Gary Poidevin OAM with his framed certificate of life membership.
Corowa’s Gary Poidevin OAM stepped down from the Corowa Race Club committee last year after 46 years and has stepped out with life membership.
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At the presidential annual dinner on Friday, March 8 which was held in Rutherglen’s Pickled Sisters Café, Corowa Race Club President Brian Scolyer announced Mr Poidevin as a club life member.
It is believed Mr Poidevin, a previous club vice-president and, for four years, president, is the 10th Life Member in the 1876-established club.
Corowa Race Club’s newest Life Member Gary Poidevin OAM with club president Brian Scolyer.
“I’ve got a lot of pleasure by being part of Corowa Race Club because what you put in you get more back,” the 72-year-old told The Free Press.
“I’ve met a lot of people from all walks of life being in the industry.”
Mr Scolyer has enjoyed “an exceptionally good working relationship” with Mr Poidevin. “Gary’s been a great member,” the president said.
“Life membership is so well deserved and given these days when it’s hard to get volunteers, it’s been an extraordinary effort what Gary’s done.”
It was in his early 20s a young Gary Poidevin became involved in horse racing. “I used to drink with Tommy O’Brien and Owen Doyle, and I got into a lease of a horse with those blokes,” he recalled.
“Later there was a horse named ‘His Worship’ and was trained by Bob Murrell. In 2002 at the Darwin Cup ‘His Worship’ won a stakes race at the cup.
“Geoff Duryea has trained many of my horses I’ve been involved in over 40 years. The first winner I ever had was a horse called ‘Triso’ a two-year-old in the Bott Stakes at Corowa. The best horse I ever had was ‘Fun Verdict’ which went on to win the Grand National Hurdle 30 years ago.”
Corowa Race Club is fantastic according to the club’s newest life member. “When I first joined the committee about 10 were on the committee and you were not allowed on the committee unless you were prepared to work,” Mr Poidevin said.
“With the assistance of his boss, Max Maclean provided materials. Every project was done by the committee.”
Those projects included the bar, toilet block, concrete paths, running rail and the canteen.
Mr Poidevin, who was Corowa Shire Mayor for a record 13 times/years in his councillor career of 32 years, is now the third living life member of Corowa Race Club.
The other two life members are Robert Freyer and Len Rhodes. As the third surviving life member, Mr Poidevin is now a life member of three clubs; the other two being Corowa Search and Rescue Squad, and Corowa Rutherglen Swimming and Life Surfing Club.
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