Police history
Police Blitz the Bushies.
In the 66th annual Harts Range Race Meeting the
Police were once again successful defenders of the
Webb Darken Challenge Cup.
The Cup is named in honour of Bob Darken, the
policeman at Harts Range when the races began in
1947 and the Webb family who ran the Pastoral lease on
which the races are held at Harts range.
Bob Darken tells it in his own words.
It all began in 1946. The three Webb Brothers – Kil,
Bennett, Quinton and stockmen were branding at
the Ulgarna yard on Mount Riddock Station. After the
branding was finished the cattle were moved about
a mile north of the yard. They were driven by Kil
and Bennett Webb, stockman Jack Schaber and the
Policeman in charge of the Harts Range Police area,
Senior Constable Bob Darken. The conversation got
around to who was riding the best horse and to settle
the matter, Bob Darken suggested they race back to the
yard. There was no winner declared because all finished
together in a cloud of dust, much to the annoyance
of Quinton Webb who was mixing damper which was
covered in dirt stirred up by the horses.
Kil and Bennett Webb and Jack Schaber were
discussing the race and saying how much they enjoyed
it. Bob Darken suggested they make a track and get
together for a ‘meeting’.
About half a mile north of the yard there was a small
hill and they agreed to level a bit of a track around the
base of it. They secured an old water truck from the Mines
Department Depot and a sheet of arc-mesh, which they
dragged to level the track. The following week the three
Webb Brothers, their stockmen and Darken brought
their horses and had two or three races around the hill.
However the track, which was mostly sand, became too
heavy and the men decided to call it a day.
It was agreed that a better area be found where the
ground was firm and flat, and so the present Harts
Range Race Course area was chosen. The track was
pegged out and as there was a road grader in the area,
Bob Darken got the driver, known to all as ‘Grader Jack’
to grade the race track.
Over a period of months, station owners and stockmen
from stations in the Harts Range district formed working
parties, cut and carted posts and rails etc., and in due
course the track was ready to hold a meeting. A bough
24
NORTHERN TERRITORY POLICE NEWS
shed with cement floor was erected to serve as a dance
floor and a grandstand; a secretary’s office and Tote room
were built out of galvanised iron and a building built
for the liquor booth. Yards and saddling enclosure were
erected, also showers and toilets.
All those interested were asked to meet at the Police
Station to form a Race Committee; on or about the 9th
July 1947. Bill Petrick and Bennett Webb were elected joint
patrons, Kil Webb – President, Bob Darken – Chairman,
Vicky Darken – Secretary and Peggy Nelson – Treasurer
(Quinton Webb – Clerk of Scales and Snowy McIntyre –
Clerk of the Course). The Committee members were: Alec
McLeod, Alby Colson, Joe and Eleanor Mengel, Jack and
Roy Schaber, Werner Petrick, Reg Smith, Bill Cavenagh,
Jock Nelson, Martin and Eric Petrick.
L: Sean Parnell; Centre L: Peter Nicholson & Tex Meecham; Centre R: Crowd; R: Mark Coffey, Peter Nicholson,
Tex Meecham & Hayley Meecham (on horse)
The race was a close fought contest but the police
Horse “Bundy” triumphed beating the bushies by a
good length at the finish post.
Bob Darken with the assistance of the Central
Australian Racing Club drew up the constitution, which
was adopted by the committee. A date was set for the
first meeting on the new course, which was held on the
27th of November 1947. A dry season at the time of
this first meeting prevented some stations from bringing
horses, however the smallest field was five and the
largest twelve, from the forty five horses participating. At
the first meeting, Jack Schaber was the leading rider. A
barbeque was held at night and Bennett Webb supplied
a bullock, which was enjoyed by all. This was followed by
dancing ‘till the early hours of the morning.
The meeting was such a huge success that it was
decided to make it an annual event. Bob Darken applied
to the Northern Territory Administrator for a Central
Australian Holiday to be granted for each weekend of
all future meetings of the Harts Range Amateur Racing
Club. This was readily agreed to by the Administrator
and was gazetted as ‘Picnic Day’.
The race is the feature event on the racing calendar
for the district and is open only to the police and nearby
cattle station horses.
This year’s winner was Bundy ridden by Hayely
Meecham and trained by local policeman Tex Meecham.
The race was a close fought contest but the police
Horse “Bundy” triumphed beating the bushies by a
good length at the finish post. The race was called by
former Harts Range policeman Sean Parnell and judged
by another impartial observer, former policeman Mark
Coffey. All in all it was a successful day with the police
celebrating their success of the local station owners
long into the night.
Sean and Paddy Parnell
The weekend also included a rodeo and the famous Harts Range dance.
It was well attended by many current and former police and their families as well as many people from town and the
surrounding cattle stations and communities.
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