April 5, 2023
Veteran race caller Ross Stanley has called his last meeting at the Lee Park track in Nanango.
Ross, who is a Life Member of the Nanango Race Club, is a stalwart of country racing in Queensland and has been writing his Gunsynd’s Gossip column for southburnett.com.au for almost a decade.
Before that, he was a regular columnist on the South Burnett Times.
“I was informed by phone by the Nanango Race Club president Andrew Green that the committee had decided to fire me in response to a complaint from an owner after the February meeting,” Ross said.
Apparently, the owner was upset by the quality of a race call.
Ross admits there was an issue in one race.
“I did have a meltdown in the first section of that event. However there were extenuating circumstances,” Ross said.
The call followed a serious fall at the end of Race 1 where it was feared for some time that jockey Sariah Champkin had been seriously injured, or possibly killed.
After passing the winning post, Hero’s Trinket shifted out abruptly towards the outside running rail, tossing the apprentice jockey to the track.
Champkin hit the ground and did not move, even as paramedics rushed to her aid.
“Over the years, I have called a range of jockeys in the country who later died because of race falls. Desiree Gill, Leanne Crook, Ken Russell, Billy Barnes, Iris Nielsen, Heidi McNeich, Carly-Mae Pye, Craig Erikson and Corey Gilby quickly come to mind,” Ross said.
“At the end of the opening race, I feared I had called my first fatality.
“When apprentice Sariah Champkin hit the ground, I kept my glasses on her and she still had not moved before the paramedics arrived and obscured my view.
“I firmly believe that I suffered a form of emotional shock on that fateful day. I was not the only one working there that was shaken by the incident.
“Bush commentators have a close connection with jockeys, particularly the rookies. We often share the joy of the their first success.”
Ross said he was extremely disappointed he was not consulted about the complaint when it was lodged.
“But I take tremendous satisfaction in knowing that I bounced back at the meeting and was spot on for what has now become my last Nanango call,” he said.
“I am looking forward to getting behind the microphone next at Wondai on Anzac Day. It is always a special occasion.”
Pretty weak to inform anyone of being let go over the phone. I think he or anyone else deserves a face-to-face meeting as a minimum, unless for extraordinary circumstances. Unfortunately, if one complaint is all it takes our SBRC elected members would be sacked on a weekly basis.