ALLAN Hull is keeping a stiff upper lip, even in the face of losing one of his favourite features.
The Wagga sporting and media personality will bid farewell to his moustache in a charitable gesture at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club’s race meeting on Saturday, January 26.
“I have had the moustache for more than 30 years – that’s more than half of my life – but it’s time it went,” the 62-year-old said.
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He will be raising money for the children’s ward at the Wagga Base Hospital with the Hully’s Mo2Go event.
“I have both kids and grandkids and I know how important it is to see them healthy and well, so I wanted to raise some money for a good cause while I was losing my mo,” said Hull, who has been Wagga’s racecaller for 30 years.
“Shaving off the moustache was a new year’s resolution – after some subtle suggestions made by my wife Gayle over the past couple of years – and I thought the Wagga races were a fitting place to have it done.”
“I’m just hoping that the grandkids will still recognise me.”
Hull vividly remembers his decision to grow the moustache when he was a young broadcaster in the 1970s.
“I was calling races for trots on most Saturday’s, and then lining up again on Sunday calling the football – often from an open broadcasting box or the back of a truck in those days – and the cold winter wind caused a lot of problems with my lips,” he said.
“I’m not quite sure who suggested growing a mo for some protection, but I decided to take the advice and then it became a permanent fixture … I guess you could say it just grew on me.”
Hull will have the moustache shaved adjacent to the betting ring after the last race – about 4pm – on Australia Day.
Donations can be made to Hully’s Mo2Go at the MTC office or at the race meeting.
