Hobby trainer Pomerenke after more glory at Dalby

By Glenn Davis

Tara hobby trainer Sharon Pomerenke has been up and down a few dry gullies since taking out her licence in the 2018-19 season. 

The 48-year-old had been the sole conditioner in recent times at the Tara race club in the Western Downs region and trained her first winner when Pretty Song was successful at Chinchilla in 2019.

“I’ve been training at Tara by myself since I started off but there’s another trainer who has just got his licence and he’s moved into Tara, so I’ll have a friend,” Pomerenke said.

Pomerenke only keeps one horse in training while she works for the Western Downs Regional Council.

“I start at 7am with the council and it’s a bit hard to get to the track so I only keep one in work which keeps me interested,” she said.

Pomerenke heads to Dalby on Tuesday with her only horse, a seven-year-old mare named Palawa Kani who starts in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1000 metres.

Palawa Kani gave Pomerenke her first win since the 2019-20 season when she won a Benchmark race at Gatton in June.

Her previous win was with Pretty Song who was successful at Chinchilla in November of 2019.

“I’ve only trained four winners but Pretty Song ran a lot of seconds,” Pomerenke said.

“She was my first winner when I started off, but she had a suspensory problem which she overcame but she did it again when came back into work.”

Pomerenke is the daughter of the late Ken Dowling who was a popular bush trainer in Tara before his death in 2019.

“Dad trained for many years, but he had a heart problem and he told me to get my licence the year he passed,” Pomerenke said.

Pomerenke celebrated a belated 48th birthday the day Palawa Kani won at Warwick on August 6.

“My birthday was on the previous Saturday when the races were supposed to be on at Warwick but they were postponed because of the weather,” she said.

“It would have been a nice birthday present had the races been on my actual birthday.”

Apprentice Olivia Webb has ridden Palawa Kani at her past two wins but will miss the Dalby meeting.

“Olivia has got a university exam on Tuesday and won’t be available, so I’ve booked Leah Martyn,” she said.