By Duane Ranger (courtesy of Redcliffe Paceway)
Wanora horseman, Geoff Dawson, can’t blame his 88-year-old mother for not trusting both the Dawson and McMullen families for a few more weeks yet.
In fact, a lot of the Dawson and McMullen family members have some answering to do after telling the matriarch of the family a little ‘pork pie’ recently.
“We told Mum that we shouted her a ticket to the Queensland Harness Racing Awards for Mother’s Day. Little did she know that she was up for an Award herself.
“She was totally surprised. The look on her face was unforgettable. This award was very much an honour for the whole family. It was so heartening to see Mum receive the award on behalf of us all,” Dawson said.
“Dad would have been very proud looking down from above,” Dawson said of his late father, John.
Beryl & John Dawson and Family were bestowed with a Redcliffe Pegasus Award on Saturday (Feb. 18) some 54 years after being introduced to the sport by renowned Queensland trainer and neighbour, Des Weeks.
“To have recognition like this is amazing, and I speak on behalf of Mum and all our family which includes all the Dawsons, the McMullens, the Morris’s, and the McCalls.
“We have so many family members involved in the sport, and we all have Mum and Dad to thank for that. To be recognised publicly like this is amazing,” Dawson said.
Last week was one to remember for 67-year-old Dawson.
After his Mum stole the limelight on Saturday, the Dawson trained Maywyn Troubador (Nathan Dawson – nephew) finished in the city on Tuesday. Then came the wins…
The next day Mister Reactor and Shane Graham notched up Dawson’s first training victory of the season – at the same venue. He is owned and was bred by Denise Hellyer.
Then for good measure Shereacts and Dawson’s daughter Kelli won at Marburg a day later. But this was no ordinary win – this was Dawson’s youngest daughter’s 500th career driving victory.
“Both wins were special, but not many drivers win 500 races, and I’m so proud of Kelli because she works so hard.
“Her 500th win could have come a day earlier at Redcliffe, but Kelli had something urgent come up and she asked if I would put her partner, Shane on Mister Reactor,” Dawson said.
Dawson is no stranger to Redcliffe Paceway. Many of his 396 career wins have come at ‘The Triangle’. He said he also spent three or four days a week there back in the late 1970s courting Ronnie and Beryl McCall’s niece, Gail.
“Gail lived right adjacent to the track, and I think I might have met her there one day at the races. Like many members of our family both sides have a heavy harness racing connection,” Dawson said.
Born and educated in Ipswich, the Dawsons moved to a suburb of that city – Raceview in 1969. Dawson was 14.
“Then Des (Weeks) introduced us to the intricacies of harness racing and before long Dad had two horses, then six then 12 then 20.
“Des drove in the Interdominion and was a horseman of some quality so that tempered out love of the sport,” Dawson said.
Dawson worked for his father on leaving Bremer State High School. And then went out on his own when he moved to Wanora in the 1982-83 season. Australian Harness statistics show that Dawson has now trained 396 winners and placed 772 times. His stale earnings currently sit at $1.6m.
“A lot of my wins from the early 1970s to 1982 were never registered because I trained horses in Dad’s name, so there’s a few more, possibly double,” he said.
Dawson said all he ever wanted in harness racing was to train ‘bread and butter horses’.
“All of our family has a deep love of the animal. All I’ve ever wanted is to be happy and make a living out of harness racing.
“Old horse that Dad had like Regal Puncture and Shoot Harbour would do me fine. Horses like this two, who probably aren’t even registered, inspired me to be a horseman,” Dawson said.
He said he wanted to wind down his ‘breaking in’ operation as he got older.
“I wanted to reduce the numbers from 15 to zero and spend more time with family,” Dawson said.
“Compromise – I’m now breaking in seven,” he added.
In fact Dawson’s quality horsemanship goes back generations – five in fact. Proof of that came at last year’s Redcliffe Sale when Jeff Wallace produced a promising yearling.
“I looked back at the family I saw that I had broken in a horse from the family for the last five generations. It’s a great sport, not only for equine families but for human ones as well.”
Dawson said he was proud of his three children Melissa, Trent and Kelli.
“We have a new generation of drivers coming through as well. My grandchildren Ella and Zoe drive the Mini Ponies,” he said.
So how are the Dawsons related to the McMullens?
“My sister Jeanette married John McMullen and they live just five minutes up the road at Gamorganvale. We actually suggested they come out this way not long after we moved here about 40 years ago.”
So how is Nathan and Mitchell Dawson related and to Geoff and Gail?
“They are my brother Glen’s sons, and Glen is married to Wynetta (previously a Knack). Harness racing does lots for families and individuals. In fact, not enough is said about the good values, lessons, emotions, and virtues of life, you learn working with horses.
“I am proud of each and every one of them, and none more so that my wife, and parents – who set this all in motion,” Dawson said.
For the record, Dawson trained Artzone to place in the 2011 Group One $100,0000 Queensland Derby with the Trent in the bike.
“One of my favourite all-time wins was when Welcome Selection won the Redcliffe Cup in the early 1980s. He held the track record there for five or six years, and to have his name in the record books alongside giants like Paleface Adios was pretty good.
“At the time I thought I couldn’t do better. That fueled my fire for the sport,” said the man who was once nicknamed ‘Smokey’.
“That was Dad’s nickname and it stuck with a lot of family members.”
Dawson’s next starter will be at the ‘The Triangle’ today Tuesday (Feb. 28), when Maywyn Troubador (5) and daughter, Kelli, line up in race six at 3.47pm.
