Lizzy King steps down Toowoomba Turf Club chief executive

Like a maiden filly inching out the competition in the final yards, Lizzy King’s stint at the reins of the Toowoomba Turf Club has been a wild ride, but the time has come to move on to the greener pastures.

The search is on for the person who will take the reins of the Toowoomba Turf Club after chief executive Lizzy King resigned on Monday.

Ms King, who has run the club for the past four years, is moving into a newly created role at Racing Queensland.

“I have given the appropriate amount of notice and will be staying on to deliver one last fantastic Weetwood,” she said.

“But I am really excited to join our governing body.

“I will be working with all the regional clubs, about 100 of them, and a lot of those little clubs don’t have full-time staff and much in the way of resources.”

Ms King took up a role with the turf club eight years ago and moved into the CEO position in 2019, just in time for Covid.

Lizzie King is stepping down from her role as Chief Executive Officer of Toowoomba Turf Club. Picture: Bev Lacey

“There have been so many highlights over the years and I am thrilled to leave the club in a good final position,” Ms King said.

“It has rock solid board and we are growing Weetwood in its new spot in Spring Racing calendar.”

She said navigating the Covid pandemic was a challenge.

“It was difficult steering the club successfully through the pandemic when everything else stopped, like footy, while racing was allowed to continue,” Ms King said.

“We made those hard decisions to close the gates and lose staff but we kept going and to come out the other side with a healthy club.

“There are ups and downs, but overall it was such a wonderful experience.”

The turf club board is taking applications for Ms King’s replacement.

Ms King asked anyone with a strong community spirit and a passion for thoroughbred racing to back themselves.

“The members have been so incredibly supportive, we have a great leadership team in place,” she said.

“It has been a blast.

“I only wish for a bright successful future for the club.”

Racing Queensland CEO Jason Scott welcomed Ms King to the new role and said she would be an asset to the regional race clubs.

“Our clubs play such a pivotal role in the Queensland racing industry,” he said.

“It’s imperative that we set them up for success by providing appropriate guidance and support.

“In this new role, Lizzy will be supporting our regional clubs, helping them navigate their respective challenges.

“We wanted someone with true industry experience, who understands what our clubs deal with on a weekly basis and is able to support them through their own experience and knowledge.

“Given her background, Lizzy was the standout candidate for this role and we look forward to her sharing her knowledge across other areas of the state.”