Byers quartet ready for Past Members Trophy Final

By Jordan Gerrans

It was a ‘Byers party’ in the heats of the annual Past Members Trophy series at Ipswich last week and the family are eager to see it roll into Saturday’s Final.

The Past Members Trophy series honours all the prominent club figures who have passed away over the journey following their contribution to greyhound racing at Ipswich.

The Byers clan have been stalwarts of the Ipswich club for decades, with the late Col a leading trainer for many years at the venue before his wife Pauline and son Shane have taken up the collar.

Col sadly passed away in September of 2019, leaving Pauline and Shane to continue on his legacy in the greyhound industry in the Sunshine State, with Shane working with his father around the dogs since he was in primary school.

While it's Pauline’s name in the race book as the trainer, the Byers are more like co-trainers in the thoroughbred industry, with Pauline and Shane working together to prepare the chasers.

In last Thursday’s 288 metre heats of the series, the Byers kennel nabbed four of the five heats on offer and head towards Saturday’s Final with a quartet of winning hopes.

The four heat winners were: Ringbark Road, Spring Rock, Spring Cedar and Spring Rowan.

Peter Sullivan's Identity Thief was the lone non-Byers winner of the five heats. 

At 73 years of age and still training at a high level, Pauline was chuffed to grab four of the heats last week and was surprised with just how prolific a day the team had.

“Four out of five, it was great,” the veteran trainer said.

“We thought Ringbark Road would win and Spring Rock, as that was his first run back for a while and he was jumping out of his skin.

“We thought Spring Rowan would have had some chance but we did not expect we would win four. We were real pleased.”

Rowan and Cedar are from the same Fernando Bale and Spring Fair litter. 

Ringbark Road and Storm are litter mates out of a Fernando Bale and Cardwell litter. 

Spring Rock posted the fastest time of the four - 16.97 seconds – over the speedy sprint trip.

The red brindle dog is a 39-time career winner and claimed the Ipswich Sprint Final over 431 metres late last year.

While Shane has always been a big help around the kennel, Pauline says he has been extra valuable this year as she has battled ill health at times.

Over the more than four decades of greyhound racing at Ipswich, the Byers clan have been there for almost every step along the journey, which makes winning the Past Members Trophy even more significant.

“It is a great race and series, it is good to have it and be good to win it,” Pauline said.

“For all those ones that have passed away.

“Hopefully there is a big crowd for the race, as well as the Young Guns Final.”

With the box draw for the Past Members Trophy Final to be released on Wednesday, Pauline hopes the heat quartet success turns into victory in the decider.

“I just hope we can now get a winner out of Saturday night from it,” she said with a chuckle.

The $45,000 Listed Ipswich Young Guns Final will be held at Ipswich on Saturday as well as the decider of the Grand Prix.