Ted Jepsen is a man of many talents, who has seen and done much more than any of us could imagine.

In his early days as an amateur boxer to an elite-level footballer in the VFA, and now as a hobby harness racing trainer, the 89-year-old has worn many hats throughout his extraordinary career.

The Lockington horseman had his 46th winner as a trainer at Cobram on Monday afternoon when the James Herbertson-piloted, Soho Playgirl saluted in the third event on the card.

“She went good, but she has been a bit of a trouble,” Jepsen said.

“I’ll be 90 in November, but I still love it.

“I love the harness training because it gives you more pleasure because you can turn a horse around.”

Jepsen took up harness racing training as a hobby to pass the time.

“ I was in my daughters and was sitting around and reading books and thinking this is not me,” he said. “I went to the yearling sales and ended up buying this one (Soho Playgirl) at the sales.

“She is a very, nice horse and is very loving and is a good racehorse but does things wrong.”

The Lockington horseman had a successful career playing VFA football before turning his hand to training.

“I played football professionally till I was 41, so after that I took up harness racing, I bought a 10-acre property and put a track on and away we went,” he said.

“I was self-thought, but if you ask people, you can learn quickly.”

Jepsen was an aspiring boxer before finding his love for football and the trots.

“When I was 10 and started boxing, my mother was upset and she said, ‘when you lose will you give it up',” Jepsen said. 

“I gave it up when I lost, and I got called into national service and they knew about me, and they asked me to join the boxing troop."

Jepsen had a great relationship with stars of the VFL including former South Melbourne and Hawthorn premiership player, Norm Goss.

The Norm Goss Medal is awarded to the player judged to be the best afield in the VFL Grand Final.

“Norm Goss was my friend, and we use to work with me and when Port Melbourne came to Sunshine to play us.

“I asked Norm, ‘How do you think we will go?’ and he said ‘We will beat you by 50 goals'.

“I played centre-half-back and we beat them and we go into the Port Melbourne rooms and Norm (Goss) said ‘If you come in here, I will thump you’.

“He was so upset."

Jepsen, 89, even spent time with the late Freddy Cook who was considered a legend of suburban football kicking over 1210 goals.

“Cooky, when he played for Footscray, somebody said to try and get him fit before the season and he couldn’t keep up with me,” Jepsen said. “He stopped and spewed everywhere and said ‘this is no good’."

The Lockington horseman even played against an icon of Australian Rules Football’s brother. 

“I was invited up to Footscray for a practise match and I played on Don Whitten, Teddy Whitten’s brother," he said.

“I destroyed him and he hardly got a kick and there were big headlines in the newspaper the next day."

The 89-year-old even remembers an occasion with Richmond legend, Jack Dyer.

“I was in the rooms one day with Jack Dyer and all of them were there, and they bought a priest in to bless the side before the game,” he said.

“Dyer was just like concrete and would go through all the other players.”

Picture: Darren Howe / Claire Weston Photography