Junee is the home of not just incredible sporting talents and teams, but also dedicated workers with a passion of supporting sport in and around Junee.
Junee’s Brandon Ledwidge helps maintain the Riverina’s biggest horse racing venues, and has now been honoured for his efforts in the primary industries sphere.
The 23-year-old has been part of the scenery at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club (MTC) for many years, and now it’s his time to shine.
Ledwidge was caught by surprise on December 5 when he was selected out of all Riverina for the 2024 TAFE NSW primary industries centre horticulture achievement award. This was for his works on the MTC turf management team where he keeps the grounds, mows the track and prepares for big race meetings. All while doing this, he has also been completing his Certificate III Sports Turf Management at TAFE NSW North Wagga campus over the last three years.
Ledwidge began working at the MTC grounds early in his high school years.
MTC CEO, Jason Ferrario, said, “Brandon is an integral part of the team here at the MTC. He goes about his work without any fuss and he’s actually a bit of a quiet achiever.
“We are all delighted for him that he was given this award because he is a very popular member of the team. He is very well liked by everyone of the track staff, the office staff and everyone involved at theMurrumbidgee Turf Club.
“Brandon has spent all of his time here at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club under the tutorage of our track manager Mark Hart who is a fellow Junee boy. Mark is considered one of Australia’s number one track managers and Brandon has been in a very good position to be able to learn from one of the best in the business.
“As far as his duties go, Brandon has learnt everything that there is to know now off Mark about greenkeeping and more so about racecourse preparation, so whether it be while he is out on the tractor or the mower preparing the race track there is also the other areas of the facility like the lawns and turf that needs taking care of, but from my point of view, Brandon is also a big part of the team that is involved in race day and function set ups and he always gets in and gets his work done without any complaint. He just goes about his work.
“I reiterate the fact that he is a quiet achiever, but this award proves that he gets in and takes his studies very seriously as well.
“The MTC is very proud of Brandon and his achievements and with everything that he has learnt through his apprenticeship, we look forward to seeing him using those experiences as he moves on to the next phase of his green keeping life.”
Next time you’re at the races, take a moment to appreciate the work that goes into the day and the hard work that prepares the grounds.
– Jack Murray
