racemeeting

Eulo, QLD Historically it was a place where opal miners from the nearby mines at Yowah gathered. It was also known for the famous 'Paroo Track' where the world lizard racing championships were held each August. Like Yowah, Eulo has dramatic seasonal variations in its population. In winter some opal miners, grey nomads and beekeepers enjoy the dry local weather. Beekeepers even bring their bees from the south to feed on the flowers of the local native Yapundah tree. The honey, a distinctive Warrego variety, is dark and delicious. Origin of Name No one is sure where the name Eulo came from. Some sources claim it was named after a European woman named Eulo. Other sources claim it is a local Aboriginal word which might mean (i) wet springs (ii) dry place (iii) the Buloo River. Source: www.aussietowns.com.au/town/eulo-qld

I am not sure what kind of racing is depicted in the photo, but Eulo was definitely known for Lizard racing. "Eulo Lizard Races Sadly the Eulo Lizard Races, one of the genuinely quirky outback events, lasted for 30 years but stopped in 2000. The races were held at the 'Paroo Track' each August. It was held at the eastern end of town and on the left-hand side of the track there was a piece of granite with a plaque which read: 'Cunnamulla-Eulo Festival of Opals. 'Destructo', champion racing cockroach accidentally killed at this track (24.8.1980) after winning the challange (sic) stakes against 'Wooden Head' champion racing lizard 1980. Unveiled 23.8.81'. Somehow the spelling mistake, the absurdity of a cockroach racing a lizard, the circumstances under which the cockroach was trodden underfoot made it one of the great outback events." Source: www.aussietowns.com.au/town/eulo-qld

"In 1868 the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII of England, attends the festival much to the disapproval of his mother, Queen Victoria" www.punchestown.com/history.asp

It does look busy and with a cross hatch of people and dress.

Need the collective noun for sergeants.

I think this artist's impression shows the same stands.

OS 25" link at GeoHive

Maxwelton accidentally makes horse racing history with all-female executive ABC North West Qld / By Kemii Maguire Maxwelton, in Queensland's north-west, is touting itself as having the state's first horse racing club with an all-female executive board. Newly elected president Tammy Bailey said the move was not deliberate. "Like all small communities, if there aren't volunteers, these events can't happen," Ms Bailey said. "Just so happens we're all women." A Racing Queensland spokesperson said there was no record of another all-female executive in its history. Maxi races rough history Lifetime club member John Forster told the ABC in 2011 that locals in Maxwelton had been racing horses since the turn of the 20th century. "I used to race, but my family has always raced — as far back as 1901," Mr Forster said. He said the official Maxwelton Races began in 1950 as a way for amateur riders to compete. "After World War II racing was booming in the west, but we needed some bush meetings that didn't cost the young fellas much money," Mr Forster said. "The prize money back in those days was just a certificate, a bit of cardboard." Since then, the annual event has struggled to attract volunteers and spectators. A decade ago the meet was nicknamed "the last Maxi race" due to the lack of funding and support from state officials. Although the committee found enough funding and support to continue but the races still ran into problems. The Maxwelton Races have not run since 2017, with track maintenance, monsoonal floods and the pandemic leading to cancellations. 'Running with it' The new executive team has planned this year's event with a full five-race card. The famous "Maxi-mile" foot races are also set to return. Ms Bailey said she hoped the "girl-power" theme would encourage more people to lend a hand. "We're running with it," Ms Bailey said. "We've got a lot of working bees planned now until April 10. "But honestly, without everybody, we can't do anything — so that's men, women, kids, anybody." Source: www.abc.net.au/news/2021-02-02/maxwelton-race-club-makes-...

It certainly looks like a roulette wheel.

The croupier looks creepier ...

An account of a court case at Down Assizes (Freeman's , Wednesday, March 11, 1840) centres around a "fraudulently constructed" roulette table at Downpatrick races, by means of which James Perkins cheated several people "of divers sums of money". Here's a snippet including a description of the dodgy roulette wheel. So roulette at a racecourse wasn't unheard of. BTW later in the account , after a witness was asked if he had played in the tent A pause ensued, which was sufficiently significant to cause the court to be convulsed with laughter, which was joined by the learned judge himself The defence counsel argued that a tent was not a house, so it wasn't covered by legislation concerning gaming houses. The judge sentenced Perkins to 3 months imprisonment and £100 fine, but the sentence was suspended pending a decision from the Court of Queen's Bench.

And in an account of "The Card-Cheating Case at Brighton" (Freeman's Monday, July 26, 1852) a witness says he had played roulette at races before this, and generally lost; he had never heard of anybody that won (a laugh). This suggests that roulette wheels at races (a) were commonplace and (b) fixed

... and in 1862 The plaintiff , on examination, stated that he kept a roulette table at races, and also used "bones" (dice) at races; was last convicted of gambling at Limerick; gave up going to races September last; he went to races with a roulette table for the purpose of opposing parties who had robbed him of £600 ... The jury found for the plaintiff one farthing damages