Victorian harness racing horseman Neville Bellman has tinkered around with a welder for as long as he can remember.
“I’ve made a few jog carts over the years, and also repaired plenty. And then there’s been sheds and anything else people have wanted—I’ve always been a welder and always enjoyed it,” he said.
And for the last three years, Neville, of Ararat, has put his welder to work on creations to raise much-needed funds for the “Pacing for Pink” promotion in May. The campaign raises awareness of breast cancer and supports the employment of breast care nurses through the national McGrath Foundation.
“In the weekends leading up to the month, I go and raid all the engineering joints for any pieces of steel that I think I might be able to use. Then I head home and put together a few ideas,” he said.
“A lot of the little things I come up with involve horseshoes which are pretty easy to cut up, or bend into a certain shape I want.
“Our son (trainer and freelance driver) Michael was having a laugh the other day when he was shoeing a horse—he said he had me waiting for him to pull the shoes off, while the dog was waiting for some hoof to chew on!”
While Neville has come up with a wide array of bits and pieces, his creation depicting a little fisherman and his dog is clearly a favorite along with a stockman warming his hands at a fire—the fire being a candle.
Some of his other popular designs are pink cats forming part of a garden light, buck jumping riders and a farrier doing horses.
“Our local Ararat Harness Racing Club has got right behind the Pacing for Pink concept, mainly through the tireless efforts of Sharon Ralph, wife of our president Phil,” Neville said.
“Sharon just took Pacing for Pink on board three years ago and she organizes raffles of donated merchandise, she sells hats and anything she can get her hands on! Last year she hit up the gallops people and this year it was the greyhounds turn, and they were great.
“Our club backs her all the way and the profits from everything at our last meeting on Sunday went to the breast cancer fundraising. The first year we got involved we raised $14,500. The next one was $17,500 and this year we are confident we’ll beat that.
“On a personal note, I raised $2500, then $1500 and this year it dropped to $1000. I had a display at Horsham and Hamilton meetings and then went to Charlton last week, but that was cold and wet.”
Neville, who has been licensed for 50 years this year, was regarded as a fine trainer.
“I did drive a few winners, but when my wife D’Arne really took to the driving part, I worked a job. She just enjoyed it and probably ended up with over 300 winners, and would have trained over 500,” he said.
“These days I help Michael and that includes fastwork. And he still gets me to tack a shoe on when he’s flat out!”
by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink