About Us
Welcome to the KBRC
All of us associated with the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club feel privileged to be the custodians of thoroughbred racing in Kalgoorlie-Boulder and to have such a wonderful course and a truly unique Signpost Racing Museum.
Racing in the Goldfields is a thrilling and unique experience like no other. The location, the history, the round, the fashion, the people and the horses.
To truly experience what we have to offer come along to a day at the races, better still, join us in the Members area for a relaxing, friendly day out.
KBRC caters for all your racing needs, private functions and more. Visit our website and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club you won’t be disappointed.
The board and I look forward to welcoming your trackside.
Harry Donald
Chairman
History
The year 1896 may be remembered internationally as the year of the first modern Olympic Games in Athens, but in the Goldfields, it is remembered as the year of the first official race meeting.
In the early days of racing in the Goldfields of Western Australia, the action took place on numerous tracks scattered throughout the region. Many of the towns that boasted circuits didn’t survive the test of time. In most of those places, the only evidence suggesting that a thriving town once existed is a neglected cemetery.
It soon became apparent that the towns of Boulder, Coolgardie, and Kalgoorlie (the ‘Big 3’) would become the leading tracks within the region.
The history of this development is described in the outstanding publication – “The Round – A History of the First Century of Racing on the Western Australian Goldfields.”
Race Round
Kalgoorlie-Boulder’s famous “Racing Round” gets its name from the fact that the ‘Big Three’ would each conduct carnivals at their respective tracks. The order of the meetings was alternated to give each club the best weather and attendance.
The first of the three majors to suffer was Coolgardie. The advent of World War One effectively closed their track. Although picnic meetings were conducted in and around Coolgardie in the following decades, it was not until the Coolgardie Cup was reignited in 1939 that racing returned in earnest.
In 1943, the Coolgardie Club began staging their meetings at the Kalgoorlie track and have been doing so ever since. They remain a separate and proud club to this day.
The previous year, during World War Two, the beautiful Boulder Course was taken over by the military. This meant that the proud Boulder outfit was forced to race in Kalgoorlie.
Merger
The rivalry between the Kalgoorlie and Boulder clubs over the years produced more than the odd difference in opinion. After much deliberation, the two clubs agreed to merge in March 1953.
For a time, former committeemen of both clubs served on the new body, but at the annual meeting in 1954, it was pruned to a committee of twelve, which elected the chairman.
The first chairman of the new club was Reg ‘Brusa’ Wilson. He remained in the position until ill health ended his distinguished involvement in 1971.
History shows that the vision of those responsible for creating the Kalgoorlie-Boulder Racing Club laid a foundation that would make it arguably the best country-racing club in WA.
