Dave McDonald’s efforts in commentary boxes around the lower South Island will be recognised at Ascot Park today by a gathering of commentators marking McDonald’s 40 years in the industry.
McDonald (62) began his calling career at Ascot Park some time in late 1976.
He is not sure of the date, but remembers it was a harness racing meeting.
His first thoroughbred meeting was the Tapanui meeting in December of that year.
He grew up around racing, and quickly found his way to the commentary box at Winton, where his father was the caretaker.
"I got in the commentary box and they used to have fast work in those days with eight horses, so I’d give them names and away I would go."
McDonald was hanging around a trials meeting one day when horseman Harry Cox suggested if McDonald thought he could call a heat, "climb up the stairs and have a go".
"So I did and I was terrible but I knew that’s what I wanted to do," he said.
"I used to wag high school and go and do the trials when I was 16 or 17."
McDonald enjoyed driving horses in work, but he was tipped out of a sulky as a youngster, which "cured me of that".
"You don’t get tipped out in the commentary box."
Race commentating in Southland — and occasionally in Otago — is not a full-time role.
After an early stint as a firefighter, McDonald has tried his hand at several jobs over the past 40 years.
"I worked for Pepsi for a while, and ran a restaurant in Queenstown for a few years. I had various part-time jobs to tide me over."
The best horses McDonald has seen or called include thoroughbred The Twinkle and pacers Christian Cullen and Young Quinn.
Fellow commentator Jason Teaz has been busy organising guests in recent weeks.
Former commentators making the trip to Invercargill are Reon Murtha, Kevin Payne and Ian Chambers, along with current commentators Trevor Wilkes and Matt Cross, and presenter Jess Smith.
Teaz has worked with McDonald since late 2013 and has been impressed by his passion and longevity.
"But the biggest thing I associate with Davey Mac is that everybody loves him. Nobody has a bad word to say about him," Teaz said.
Teaz and McDonald are the only commentators in the country who regularly call thoroughbred racing, harness racing and greyhound racing and Teaz said McDonald never missed a beat.
"He nails all three and hardly takes a holiday."
McDonald is unsure how long he will go on for, although the mind and sight are willing for now.
"As long as I’ve still got my brain and my eyesight, I’m OK. If either one of those two go, I’m out."
