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| News Room - Latest News | | The Oliver Foundation (26/10/2003) | Damien Oliver has launched the Oliver Foundation to assist the needs of Australian jockeys and their families.Oliver has lost his father Ray and brother Jason in racing accidents, and has now set up a foundation to raise funds with a National Jockey Trust as the key benefactor.
The Oliver Foundation will raise monies through various avenues including the part proceeds of the sale of special memorabilia such as "The Moment That Stopped A Nation" photo series.
"I am very excited to be able to launch The Oliver Foundation, not only in commemorating my father and brother but to be able to create something that can assist all jockeys and their families who meet with tragedy or accident," Oliver said.
The National Jockeys Trust is to be jointly established by the Australian Racing Board (ARB) and the Australian Jockeys' Association (AJA) to help jockeys and their families through the provision of financial and other support services.
The ARB and AJA are also working with Australian racing clubs to fixture a national annual race day to celebrate the contribution of jockeys both past and present as well as commemorate jockeys who have died in riding accidents.
An additional part of the initiative will be the recognition of jockeys who have died in riding accidents through a tribute exhibition to be housed at the Australian Racing Museum at Federation Square.
The national celebration day is expected to be held on Saturday 13 March 2004 and feature race meetings at up to 25 racecourses across metropolitan and rural Australia. Apart from giving recognition to racing's elite athletes - both past and present - the celebration day will provide an opportunity to raise funds for the National Jockeys Trust.
"One of the key objectives of the AJA is to promote the public recognition of current and former jockeys, and this annual race day promises to take us a giant stride forward in achieving this," AJA chairman Paul Innes said.
ARB chairman Bob Charley AO added: "Racing is an Australian national sport and we believe that a significant opportunity is now available to us to strengthen the community's recognition of jockeys as Australian sporting heroes."
In addition to supporting other charitable purposes, The Oliver Foundation will direct part of its funds towards the Trust's activities.
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