LAST year Colin and Cheryl McDowell enjoyed a moment at the Bathurst Paceway that they will long relish - they both got to hoist a Bathurst Gold Tiara trophy.
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It came after Colin steered Michelle Lee Mac to a stirring win in the final of the two-year-old fillies feature. It came it came 33 years after he guided Loves A Dance to victory in the inaugural Gold Tiara Final.
This year Colin and Cheryl McDowell will share more special moments at the Bathurst Harness Racing Club's annual event, having accepted a nomination as the 2020 Bathurst Gold Crown Honourees.
The McDowells will be inducted into the ranks of Bathurst Gold Crown Honourees at a gala mayoral dinner on Friday, March 27, the penultimate night of the rich 10-day carnival.
For every year since 1990, the club has invited an individual or group of people who have made an "outstanding life-long contribution to the harness racing industry and the community in general'" to be their honouree.
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Previous honourees have included Tony Turnbull, Kevin Newman, Johnny Tapp, Chris Alford, Mick Lombardo, Jack Honan and Steve Turnbull.
Bathurst Harness Racing Club's chief executive officer, Danny Dwyer, said he was absolutely delighted that the McDowells had accepted the nomination.
"Like every single honouree before them, the McDowells expressed surprise at the nomination, and it actually did take some effort on my part to encourage them to accept," he said.
"Colin was absolutely adamant that every success he has had on the track has been a team effort and so was reluctant to accept any individual recognition, which is fair enough.
"When we pointed out to both Colin and Cheryl however that the award was actually recognition for every part of Team McDowell, and every member of the team would be recognised on the night, they accepted the honour."
Dwyer said the nomination process, like all previous nomination processes, was subject to robust debate at the committee.
"When we looked over the McDowell record of harness racing participation and success, exceptional support of the industry across the country and undoubted business success, it was pretty clear that they easily fitted all of our honouree criteria," he said.
The McDowells have been exceptional supporters of the Gold Crown Carnival ever since it began 34 years ago.
- Danny Dwyer
"The McDowells have been exceptional supporters of the Gold Crown Carnival ever since it began 34 years ago."
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Well before Loves A Dance's Gold Tiara success and Michelle Lee Mac's win last year, Team McDowell has achieved some great things in harness racing. From an interest which began with Miss Illawarra in 1976, Colin McDowell has driven well over 500 winners and horses he has steered have won over $3 million dollars in prize money.
Team McDowell has bred, owned and driven the winners of most of Australia's great juvenile races including the Gold Tiara, Edgar Tatlow, Pink Bonnet, Sires Stakes, Breeders Challenge Finals, Sapling Stakes and the Bathurst Gold Chalice.
