Our People
1 June, 2026
Surprise honour for Stawell harness stalwart
JEFF Hargreaves thought he had been invited away for a good night out. Instead, the long-serving Stawell Harness Racing Club volunteer found himself unexpectedly in the spotlight as one of Victorian harness racing’s quiet achievers was recognised for decades of service to the sport.
Hargreaves was presented with a Paul James Volunteer Service Award at the Trots Clubs Victoria awards night at Rich River Resort, recognising his contribution to the Stawell club and the wider harness racing community.
The surprise had been carefully orchestrated.
Racing manager Mark Percival told Hargreaves the club needed extra numbers at the event and offered accommodation and fuel to get him there.
“I thought I was just up there for a good night out,” Hargreaves said.
“When Stawell came up on the screen, I wasn’t even thinking about me. Then my name came up. It was a total shock.
“I could hardly get a word out. I knew nothing about it, but everyone else did — my partner knew, my kids knew. They did a good job of hiding it from me.”
For those around Stawell Harness Racing Club, however, the honour came as no surprise.
Committee chair Angela Towers said Hargreaves had spent more than 35 years helping keep the club running, taking on almost any task that needed doing.
“Jeff has been around forever and lent his hand to anything that needed to be done,” she said.
“He’s been our swab attendant and our track attendant. He has turned up in the mornings to help set up race meetings, and in years gone by he even helped set up for weddings and functions.
“He has generally been a great support to our club.”
Percival said Hargreaves’ contribution extended beyond Stawell, with the volunteer also helping neighbouring clubs when they struggled to fill race-day roles.
“Jeff has also been going over to Hamilton and helping them run their race days, just doing it with a smile on his face,” he said.
“He is helping keep the local industry going.”
Harness racing has been part of Hargreaves’ life for generations.
His father grew up in a horse-racing family, while his uncle Jack Hargreaves became a successful trainer, winning the 1969 Miracle Mile with Adaptor.
“As soon as I got my first job and had enough money, I bought my first horse,” Hargreaves said.
“I’ve had one ever since.”
His daughter Kate has also trained successfully, and Hargreaves still spends countless hours helping around the sport, whether assisting with trials, working as a track attendant, helping with swabbing duties or filling gaps wherever needed on race days.
Despite the award, he said recognition had never been the reason he volunteered.
“I just do it because I like doing it,” he said.
“I do it to help the club survive. We’ve got a good committee at Stawell and most of them are hard-working volunteers. That’s what helps the club along.”
Towers said volunteers remained critical to the survival of country harness racing clubs.
“Volunteers are imperative,” she said.
“Race meetings are pretty much break-even affairs, and only because we have volunteers to help us get through the day.”
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