Harness Racing Australia honored long-time farrier Carl O’Dwyer with its Distinguished Service Award.
O’Dwyer has been involved in the horse industry as a farrier for 50 years, with his main area of expertise specializing in problem horseshoeing of performance horses. His main passion is the harness racing industry and shoeing Standardbreds, both pacers and trotters.
In 1971, he formed O’Dwyer Horseshoe Sales Australia as he saw a need for mechanically produced horseshoes. O’Dwyer Horseshoes used state of the art technology in the form of automation in the manufacturing process to produce quality products. More recently, the company joined with Mustad Hoofcare SA and he is still involved as consultant on product development and performs several clinics each year for the company.
O’Dwyer has served on many committees in the harness racing industry, farrier industry and also the greater horse industry in Australia. He was a member for several years on the Australian Rural Industries Research and Development Committee (RIDIC), which was responsible for allocating funding to research in the equine industry within Australia.
In addition to being a businessman and farrier, he also has been a successful harness racing trainer and driver. As a trainer, he won a number of major Australian races including the Hunter Cup, Cochran Cup, Dullard Cup and the Consolation Inter Dominion Trot. With a foundation of experience across the industry and in business, this led Carl to a role as a board member of Harness Racing Victoria (2001-11).
In presenting the Distinguished Service award to O'Dwyer at Tabcorp Park Melton, HRA chairman Geoff Want paid tribute to his lengthy involvement in the sport. He said O’Dwyer is highly regarded in the industry, is passionate about and committed to fostering harness racing, and is a worthy recipient of the award.
