Highly respected Toowoomba horse trainer Jim ‘JJ’ Atkins is one of the first inductees to the Toowoomba Regional Sports Hall of Fame.

Before he passed away in 2010, Atkins trained more than 3000 racers, including some of Australia’s most talented gallopers. He continuously trained and flew the flag for the Toowoomba Turf Club with various horses, such as Dalrello, Grey Affair, Prince Ruling, Just Now, and Mr Cromwell.

Toowoomba Turf Club Chairman Kent Woodford was delighted with the announcement.

“Jim Atkins is, no doubt, the most successful trainer that Toowoomba has ever produced. To have him recognized locally is a wonderful honour,” Woodford said.

“I’m delighted that our great sport of horse racing is being recognised alongside more mainstream sports like football, what an honour for Jim’s family and the industry overall.

“The TTC has two function spaces named in the memory of Jim and one of his most famous thoroughbreds – the J.J. Atkins Terrace and the Dalrello Deck.”

Atkins was one of the first inductees of the Queensland Racing Hall of Fame and as part of the Winter Racing Carnival, he has a Group One race named in his honour in Brisbane each year.

Atkins will be inducted alongside rugby league’s Duncan Thompson, rugby union’s Tim Horan and Olympian Glynis Nunn-Cearns at a function later this year.

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