ARC, BLB, TTRA fete staff at gala

THE PEOPLE responsible for the weekly staging of race days at the Santa  Rosa Park, Arima, from the trackman to the accountant, were on Friday night given awards for their service at a gala dinner and dance. The occasion was jointly put on by the Arima Race Club (ARC), the Betting Levy Board (BLB) and the Trinidad and Tobago Racing Authority (TTRA) at  the St Augustine Tennis Courts, McCarthy Street. After being recognised for their contribution to the sport of horse racing, the awardees danced well into the night along with their friends and families.

It was an occasion where the heads of the various departments at the different affiliations (ARC, BLB and TTRA) took delight in recognising the people who were just as important as the horses, owners and jockeys who make race day events, the way it is currently with many of them giving more than 20 years service. Many others who have had ten years and more, and of course those who gave their entire lives to the sport before finally calling it a day were all given plaques and cheques at the gala ceremony staged in their honour. Among those with ten years and more service included Matthew Augustus (mason), Pat Brewster (janitor), Hanniman Jawahir (track foreman), Stanley Paterson (trackman), Ann Marie Beckles (lottery woman) and Rose Ramjattan (teller).

Those who were awarded for service of 20 years and more included TTRA secretary David Loregnard and Indira Dookiesingh, while those who have retired were given tokens of appreciation, Jennifer McLeod of the TTRA and Lionel Holloway of the BLB. The members of the current staff of the different associations were also given awards and were told they were expecting them to turn out for the big Boxing Day races on December 27. Rain which fell earlier failed to dampen the spirits of the many racehorse owners, jockeys, grooms and trainers who attended. Bringing the Christmas cheer to the function were pannist  Ken “Professor” Philmore and parang by Lopinot Parang Band.