Garry at the finish line
RACING: He has sustained one of the longest runs ever seen at Clifford Park and today the finish line has arrived for Garry Atkinson.
After 38 years of dedicated service to Toowoomba Turf Club, Atkinson steps down from his role as photo-finish operator and assistant judge.
Each Saturday Atkinson has been on deck perched high above Clifford Park, cheerfully and professionally going about his duties as punters across the nation hung off his crucial race-finish decisions.
That challenge will now make way for travelling Australia with his wife Mary as he bids farewell to the race track.
“I’ve been here 38 years,” Atkinson said. “I thought I might get to 40 but now feels the right time to move on and do some travelling around Australia.”
Atkinson is a retired Queensland Railway coach builder who enjoyed the challenge of photo-finish operating with both old and new technology.
“When we used photos to judge from we would develop the negs in about 20 seconds, with a bit of cheating by heating up the chemicals,” said Atkinson who for the past 20 years has travelled from his Esk home to the race course.
“There was the odd mishap, but I used to love the challenge.
“Now the digital images are instant, in colour and with no smelly chemicals.”
Atkinson worked with numerous colleagues in the judge’s box including Ross Weldon, Gavin McEvoy, Alan Cuckson, Jason Fogarty and more recently Steve and Marg Fahey.
“I was lucky enough to work with so many good people here at the club,” Atkinson said.
“It’s been a lot of fun and I’ll miss it, but not for too long.
“Once I start travelling and enjoying new things I suppose it will get out of my system.”