Flemington

as Chairman - in the visualising and planning, Amanda was there from Day One. Tim Poole, a former Board member and VRC Treasurer, praised her commercial and strategic mind, along with “her devotion to members, what’s in their best interest, what the VRC should aspire to be, how the VRC should position itself in global racing, how to run a not-for- profit member-based club”. The general public were never forgotten, with constant upgrades to amenities. Her successor as Chairman, Neil Wilson, worked alongside Amanda in his role as VRC Chief Executive Officer. He praised her chairmanship. Board and management were able to claim substantial achievements during her time in office - most notably by building greater, more diverse audiences for Flemington, through creation of the World Horse Racing alliance and the world’s largest media rights deal in racing, with a five-year Network Ten agreement covering Cup Week. Important evolutions in sponsorship agreements were part of the broader success. Amanda Elliott has an enduring love of the horse and a personal passion for equine welfare. This is clearly evident in the VRC’s policies and priorities. Then there was the COVID-19 pandemic. Together the VRC team met the unprecedented challenge of keeping racing at Flemington vibrant and healthy, and the membership engaged, through long periods of community lockdown. For the first time in history, no crowds could be present at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. It was emblematic of Amanda Elliott’s time as VRC Chairman that the 2020 Carnival racing went ahead at the highest standard, and that Flemington was at its picture-perfect best. Nothing less would have done.