Committee Members

President – Tom Hedley
Tom is a registered breeder who has owned and raced horses for the past thirty years, predominantly in North Queensland but also in South East Queensland and New South Wales. He is totally committed to the Cairns Racing Industry as he is a life long resident of Cairns and the region. He is a former Vice President of the club and as the newly elected President he will be using his racing experience and business acumen to make the sound business and financial decisions necessary for the future of the club. Tom’s hard work and ongoing commitment will ensure the future essence and viability of racing for Cairns.

Vice President – John Smith
John is the owner of successful Cairns electrical company, Babinda Electrics. He is a life long resident of Cairns and the district and has been interested in racing for 35 years, a member of the club for 15 years and a part owner in several horses. He has a dedicated genuine interest in Cairns Racing and is keen to offer his assistance to enable the club to prosper in his newly appointed role.

Treasurer - Bob Roberts
Bob has returned to Cairns to head Black & White Taxis after working in Brisbane in the corporate finance sector. A part owner of three horses locally, Bob is also a member of the Finance and Constitution Sub-Committees.

Jeanine Cooke
- Jeanine is the Operations Manager for the Hedley Group. Jeanine not only lends her sense of style which is obvious in the refurbishments of 2007, but her understanding of marketing and rebranding the facility, as well as promoting Fashions on the Field to bring the ladies back to the track has shown great results. Jeanine is also a member of the Marketing and Cairns Cup Sub-Committees.

Kevin Capra
– Kevin has been a past president and committee member of the Club. Managing his own wholesale produce business, he also is a strong supporter of racing through sponsorship and racehorse ownership. Kevin is also a member of the Development Sub-Committee.

John Piccone
– Born and bred in the area, John is a director of the Piccone Family Company. A great believer in community spirit, John has served on several committees including Apex and local sporting clubs. An exciting introduction to racing through ownership has seen John keen to become more involved. John is the Chairperson of the Bar & Catering Sub-Committee and a member of the Marketing & Membership Sub-Committee.

Gary Riches
– Gary and his wife Anne run a successful commercial building company. Gary is a very hands-on member of the committee, with regular attendances to working-bees and general assistance throughout the year. Gary is involved with several local racing syndicates. He is the Chairperson for the Racing and Track Sub-Committee and also a member of the Development

Amanda Macor
– Amanda has been involved with racing from an early age as the daughter of a jockey and now continues her passion for racing through her adult years as one of Cairns' elite group of milliners. Amanda is responsible for the success of the Fashions on the Field competition being extended to running at every race meeting and not just the cup meets.

David Row
– David has extensive experience as a builder and project manager, and currently enjoys the role of Development Manager for the Hedley Group. He and his family thoroughly enjoy a day at the races, whether it be at a local track or a metropolitan meeting. David is the Chairperson for the Constitution Sub-Committee and is also a member of the Development Sub-Committee.

Greg Smith
– Greg is a life-long resident of Cairns, and owns the mechanical and electrical contracting company BE Air Conditioning. His interests in racing cover ownership, sponsorship and of course punting. Greg is a member of the Marketing & Membership Sub-Committee.

Michael Stewart
– Michael has a strong history within the racing industry, through racehorse ownership, bloodstock breeding and racetrack manager experience. With his solid background in marketing and sponsorship, Michael is the Chairperson of the Marketing & Membership Sub-Committee and is also a member of the Racing & Track Sub-Committee.

Mel Yelaska
– Mel has a strong family history within the Far North region. He is the Managing Director of Cairns Steel Fabricators and enjoys part ownership of racehorses in the local area. Mel is a member of the Finance and Racing & Track Sub-Committees.

Track Foreman
Stephen Clark
- Clarky has been an integeral part of the club for nearly ten years. His association with racing began as a child with his father training trotters in Townsville. Eventually settling in Cairns, Clarky spends most of the week at Cannon Park, working for the jockey club and also volunteering time at the local greyhound club with track preparation. Somewhere in between these roles he manages to train his own small team of greyhounds.