It was earlier this month that greyhound racing lost one of its good guys in 79-year-old Gerald McKenna who had lived in Koroit with wife Carolyn.

Share Farmer of the Year in 1988, it was Gerald’s son Michael who introduced his father to greyhounds 25 years ago when purchasing a pup from legendary Mepunga breeder Brian Smith.

Two of his great mates were Koroit-based greyhound men Peter Keane and Lindsay Brookes.

“I still remember back some nine years ago when we had purchased some pups,” Keane said. “I’d mentioned to Gerald about these pups and how well-bred they were but we were having trouble finding someone to rear them.

“He said the pups were too well-bred to give to anyone else. He had plenty of spare land on his property and we could set up there and rear them. We’re still using that area to this day. That’s just the sort of bloke he was.”

“I remember asking him one day about some of the good dogs he had raced. He said there had been a few handy dogs over the journey but certainly no champions.”

His last winner had been Chuckle Bay on February 22, 2024 at Mount Gambier. And that’s where Gerald had always loved to race.

RIP Gerald McKenna, January 11, 2025.