RV FEATURE
1978 : POLITICS AND BOXING
In 1978 , Australia ’ s prime minister attended the races for the first time , and Fred Brophy ’ s famous travelling boxing troupe arrived in town .
Prime Minister Malcolm Fraser ’ s pilgrimage to Birdsville brought national attention to the remote carnival .
Meanwhile , Fred Brophy ’ s travelling boxing troupe challenged punters to take their shot in Brophy ’ s now-legendary boxing tent .
A fourth-generation showman , Fred and his boxing troupe – the last of its kind in the world – have become synonymous with the Birdsville Races . Fred says he owes much of his success to the event , which he chose as the location for his first date with Sandi , his long-term partner , some 37 years ago – and he hasn ’ t missed the races since .
1990 : Two racegoers walk through Birdsville ' s main street prior to race day . ( Pic : Beryl Mitchell .)
1990 : David Brook writing in the race ledger for the Birdsville Cup . ( Pic : Beryl Mitchell .)
1982 : THE CENTENARY YEAR
The Birdsville Races celebrated its centenary with a huge celebration and record crowds of 7000-8000 .
The Brook family won their first of six Birdsville Cups with the George Dawson-trained Brashleigh . The late George Dawson ( 1932-2012 ) eventually became the most successful Birdsville Cup trainer of all time , winning seven Birdsville Cups .
1985 : BIRDSVILLE ’ S BELOVED BOOKIE
The Birdsville Races ’ much-loved current-day bookie , Graham Saunders , attended his first Birdsville Races in 1985 . Graham has only missed one Birdsville Races since and will once again take bets at this September ’ s carnival .
“ I ’ ll never forget the first time I came to the Birdsville Races ,” Graham said . “ It was mindblowing , planes everywhere , buses , people all over the place , you had to see it to believe it . It ’ s just a good old-fashioned country carnival .”
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