ANDREA O'Gorman freely admits harness racing has 'more or less taken over' her life.
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But far from quibbling, the Charlton Harness Racing Club marketing manager is relishing the day-to-day involvement.
O'Gorman's hard work and dedication was rewarded on harness racing's night of nights - Gordon Rothacker Medal night - when she was honoured as the Frank Ryan Memorial club employee of the year.
The selfless committee member was quick to deem her award win as one for the entire Charlton harness racing community and committee.
"It was a bit unexpected, but it's fantastic for the club more than anything," she said.
"It's not a one-man band at Charlton by any stretch, we have a fantastic committee.
"The (marketing manager) job is one where you can do as little or as much as you want, but it never ends.
"If you want to keep building, and I do, you just have to keep doing new things, and I love it.
"It's good for the town. We have 550 members at the moment and people are really getting on-board, which is fantastic."
O'Gorman, a former Melbourne art teacher, has been a member of the Charlton committee for about six years.
"I really only got involved through my partner Leon Fanning, who trains some horses," she said.
"I was from Melbourne and met Leon and I ended up in Charlton. He trains out of Joe Thompson's stable.
"It's been quite a ride in the last 10 years. It's more or less taken over my life, but I love it.
"I love the horses, I love the industry, I love Charlton."
The award win was the second in two years associated with the Charlton Harness Racing Club, which last year won the country club event of the year for its cup meeting.
The well-deserved honour for Gorman coincides with an exciting time for the club following the official opening of the club's new shared $4.2 million multi-purpose facility and the imminent return of racing on December 20 for the first time in more than 12 months.
"It's a bit of a game changer for us - it's going to be an amazing facility," she said.
"There won't be any club, certainly of our size, that will have a facility like that."
Presented on Sunday night, the Gordon Rothacker Medal was this year won by veteran trainer-driver and passionate industry man Ginger Gleeson.
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