GOLD CROWN
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“G’DAY mate, how’s it going?”
It is a greeting that Ian Warren has offered countless times over the years as he has welcomed patrons to Bathurst Harness Racing Club meetings.
Whether it be on a sweltering summer evening, chilly winter night or when he is forced to don wet weather gear, Warren always has a smile and friendly word to offer patrons as they come through the gate.
He will have plenty of greetings to offer over the next week as he mans the gate during the Bathurst Gold Crown Carnival, the time he spends helping to raise money for the Lions Club of Bathurst.
“I joined Lions in 1995 and I’ve been doing the trots gates virtually ever since,” Warren said.
“We do the football gates in Bathurst as well and Central West football gates, but it [Gold Crown finals night] is the busiest time of the year here.
“I will do it as long as I can hopefully. One reason I still do it is because I am the only one silly enough, but now I’ve got a few friends to help me, for three or four years I did it by myself.
“I like doing it because I’ve seen what the results are, I’ve seen where the money you raise goes.”
While Warren does not seek any recognition for what he does, last year the Bathurst Harness Club decided to nominate him for a Harness Racing NSW Club Volunteer Appreciation Award.
It is a big thing for Bathurst every year … I always try and watch the Gold Crown, you just watch and hope you back the winner.
- Ian Warren
It was an award he won, but other than admitting the nomination and the trophy were “pretty nice”, Warren tries to downplay his efforts.
He is just happy to go about his job and come the Gold Crown Carnival finals night, Warren hopes to take in some of the action and pick a winner as well.
It is one time of year when he tries to take in some of the on track action before heading home.
“It is a big thing for Bathurst every year … I always try and watch the Gold Crown, you just watch and hope you back the winner,” he laughed.
“Nowadays I don’t watch a lot of the races – I’m usually hungry by the time I finish and go home for dinner – but before I got married, I used to live in Orange and we used to come down every Saturday night to the Showground. I quite like harness racing.
“I followed Hondo Grattan and Smooth Satin, the good ones. I used to come every night when they were running around.”
As for those coming through the gate at the Bathurst Paceway, Warren admits while he knows the faces, he may not always recall the names.
“I know a fair few of the characters, they come through the gate and say ‘Hello Ian’ and I’ll say hello back to them, but I don’t know all their names,” he said.
But in fairness to the volunteer, most people only know him as Ian or by his nickname ‘Tiny’.
They know him as that friendly bloke who has been greeting them at the gate for years.
