Vale Parra

[Todd Packer]

One of the legends of Sydney racing has passed away.
I only knew him as Parra. If you've hung around the Sydney Bookie ring any time since the 80's you would've seen him with his Coke bottle glasses, binoculars and earphones usually yelling something about Ron Dufficy.
I first met Parra in the 80's while I was at Uni and had a part time job at Harold Park. You'd see Parra at every trots, dogs and race meeting held around Sydney and the provincials.
He was a character, and I can't remember ever not seeing him there yelling about something at any race meeting. I stopped attending Sydney races in the very early 2000's when I moved to Brisbane, but Parra kept going until I heard Darren Flindell's tribute to him before the first race on Saturday. It really shook me. I'm not sure why.

Rest in peace Parra. You made the races entertaining even at the most miserable, rainy, cold day in winter at Warwick Farm trying to grind out a living.

 

[KH1988]

One of the legends of Sydney racing has passed away.
I only knew him as Parra. If you've hung around the Sydney Bookie ring any time since the 80's you would've seen him with his Coke bottle glasses, binoculars and earphones usually yelling something about Ron Dufficy.
I first met Parra in the 80's while I was at Uni and had a part time job at Harold Park. You'd see Parra at every trots, dogs and race meeting held around Sydney and the provincials.
He was a character, and I can't remember ever not seeing him there yelling about something at any race meeting. I stopped attending Sydney races in the very early 2000's when I moved to Brisbane, but Parra kept going until I heard Darren Flindell's tribute to him before the first race on Saturday. It really shook me. I'm not sure why.

Rest in peace Parra. You made the races entertaining even at the most miserable, rainy, cold day in winter at Warwick Farm trying to grind out a living.

I know exactly who you mean via your description, I've seen him a million times at the races. RIP Parra

 

[Todd Packer]

I was just laughing to myself remembering how the more upset Parra would get the louder he'd talk and more high pitched his voice would get until only dogs could hear it.

 

[the enforcer.]

Darren Flindell said his name was Anthony Raymond RIP.

 

[KH1988]

Darren Flindell said his name was Anthony Raymond RIP.

Thanks for the name. I am positive I used to see him at all Leichhardt games in the mid 1980's. Though he definitely was an Eels fan.

 

[Halbrowne61]

One of the legends of Sydney racing has passed away.
I only knew him as Parra. If you've hung around the Sydney Bookie ring any time since the 80's you would've seen him with his Coke bottle glasses, binoculars and earphones usually yelling something about Ron Dufficy.
I first met Parra in the 80's while I was at Uni and had a part time job at Harold Park. You'd see Parra at every trots, dogs and race meeting held around Sydney and the provincials.
He was a character, and I can't remember ever not seeing him there yelling about something at any race meeting. I stopped attending Sydney races in the very early 2000's when I moved to Brisbane, but Parra kept going until I heard Darren Flindell's tribute to him before the first race on Saturday. It really shook me. I'm not sure why.

Rest in peace Parra. You made the races entertaining even at the most miserable, rainy, cold day in winter at Warwick Farm trying to grind out a living.

Yes, before I moved south I used to attend meetings just about every Saturday in Sydney and he was a regular sight.
Off you go Parra and see if you can get overs on your tip at the big racetrack in the sky,
RIP

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

RIP Parra remember him well

 

[Todd Packer]

You never know who you're gonna touch in life. I'm sure Parra never expected some guy in Brisbane to remember him.
I remember when I had a video store in Bondi Junction back in the 90's when AIDS was a big thing one of my customers passed away from it. A couple of weeks later his partner came to the shop and thanked me for in his words "being kind to him".
Now I hadn't done anything heroic or special, I'd just treated him like any other customer, apparently other shops weren't doing that.
You just never know how the things you do will affect other people in unforeseen ways