Peter Hayes Retires

A significant chapter in the history of Tasmanian greyhound racing is set to be concluded with the retirement of esteemed greyhound administrator Peter Hayes, marking the end of his extraordinary two-decade career devoted to his beloved sport and its community.

Highly respected by his peers and the racing fraternity, Hayes is set to conclude tenure as Racing Operations Officer for Tasracing on Thursday, 15 May, after dedicating countless hours traveling between meetings for the three greyhound clubs each and every week.

Peter’s dedication grew into a passion for greyhounds over the years, spending his teenage years most Saturday evenings at the TCA.

When the “job of a lifetime” as he describes it, became available, the opportunity was irresistible. This led to a fulfilling career, many memories and the racing world gained an exceptional contributor who will leave a significant hole that will be hard to replace.

“It’s been amazing. I’ve been lucky to have just two jobs in 46 years, and this one has been the longest and most enjoyable,” Peter said.

Peter Hayes proudly begins his “job of a lifetime” role as statewide manager for the greyhound code.
“Working with greyhounds, as well as trainers, owners, handlers, catchers, and committees, starting as the HGRC manager in the beginning and progressing through the Tasmanian Greyhound Racing Council, Tote Tasmania, and finally to Tasracing, it was quite a journey.“My relaxed attitude has helped me connect with people over the years—but that wouldn’t be possible without genuine passion for the job.”Working as an accountant, Peter worked for the Reserve Bank from 1978 until Westpac gained the state government banking business, which saw the closure of the Hobart branch in 1998. Faced with the choice of relocating or remaining in Tasmania, he chose to stay.

Fortunately, his decision led him to become the manager of the Hobart Greyhound Racing in 1999, a career role he fully embraced.

“At first, I didn’t land the job with Hobart right away, but they reached out to me, and things took off from there,” Hayes fondly recalled.

“Everything used to be done manually back then, from writing out the kennel tickets to preparing the stakes envelopes and handing out the prize money after each race, which people would collect. I was everyone’s favorite person—though now, it’s all switched to bank deposits.”

Peter was present during key moments in the industry, such as Launceston’s move from White City to Mowbray Racecourse and Hobart’s shift from the Royal Showgrounds to Elwick Racecourse—challenging times but crucial steps for progress to help the sport move forward.

He also enjoyed helping to organize the National Championships hosted by the state, along with other prominent key feature race days.

Over the years, the clubs held many promotions, but none were as famous or successful as the People’s Mercury giveaway dog and its success.

“There were plenty of challenges with both clubs relocating to new facilities, and many groups had to be managed throughout,” Peter said.

“It wasn’t easy, but the clubs have now moved to better facilities that are easier to maintain, even if the racing experiences have changed.”

As the Racing Operations Officer, his role was to bring structure to three greyhound clubs. During his tenure, Peter carried the title with great distinction and class, always going above and beyond the call of service during busy periods to always ensure everything ran smoothly.

Peter has been lucky to work with people like Gary Sutton, Richard Stamford, Peter Wesley, and Michelle Collis who helped him transition into the role as an outsider. Their guidance and expertise have been crucial in helping him manage the race clubs’ operations.

“My position was established because Barry Lee retired as manager of Devonport, and the governing body at the time wanted someone to take on a statewide role. It stemmed from that, and I’ve had fantastic club and track staff who were all great to work with,” Peter shared.

His brief involvement with the Australian Greyhound Racing Association, now Greyhound Clubs Australia opened the doors to meeting former high profile racing administrators such as Geoff “Smokey” Dawson, Marg Long and Ken Norquay and was certainly a highlight.

Peter has seen some of the greatest stars on the racetrack, including Buckle Up Wes, Brett Lee and Chinatown Lad, during their careers.

The support of his loving wife Angel, along with his children and grandchildren complimented his working life and made it truly enjoyable.

“Due to some health issues, I’ve decided to retire, but I’ll still be able to follow this wonderful industry with the same passion,” Peter said.

“I’ve really missed being with my family, especially around the public holidays, but now I can finally unwind, relax, and take a step back.”