TONY HARRISON

Born: Terang on May 9, 1978.

Wife: Bree.

Children: Tilly and Felix.

Parents: Barry and Heather.

Siblings: Leanne and Matthew.

Education: St Thomas Primary School Terang before going to Terang High School and then St Patrick's College Ballarat.

Sporting Highlight: Training the pacer Clark Griswold to win a metropolitan harness race at Melton in 2016.

RELATED: New juice bar livens up Terang street

Was the win of Clark Griswold at Melton your first metropolitan winner as a harness trainer?

Yes, Clark Griswold was my first metro winner.

It was very exciting to have a city winner as a trainer.

Jason Lee had the winning drive. Clark Griswold went on to win nine of his 16 starts. I've had my trainer's licence for more than 18 years but I haven't had many runners.

I can still remember my first ever harness racing winner was Black Friars Bridge back in 2008. The race was at Terang.

It was extra special because a lot of my family and friends were there to celebrate the victory.

A great question for the trivia buffs is 'who drove Black Friars Bridge to that win'?

I've got no idea. Who did drive the horse on that night back at Terang back in 2008?

It was Adam Crettenden. He's a race caller and is champion bloke.

I think I've trained about 15 winners since I got my licence but I haven't had many runners. I reckon I've only had say 50 starters in my training career.

Before I got my trainer's licence I had a few drives but I found I had a lack of ability to be a harness driver.

Terang has a big harness racing following.

I was very lucky because people like Neville Clarke and Kevin Clarke were there to offer me assistance and support.

I would have been 12 years old when I used to go down to Neville Clarke's stables in the mornings and after school.

After a while I realised I loved being involved with the horses.

Tony, during your younger years did you play any other sports?

Yes, I played under 16 and under 18 footy with Terang. Once again, similar to my harness driving, I found I had a lack of ability on the football field so I hung up my boots.

I played a lot of basketball and cricket for Terang.

Where you a batsman or bowler during your cricket career?

I was a fast bowler for Terang.

Sadly, in my time of playing A grade cricket for Terang I never played in a senior grand final-winning side.

Camperdown was always just too strong for us in grand finals during my career.

I was lucky to have got five wickets on a few occasions.

My ability with the bat was limited but I was lucky enough to make 49 runs in one game.

I was lucky to have played cricket at Terang with some great players including Tim Keane and Tim Fitzgerald.

Tim Keane is still playing and doing an incredible job for the club.

My cricket career basically came to a halt in 2011.

Can you please explain why your sporting career ended in 2011?

I got a job as the betting supervisor for local race meetings in 2011.

Tony Arundell had filled the role for many years before handing the baton to me after a few years the job was to be made redundant. I was asked if I wanted to be the judge at race meetings across the south-west.

Tony Heffernan, who was the judge at local race meetings for many years, encouraged to put my hand up for the job.

I went down to Geelong and worked with the head racing judge Paul Egan and with Tony for a few meetings, before I was to work at my first meeting by myself at Dunkeld in 2016.

How were the nerves in the lead up to your first meeting in November 2016?

I was a bit toey. It's just that you don't want anything to go wrong but believe me something did go wrong once I arrived at the Dunkeld races.

I found out the power was out to the whole course.

The stewards asked if I had my phone or iPad because I would probably have to take a photo of the horses as they went over the finishing line.

Luckily the power came back on before the races started.

I work in the same area as the photo finish operator at the races.

Usually, there's a camera in the area right above me on the finishing line.

I've got to examine the print in my job as the judge if it's a close finish.

My job is about finding a margin. I try and find the first six placegetters over the finishing line by sight before going to the photo.

I've worked as the judge at race meetings all across the south-west district, plus at Moonee Valley, Sandown and Caulfield but I've never worked at Flemington.

Do you have a bet on the races?

No, I haven't had a bet for years and years.

In my job as the judge, you are not allowed to bet. It's a very responsible job, as it impacts on the betting which can run into millions of dollars.

I love my job but there's a lot of pressure related to it. You've just got to get everything right. I suppose the job is a bit like a race caller. I go down into the jockeys' room before the race and learn the colours that the jockeys are wearing for the race.

The other important factor is to get the result through to the scales area correctly as soon as the race is run.

Paul Egan is the head judge in Victoria and comes up to assist me at the Warrnambool May Racing Carnival.

Laurie Kenna was the local judge for many years before Tony Heffernan took over. I'm just hoping to follow in Tony's footsteps; he was very good at the job.

Away from the races, you and your wife Bree have opened a juice bar shop in the main street of Terang. How is the new business venture going?

Bree and I are very happy with the business.

We're receiving great support from the Terang community.

Bree is right into fitness and mental health and is there offering advice for customers.