Pictured: Trainer Pauline Byers and her son Shane with Greg Board, owner of  Ipswich GOTY winner Spring Rock. Photo: Just Greyhound photos.

By MIKE HILL

PAULINE BYERS – Woman in Racing Award

\”IT\’S great news, I saw it on Facebook this morning,\” said Drayton (west of Brisbane) trainer Pauline Byers.

\”I was really shocked.\”

Byers was commenting on winning the Woman In Racing award at Racing Queensland\’s TAB awards night at Brisbane\’s Victoria Park last month.

She said it was a great honour to receive such an award.

The special event acknowledged the remarkable achievements of greyhound racing participants across the state throughout 2020.

Unfortunately Byers was unable to attend the evening and well-known race caller John Brasch accepted the award on Byers\’ behalf .

Brasch said it would have been so easy for Pauline to walk away from the industry when her husband (well-known trainer) Col passed away in September, 2019.

\”But she didn\’t,\” he said.

Pauline said it was a decision she and her son Shane had made without thinking too much.

\”We looked at each other and agreed to keep going,\” she said.

\”We had a lot of dogs and Scott (Board) said he would always give us dogs to train.

\”We just did what Col had done for more than 40 years.

\”It\’s all paid off really well.\”

Not only did Pauline win the Woman In Racing award, she also took out the Ipswich Trainer of the Year title and her kennel star Spring Rock won the Ipswich Greyhound of the Year.

Pauline said it was unfortunate she couldn\’t attend the evening.

\”We just couldn\’t be there,\” she said.

\”We raced our dogs at Ipswich in the afternoon and we also had dogs at home (Toowoomba)

\”We tried to make it work – race and go to the awards – but it was just too hard.\”

Pauline said although there were quite a few female trainers, she would like to see more.

And she praised the \’women trainers only\’ race concept that she won at Ipswich with Spring Cleo last August.

\”It\’s a great idea. We should have it more often,\” she said.