Kevin Charles 'Pro' Hart's 8th anniversary this month

Here's a link to some content from ABC Broken Hill / ABC South Australia which recognises the 8th anniversary of the passing of the famous Broken Hill artist Pro Hart aka Kevin Charles 'Pro' Hart MBE.

#BrokenHill 's Kevin Charles "Pro" Hart #ProHart - ABC Sth Australia - Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) http://t.co/ymVkR7J2Xx
— Jane Deany (@ilovebrokenhill) March 31, 2014

This blog post is by ABC Broken Hill's Sarah McConnell and includes a link to a podcast of the radio interview with Pro Hart's wife Raylee Hart by ABC Broken Hill's Andrew Schmidt earlier today.

Having listened to the interview, I agree that some formal recognition of Pro Hart's contribution to Broken Hill by way of a memorial to honour him, is certainly a good idea.

I was intrigued with one thing Raylee reported upon her visit to Pro's grave last week. I must first mention that Pro's last painting before he died of motor neurone disease, aged 87, was of a dragon fly. It was therefore quite mystical, well that seems a suitable word, that a dragon fly was hovering over the top of Pro's grave whilst she was there.

Pro Hart's painted Rolls Royce - note dragon fly, taken at the Pro Hart Gallery in 2006, the year he died.

Mrs Hart then retold a story of a tourist who also visited the grave a few days later, and he was amazed at the cluster of dragon flies hovering over Pro's grave, "like a meeting place" (in Raylee's words). He filmed the incident and took it to show Raylee at the family run Pro Hart Gallery. Sounds pretty amazing to me.

Here's a link to another article also posted by ABC discussing the interview with Raylee Hart and her backing of suggestions to publicly recognise Pro Hart's contribution to Broken Hill. 

May he rest in peace.

Jane Deany

Damien Cocks is Broken Hill City Council's new comms specialist

Broken Hill's local newspaper the Barrier Daily Truth (BDT) recently reported that Broken Hill City Council (BHCC) had announced the name of their new Communications Officer. Damien Cocks has accepted the 'comms' position which is a new and diverse role, I saw the position description so I now just how comprehensive it was.

Damien Cocks source
Bega District News

Damien has had a long relationship with the city having worked at both the BDT and the City Council at different times in the past.

Damien currently works for the Murrindindi Shire Council as their manager of communications.

I wish him every success in the new role which he commences at the end of March 2014.

I hope to interview Damien at some stage after he's settled in.

Cheers, Jane Deany

Results of Broken Hill's St Patrick's Races 'Outback Cup' 2014 won by Eight Red

Kym Healy holding the prized
Golden Harp 'Outback Cup' trophy.
Image from 'Barrier Daily Truth'
by Darrin Manuel

Community Event
Lightening, thunder and rain threatened the 2014 St Patrick's races on Saturday. Guests were treated to a dust storm, a thunder storm, strong winds and lots of rain, and the President of the St Patrick's Race Club, Marg Corradini said this gave visitors 'a great event, a great show', and noted 'how exciting was that' when she summed up the weather events to ABC Broken Hill radio host Julie Clift in her 'Outback Outlook' morning show yesterday.

Luckily things calmed down and the day turned out to be sunny. The start of the 1st race was delayed by an hour.

It certainly sounds like it was indeed very exciting, and I wish I'd been there. I was fortunate enough to attend the event in 2012, so I know just what a fantastic, fun event it is, and I can't recommend it highly enough.

'Eight Red won the Outback Cup'

The 1600 metre main race, race 6, the 'Clubs NSW and Keno Outback Cup' was won by number 6 'Eight Red', which ran, appropriately from barrier 8.

No doubt the winning South Australian trainer Kym Healy from Strathalbyn, and jockey Wayne Kerford were delighted.

Last year's winner Tresette, came 2nd at two lengths behind the winner and Bellchuca was 3rd.

Eight Red is an 8 year old gelding who has had 10 wins from 63 starts according to www.racenet.com.au and has won over $100,000 in prize money so far. I notice he has 'Octagonal' as his dam's sire (i.e. his mother's father), not to mention Zabeel as his great grandfather. Octagonal had 10 Group 1 wins from 28 starts and won nearly $6 million in prize money. He also produced Lonhro, another very successful race horse who won a similar amount of prize money, so Eight Red is in very good company from a top gene pool, so he may well go on to bigger things. Keep an eye on him if you like to have a 'flutter' aka bet.

I know eight is a lucky number and red's my favourite colour. It's easy to say in hindsight, but I think I may have backed him if I was there. Unfortunately, as it wasn't a TAB race, you had to be at the track to place a bet. I believe, from an event point of view, with the weather delay of an hour, that would have meant they'd have to cancel the races if it had been a TAB event. So in a way, it was lucky that TAB wasn't covering the race this year.

I'm already looking forward to next year.

Cheers, Jane Deany   (post number 222)

St Patrick's Races Broken Hill 2014 not long till the big race

Racing action at St Patrick's Race Club Broken Hill
image from www.stpatricks.org.au

Community Event/ Racing

Today's the big day, Broken Hill's signature event for the year the St Patrick's Day Races 2014, held at St Patrick's Race Club, are underway and it's less than an hour until the main race - Race 6, the 'Clubs NSW and Keno Outback Cup'.

It's a 1600 metre Open Class race which runs at 4.10pm local Broken Hill time (4.40pm Melbourne time) and if you want to place a bet you'll need to head down to the track as it's not a TAB event.

The field is slightly smaller than last year which listed 11 horses including 1 scratching. Tresette won the race last year and Cruziero came 9th in the race. They both are racing again in today's race. Number 4 Defonet, won the Silver City Cup in October 2013, but this will be a harder race with a better field.

Details of today's field for the main race are -

1   Sky Raider (5)  Trainer - Mick Whittle, Jockey - Dylan Dunn (a4) 60kg
2   Tresette (2)  Trainer - Annette Morrison, Jockey - Murray Henderson 54kg
3   Azarax (6)  Trainer - Rodney Robb, Jockey - Michael Hackett 54kg
4   Defonet (4)  Trainer - Paula Trenwith, Jockey - Ms Tamara Zanker 54kg
5   Cruziero (9) Trainer - Kym Healy, Jockey - Kate Brookes (a2) 54kg
6   Eight Red (8) Trainer - Kym Healy, Jockey - Wayne Kerford 54kg
7   Belchuca (1)  Trainer - Brian Searle, Jockey - Justin Potter 54kg
8   Artistic (7)  Trainer - Con Kelly, Jockey - Desiree Stra (a2) 54kg
9   Mild Mannered (3)  Trainer - Scott Whittle, Jockey - Jack Martin (4) 54kg

The Barrier Daily Truth's (BDT) tipster 'No Idea' is tipping Sky Raider, Defonet and Eight Red.

Sky Raider goes in as a $2 favourite.

See link here for today's BDT's articles 'Raring to go' and 'Track in top shape' by their sports writer Ethan James.

I hope you have a win, cheers, Jane Deany (blog post 221)

Broken Hill and International Women's Day 2014

Art Scene
The art scene in Broken Hill strongly supports women.

Broken Hill has an all female art group - Gaara Arts Inc, which is currently exhibiting at the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery with their exhibition "Stronger Women, Stronger Nations". The exhibition, designed in part to coincide with International Women's Day 2014, will finish at the end of the day tomorrow, Sunday 9 March. See my post of 19 January, link here, published a few days prior to the opening of the exhibition on 24 January. Further details of the exhibition are -

Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery -
404-408 Argent Street, Broken Hill

Gallery hours -
Monday - Friday 10am - 5pm
Saturday/Sunday and most public holidays 11am - 4pm

The manager of the Broken Hill Regional Art Gallery is a woman - Cathy Farry. She's been in the role for over a year now and is doing a great job.

The Broken Hill Art Exchange which promotes local artists is also run by a woman - Susan Thomas. She's been in this role for a number of years.

Broken Hill Proprietary Smelters,
Intaglio etching by Deirdre Edwards

The co-founder of Gaara Arts - Deirdre Edwards, a prolific and talented local artist, who also has her own studio gallery, Art Mecca, is currently exhibiting, see link to my post of 28 February, here. Details of that exhibition are -

Where:     Albert Kersten Mining and Minerals Museum aka GeoCentre

Address:   Corner Crystal and Bromide Streets, Broken Hill

Time:      10am - 4.45pm Monday - Friday
1pm - 4.45 pm weekends

There are many talented female artists in Broken Hill, I've written about some of them over the past couple of years.

Gaara member Karrie Lannstrom recently exhibited at the Broken Hill Art Exchange, around Christmas 2013. I've come to know Karrie, as well as such artists as Jenny Cattonar and her 'Spirit of the Outback Studio Gallery', Betty Pearson, Robyn Taylor and Maureen Clark from Gaara, Tanya Marie Reeves (Art Confessions), Wendy Martin (with her husband Ian Lewis, and their Bush 'n' Beyond Studio Gallery), Julie Hart and her Julie Hart Gallery, and Andrea Blundell and her Homestead Gallery.

May women prosper and receive equal rights worldwide.

Cheers, Jane Deany