Champion jockey Corey Brown inducted into Manning Sporting Hall of Fame

This was part of the Manning Valley Sport Awards presentation held at Club Taree.

Brown hails from Wingham and was born into a racing family. His father, Jack, was a successful jockey. It was Jack who gave a young Corey some early career advice.

"Dad said there were two things he could teach me to do, change tyres or become a jockey. Needless to say, tyres didn't appeal,'' Brown said during an interview on stage.

He started his apprenticeship in Taree before moving to the city.

Brown spoke of his two Melbourne Cup wins, on Shocking in 2009 and Rekindling in 2017, and how the win on Shocking in particular changed his life.

Brown was forced into retirement after he badly injured his back in a race fall in Brisbane in 2019. However, he added that he was relatively lucky with injuries throughout his career.

He spoke about the difficulties he had in coming to terms with the fact that his riding career is over. Brown remains closely associated with the racing industry through his role with Sky Channel.

Brown was inducted into the hall of fame by former professional cyclist Nick Gates, who now lives in Forster. Gates was a member of the group inducted into the hall of fame in 2010.

Brown was given a standing ovation by the crowd of more than 130 when he officially became a member of the hall of fame.

Brown's wife Kylie and mum and dad, Jack and Dixie, were in attendance at the award function as were other supporters and family members. Manning Valley Race Club was strongly represented, Brown noting that he rode his last winners at a Taree meeting before being forced into retirement.

The hall of fame was inaugurated by the former Greater Taree City Council in 2000 but lapsed after 2010. It was resurrected by the Manning Valley Sport Award committee under chairman Garry Stephen for the first sport awards presentation in 2023. It is planned to have one new induction each year.