Chadwick keen to engage industry

Queensland’s new chief racing steward will make engaging the industry his priority when he takes up the position in six weeks.

Peter Chadwick has been a steward in Singapore for 18 years and for 13 of those he has been chief stipe.

He will take over from long-serving chief steward Allan Reardon in early August.

Speaking on RadioTAB and to AAP, Chadwick said it was important to get out and about to talk with industry participants.

“I don’t want to be someone who sits at headquarters in an office,” he said.

Chadwick said he wanted to visit as many of Queensland’s 120 race clubs as possible.

“Not necessarily as the head steward that day but to see how things operate and to meet the stewards and the industry participants in those areas,” he said.

“While there is only one track in Singapore, I do have experience of stewarding in widespread areas from my time in West Australia when we covered the entire state.”

Chadwick began his 28 years as a steward with a cadetship in Western Australia before holding roles in NSW, Tasmania, the ACT and back to WA as a senior steward before heading to Singapore.

He said he had always intended to return to Australia.

“When this position with QRIC arose it was too good to pass up. It is a new model and it will give me a chance to give something back to the Australian racing industry,” Chadwick said.

He praised Reardon for the outstanding job he had done during the past 41 years.