www.m agi cm i l l i ons.com.au • 2021 PE R TH YEARLING SALE
The Good BY KRISTEN MANNING
Lord Harvey Crossman, an affectionate nickname bestowed upon one of Western Australian racing’s most influential and beloved figures who passed away in July, 2020. “We used to call him the Good Lord,” said close friend, race caller Darren McAullay who is one of many to have had their lives touched by this “unique, lovely human being.” In his role as long serving WAROA (Western Australian Racehorse Owners Association) president and member of the Perth Racing Board, Harvey was a passionate advocate for racehorse owners and whilst representing them, he also befriended them. There was nothing he liked more, his racing friends recall, than having a chat with fellow thoroughbred aficionados and his days at the track were busy, social ones. “He was there every Saturday,” Darren said. “He’d come up into my box, sit on the chair in the corner and we’d have a chat. Then he would head out to mingle - and return, we’d talk for hours.” Trainer Paul Jordan, who prepared the many successful horses syndicated and raced by Harvey, noted that “he just loved talking to people.” “When mobile phones first began to appear Harvey said ‘there is no way I will ever get one of those.’ He wasn’t keen on getting work calls whilst he was at the beach with family. But once he got one he was never off it!”
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“He’d be so busy on the phone at the trials that he’d only have time to give me a wave!” It was racing people he was talking to, Harvey always trying his best to keep his fellow owners informed, to involve them, to make them feel a special part of the whole racehorse ownership experience. He loved a winner as much as anyone but most of his joy was derived from sharing the fun with others. “On race day Harvey would sit and enjoy the reaction of other owners, “Paul said, “he loved to watch them jump around, smiling and laughing.” And if the opportunity was there to lead a horse in after a feature win, Harvey always passed that privilege on to another owner. Months on and Paul is missing his frequent conversations with Harvey. “It was a rare day that we did not speak, usually it was many times a day. He was such an easy person to get on with; an honest man, a good man.” “You could not find anyone with a bad word to say about him, he was loved by everyone.” Horses were a frequent topic of the Harvey and Paul conversations and there were many terrific ones to talk about, such as Harvey’s first horse... he was lucky enough to have a share in the 1997 Western Australian Derby hero Hot Jules.
