Like horses and horsemen alike, track announcers are not perfect, yet they step up to the plate and battle through when the situation calls for it. When faced with vocal issues Monday, May 17 at Globe Derby Park in South Australia, Jim Jacques provided a race call which will not be
soon forgotten.
Trying to fight through a hoarse throat, Jacques, 48, attempted to call the first race. As he truly displayed his dedication to his craft, Jacques' voice started to abandon him as the race progressed. Figuratively speaking, Jacques limped home to the wire.
"Nah, don't think I'll get through this. Yatesy, where are you? We need you mate," he said on air, referring the company's chief greyhound commentator Brenton Yates, who covered for him later in the day.
"I was trying to use my diaphragm a bit more," Jacques was quoted as saying in an article on theage.com.au. "I changed my voice to a gruff voice and it was coming out ok, I thought I'd get by. By the time I got about 300 metres from home I thought, 'No I'm stuffed, I'm not going to make it.'"
To watch the race replay and listen to Jacques' race call, click here.
(With files from theage.com.au)
This was very funny - It was
This was very funny - It was at our leading racetrack in SA Globe Derby Park. I was on track and heard Jim struggling so I dashed up to the caller box and took over the race broadcast for the second and third races on the card before the replacement Sky Racing caller Brenton Yates arrived.
Jim is now known as the HOARSE WHISPERER and has become an overnight celebrity in Adelaide and around Australia. I spoke with him this morning and he had already done 15 radio interviews on the top national radio morning shows, had been on every news broadcast in the country and had TV stations lining up to talk with him. Harness Racing SA will have Jim on Mobile Rolling: www.australialivetv.com on Thursday evening. Jim is a true gentleman and the voice of harness racing in South Australia, its weird he is now being recognised for losing his voice.