Young student sees his calling

Updated November 7 2012 - 2:40am, first published July 21 2009 - 10:56am
Ben Sporle in the caller’s box at Lords Raceway.
Ben Sporle in the caller’s box at Lords Raceway.

THE bright lights of the Hong Kong races are a long way from Bendigo, but for one local teenager it’s the stuff dreams are made of.Ben Sporle would love to one day call the races in Hong Kong and the 14-year-old is on the right path to realise his dream.The Catholic College Bendigo year 9 student has been calling trials of harness and greyhound races and is gaining experience with every race.“Ideally I would like to settle into Sport 927 or TVN and one day I wouldn’t mind having a crack at Hong Kong,” Ben said.“I don’t mind doing the trots and the dogs, but ideally I want to do the gallops, that’s where I’d like to be in 10 years.”Bendigo Owners, Trainers and Drivers Association President Graham Eeles said Ben has got what it takes to make it in the big time.“He is the best caller we have had in many years.“When you hear him it sounds like someone with 25 years experience.“That is how good he is,” Mr Eeles said.He said Ben does not regularly call with binoculars so the association is going to buy him a pair.“We feel he has a future, we reckon he is going to get picked up by someone,” Mr Eeles said.Ben said he has met many of the local callers who have been very supportive.“They all say it is good for somebody so young to come along and give it a go, it is pretty small so it is in demand,” Ben said.His father, Andrew Sporle said his son had always had a passion for commentary and Ben’s involvement in racing stemmed from the family’s long running association with all codes of racing.Mr Sporle has trained greyhounds and owned thoroughbreds.“Ben has always been interested in commentary,” Mr Sporle said.“He rode up and down our court all his life and from when he was a toddler he called, he just called anything - phantom calls that’s how it started.“He has a passion for it and if you have a passion for something you will make a success of it,” he said.

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