The story of Les Chapman in Harness Racing was much more than his two decades at the helm of one of the most successful clubs in Victoria.
The Maryborough Harness Racing Club, and indeed the wider Victorian Harness Racing Community, mourns the loss of Chapman, which suddenly died on Friday morning.
A rider, trainer, mentor, manager and lifelong dedicated from the Standardbred, Chapman’s passion for the sport started as a boy, when he cut his teeth and helped with the legendary Jack Moore Stable, the home of champions such as Richmond Lass, Dale’s Gift and Tony Bear.
Towards the age of 11, he already used Standaard Breds, and only five years later he drove winners.
He combined hobby training with a bank career and later business property before he took the decrease in full -time training and breaking in 1986.
Chapman prepared a number of handy horses, but no larger than La Coocaracha, the Square-Gaiter champion he trained for seven victories in her first 15 starts before her transfer to the powerhouse Andy Gath Stable.
In 2000 the career shifted from Chapman to the administration when he succeeded Merv Gray as secretary of the Maryborough Harness Racing Club.
It was the start of a 22-year term of office that would reform the fate of the club.
The Redwood Renaissance
Chapman’s pride in legacy was the transformation of his club of the Redwood that carnival trotted in one of Victoria’s leading racing events and the recognized showpiece of square gaping in Australia.
Maryborough firmly placed his vision and promotional flair on the map as the “spiritual house” of Draven.
Behind the scenes he was tireless and went to the non-glamorous detail that Clubs holds up, but also acts as a one-man Public Relations-Machine-Altijd, always positive and ready with a smile and friendly welcome for anyone who came to Maryborough through the gate.
The contributions of Chapman were recognized in 2009 with the Gordon Rothker Medal, the highest individual honor of Victorian Harness Racing.
At that time, Chapman had been celebrating in the competition for 50 years – and he continued to add 16 years to his death on Friday morning.
A permanent legacy
In recent times he scaled back his formal tasks, but he remained central as a trial coordinator, enjoying his Sunday morning on the track.
Friends remember that he was ‘in his happy place’ when he was with the horses and horsehairs from whom he loved.
The Social Media Post of the Maryborough Harness Club described him “Racing the face in Maryborough” and thanked a “selfless man who all too often placed the club, the sport and others for himself.”
Lesson leaves his partner Fran, family, countless friends and an industry that is immeasurably richer for his contribution behind.
Rest in peace, lessons.
From Terry Gange for Harnesslink
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