out following heavy rain and localised flooding.  The track was declared unsafe for horses and their riders.

In 2007 Lockhart swapped the horses and riders for racing sheep when equine influenza shut down race meets across the country.  Perhaps this idea was first coined in the mid 90s when Lockhart Picnic Race patrons were unloaded at the Lockhart Railway Station through sheep unloading ramps.

Over the years the Lockhart Picnic Races have hosted special guests including Billy Brownless, Doug Hawkins, Malcolm Johnson, Sheila Laxson, Deputy PM Tim Fischer and the Ambassador from Chile who arrived by train.

Previous Verandah Town Cup Winners:
1993:  Prego Prince  (Trained by GT McDermott)
1994:  Tiffie's Spirit  (Ms M Labahn)
1995:  All In Fun  (DP Blundell)
1996:  Currahs Class  (W Steiner)
1997:  Chat  (J Langfield)
1998:  Leopard Hunter (Ms PE Hartney)
1999:  Strictly Family  (W Spackman)
2000:  Prince Ottawa  (W Carroll)
2001:  Miratec  (R Freyer)
2002:  Paris-Dakkar  (Ms U Clark)
2003:  Prospero  (Ms L Aalbers)
2004:  Uncle Willy (A Osborne)
2005:  Ogdoad  (D Rolfe)
2006:  Spirited Choice (Rick Freyer)
2007:  Equine Influenza - Sheep Races
2008:  Grey Dragon (W Hayes)
2009:  Grey Dragon (W Hayes)
2010:  Meeting Abandoned - Flood
2011:  Street Twoforty (Trevor Sutherland)
2012:  Three Buddies (Richard Freyer)
2013: From London (Richard Freyer)
2014: Rite of Honour (Trevor Sutherland)
2015: Angel of Rock (Russell Green)
2016: Cancelled due to wet weather
2017: Blue Fusion (Scott Spackman)
2018: Tearful Kitty (Trevor Sutherland)
2019: Tearful Kitty (Trevor Sutherland)
2020: Cancelled - Covid 19
2021: Cancelled - Covid 19
2022: Cancelled due to wet weather - Sausage Dog races 

Sizzle - Winner of 'Sausage Dog Race' 2022

Lockhart Showgrounds gates.