Marburg
Marburg Pacing Association is based at the Marburg Showgrounds from 1979, 40 minutes west of Brisbane CBD, along Ipswich road and then turn on the Warrego Highway at Riverview for the last 20minutes.
Nestled in the heart of the quiet Marburg Township, it is home to Non-TAB restricted harness racing meetings with bookmakers fielding on harness races and Sky Channel broadcast gallops meetings. Official qualifying trials are held on selected race dates as per the RQL meeting calendar with MPA un-official, jump-outs and education with drawn fields on the morning after nominations, on every other Saturday morning starting at 8am. Visitors should head west from Brisbane or east from Toowoomba, with Marburg half-way in between and turn into the township on the southern side of the Warrego Highway and head 2mimutes from the Marburg Hotel to find the Showgrounds entry gate.
After 15 years of large numbers of members and horses trialing for fitness and race education for horses and drivers on a granite 550m running rail track, the association progressed to the now improved 700m x 15m wide sand blended track and also relocated the association buildings, canteen, float parking, nomination room, racecaller box and horse facilities to the present positions for everyone’s easy access and spectator viewing.
The new 700m track was suited to mobile and standing races over 1850m and 2200m trails and races and this bought about, in order, sponsored Gymkhanas, Official Trials, Restricted Non-TAB harness racing with Bookmakers fielding on all events. As we are today with a progressive and innovative committee who are all working towards better facility conditions and permanent harness racing trials and country harness races at Marburg. The local community and Ipswich City Council with major private companies are right behind the association and have committed funds to promotions and feature meetings in 2010.
The future is bright for the harness racing participants in the greater Ipswich/ Marburg area as the Lockyer Valley is one of the fastest horse and community developing areas in Southern Queensland, with not only breeders, owners and trainers moving to the larger land areas, but working class people are moving to this area to enjoy the quieter life.
Marburg is on Saturdays with pre-races official trials before-hand and the first betting race is approx 11:30 with bookmakers betting on local events and gallops on Sky Channel, with TV Screens and Odds Monitors undercover in the Bookies Ring.
MPA Cadillac Café is famous for country style reasonably-priced hot and cold food and is open for fine takeaway food and BBQ’s satisfy the hungry punter, morning tea and lunch is a firm favorite with raceday patrons. Social and company groups can book a day at the races for a Beer, Burger and Bet Package at reasonable prices. Sponsorship packages for Race Naming, Race winning trophies or products and company promotions for clients and staff.
The MPA is determined to keep 2010 progress rolling along in the Marburg harness racing fraternity with regular facility upgrades for horse people and the loyal raceday patrons. Trainers and drivers starting horses at Marburg will benefit from Horse Supplement and Produce Suppliers, plus Ipswich City Council and our Stable of Loyal Sponsors.
2010 will be a an important year, MPA President Russell Lehman and management committee are keen to welcome volunteer workers and association supporters to help and enjoy the friendly country atmosphere in our quest for a permanent place in the Queensland harness racing circuit, where our horses and participants are some of the best in the state.
