Perth women take trip to Southland to honour late friend
Marjorie Charleson died in Perth in August 2020. Her ashes have now been scattered on the York Racecourse in Western Australia and on her family's farm at Gore.
Jamie Searle is a long-time racing writer. For more of his work, head to the Southland Thoroughbreds Racing Facebook page.
Perth women Carol Hanlon and Karen McGrath took in the Riverton races on Monday while on a trip to Southland to honour their late friend Marjorie Charleson.
Hanlon and McGrath judged the best presented horse for each race on Monday. The winners received a bottle of wine and a laminated information card on the outstanding work in Western Australian racing by Charleson, formerly of Gore.
"She was famous in Australia for her contribution to the Western Australia racing industry," Hanlon said.
"She is regarded as the person who drove the golden era of Western Australia racing in the 1970s-80s,"
Charleson died in Perth in August 2020. Her ashes have been scattered on the York Racecourse in Western Australia and on her family's farm at Gore.
Hanlon and McGrath scattered the ashes on the eastern Southland farm last Friday.
The long delay from the time Charleson died to when Hanlon and McGrath travelled to Gore was mostly because of Covid-19 restrictions and border closures.
Hanlon and McGrath are Charleson's trust executors.
Charleson, who was born in Gore in 1933, worked in radio in Otago-Southland as a young woman. She moved to Perth in 1965 to make television documentaries.
In 1967 she became the first female public relations officer in Australian racing when appointed to the position by the Western Australian Turf Club.
Charleson's promotional skills helped Perth racing into a golden era with the summer carnival at Ascot Racecourse. Her marketing plans saw Australia's best trainers, jockeys and horses race for lucrative prize money at the carnival.
The carnival attracted international jockeys Lester Piggott, Frankie Dettori, Willie Carson and Steve Cauthen.
Charleson's work in Western Australia racing was recognised when Perth Racing inaugurated the annual Marjorie Charleson Classic, for fillies and mares, in 2016.
"Within a few hours of us spreading the ashes [on the Gore farm on Friday] the Marjorie Charleson Classic was run at Ascot," Hanlon said.
Also in 2016, Charleson was presented with a lifetime achievement award by Racing and Wagering WA.
Other awards she received include:
2019: Exceptional Women of Excellence Award, Women Economic Forum, Curtin University.
2011: Hall of Fame, Racebreed Australia, Belmont & WA Small Business Awards.
2008: WA Racing Industry Award, Racebreed Australia, Belmont & WA Small Business Awards.
2007: Best Marketing Award, Racebreed Australia, Belmont & WA Small Business Awards.
2003: Australian Centenary Medal for service to the Racing Industry and Community.
2000: Tourism Award, Racebreed Australia, Belmont & WA Small Business Awards.