Racing
2026 WA Racing Hall of Fame Inductee - Jim Chadwick
Jim Chadwick is an icon across all three of Western Australia’s racing codes and an absolute treasure within the WA greyhound racing community.
Despite losing his jockey father Bill to complications from a fall on a Sydney racetrack when he was just 10 years old, "Gentleman Jim" developed, and has maintained, a lifelong passion for racing. As a globe-trotting jockey who rode in Australia, Singapore and Mauritius, Chadwick never imagined his racing life would ultimately go to the dogs. Yet through a deep love for greyhounds and the people around them, that is exactly where he has carved out his later-life career, spanning the best part of three decades.
Approaching 90 years of age, Chadwick still works trackside as an announcer at Cannington, a remarkable testament to his enduring commitment to the sport.
"I enjoy the greyhounds," Chadwick once told The West Australian. "They are a beautiful and often misunderstood animal, and people who take them after their racing say they're the best pets in the world. I also like the people. They're always really pleased to see you and you can feel it."
As a teenager, Chadwick defied his mother Ida's wishes and turned his back on a job with Scottish Insurance, where he once shared an office with legendary WA Premier Sir Charles Court, to pursue a race-riding career. Among his winners was Prince Astor, the victor of the 1965 Mount Barker Cup. However, a series of heavy falls began to take a toll, both physically and emotionally. After one spill at Ascot, Chadwick recalled the starter joking that people were going to start calling him "Autumn Leaves" because he was falling so often.
As weight issues and injuries mounted, it was while riding in Asia that Chadwick discovered an affinity for race calling, a skill that would deepen his connection to the racing industry. In a remarkable twist, he once both rode and called races at the same Singapore meeting before retiring from the saddle and returning to Perth to begin a media career that would see him become one of the most recognisable faces and voices in WA sport.
Chadwick began calling greyhound racing on Perth radio station 6IX in the early 1970s and soon became a broadcaster across all three racing codes, calling harness racing on Friday nights, the gallops on Saturday afternoons and the greyhounds on Saturday nights. His television career included presenting sport segments on news bulletins, as well as appearances on World of Sport, Track Time & The Racing Game, Chaddie's Tips and GWN's Racing Tips. In more recent years, he was also involved with the Punters Club and undertook MC duties for Perth Racing. Along the way, he also introduced iconic broadcaster Stuart Lowe to greyhound race calling.
In 2012, Chadwick was recognised for his service to the industry when he received the Gerry O'Keefe Achievement Award, acknowledging his outstanding contribution since the earliest days of the WA greyhound racing industry. Former Greyhounds WA chief executive officer David Hobbs captured Chadwick's impact perfectly when first endorsing him as a WA Racing Hall of Fame inductee.
"His dedication and enthusiasm is second to none. He's positive and brings a smile to the face of everyone he meets," Hobbs said.
"When we closed down the old Cannington track, he asked me if he still had a job. But how do you sack your grandfather when he rocks up for afternoon tea? He's just a champion."
A long-term on-course announcer for Greyhounds WA at Cannington, Chadwick's association with the code has made him one of its greatest supporters and contributors. At his public peak, he became a household name and a familiar voice across the state. Diminutive in stature but a giant of a racing personality, Jim Chadwick is a fitting and widely popular inclusion in the WA Racing Hall of Fame.
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