The Jockey Club and the town in colonial Australia

This analysis examines the formation and development of a Jockey Club and an annual race carnival in a small country town in northern New South Wales, Australia, beginning in the mid-nineteenth century. These institutions are discussed in terms of their role in bestowing status and legitimacy upon the town of Grafton, as well as in terms of their importance in local political, social, and economic life. Comparisons are made to similar organizations in Britain and the United States. The seemingly disproportionate power and prestige associated with the Jockey Club is examined in terms of its broader role in establishing purpose and self-image to the rural community.