Vale: Russell Harpley
Harness racing lost one of its gentlemen and successful trainers and drivers with the sad passing of well-known Temora identity, Russell James Harpley, on Friday (August 9).
Russell was 92 and a proud father, grandfather, great-grandfather and family man.
Born on April 23, 1932, Russell James Harpley was part of the large Harpley dynasty from the Riverina.
Many of the family tree have been involved and been successful in harness racing for more than eight decades.
Russell owned, trained and drove standardbreds for nearly 70 years.
He may not have had a champion, but he had more than a few good horses, with many successful plunges over the years with his young horses that kept the bookies on their toes.
All the horses were smartly turned out and looked a treat.
With Barry Scott in the early 1960’s, he had success with Valiant One, a two-year-old that won a heat of the MIA Breeders Plate and the 1970 South West & Riverina Sapling Stakes before a third in the Country 2YO Championship at Harold Park.
Other winners included Winjarra, multiple wins with the black gelding Nigger Command, Southfork Lad, Pretty Petite, Scott’s Empire (Grenfell Cup winner), Injinoo, two-time winner Only Cruisin for the Russell Harpley/Jarrod Alchin combination in 2002 and James Grattan, who won twice as a two-year-old at Temora in 1976 before being sold for big money to a stable in Sydney.
His best was undoubtedly Perfecto.
He had great success, including a race I fondly remember, when Russell won easily on the pacer at Albury on January 8, 2000 defeating Conchita (David Aiken).
A 1:58.1 winner here, Russell won 11 races with Perfecto before being sold to Leon Jurd and then in turn sold to the US (1:55.2 winner) to race.
Russell had great success with Ozonick Dancer.
A winner of a heat and semi-final, she finished second in the 2003 NSW Sires Stakes 2YO Fillies Final.
She won eight races in total, before going to stud and producing six good winners from seven foals to the races.
Russell Harpley’s pride and joy was his three grandsons Jarrod, Rickie and Alex.
He educated them to follow him into harness racing by always encouraging them to “follow their passion”.
Russell was immensely proud of their achievements to date.
Russell and wife Pam would follow the lads all over the country to watch them race and give the advice and encouragement. And they in turn, loved their ‘Pop’ equally.
Sadly, illness crept up on Russell in more recent times before he passed away surrounded by his loving family on August 9.
Russell Harpley’s funeral will take place on Thursday, August 15 at 2.30pm at Temora Anglican Church, followed by the burial at Temora Cemetery.
National Trotguide, along with Club Menangle Chairman, directors and staff and our big harness racing family offer our condolences to his wife Pam and the whole Harpley and Alchin families and his many friends at this sad time.
- Peter Collier, historian, Club Menangle
