Born Kalgoorlie WA
4 December 1931 – 2 June 2000
Jim Schrader was born in Kalgoorlie on December 4, 1931 and became one of Australia’s greatest trotting reinsmen in a career spanning 30 years of competition.
Schrader was the first Western Australian to head the national driver’s premiership when he drove 99 winners in the 1967-68 season. He followed this with another triumph in the 1978-79 season when he netted 100 winners. In all Schrader finished in the national top ten on six occasions.
In 1973 Schrader was the first Western Australian to be chosen to represent Australia at the World Drivers Championship in Europe, finishing seventh in a series held in Italy, Germany, France, Holland and Austria.
When Schrader guided Black Hanover to victory at Harvey in 1950 it represented the first of 677 winning drives in his home state. In another first he drove five winners in a single metropolitan meeting in 1968.
A fierce competitor Schrader was aggressive but also cool and calculation in the sulky where his flair in the home straight in races, was a trademark. A perfectionist in all he did as a driver, Schrader also developed into a successful trainer and mentor for young drivers who followed his long career at the top of his sport.