Harness Racing Victoria (HRV) is expanding the HERO program with an increase in the number of re-trainers boosting capacity to prepare more horses for life after racing.

HERO now has 12 dedicated re-trainers in its stable.

“The feedback we received was that demand had outstripped supply in terms of places to re-train retired standardbred horses, and it was crucial that we listened and acted quickly to remove those barriers to reduce lag in this important space,” HRV General Manager of Integrity Brent Fisher said.

“We need more horses re-trained and re-homed in a shorter time frame.”

Fisher said HERO acknowledged and thanked outgoing re-trainers, Elle Moro of Hilltop Horsemanship, Jason Dins of Jason Dins Dressage, and Cobe Lodge, for their demonstrated commitment to standardbred life after racing.

“Elle and Jason have chosen not to continue with HERO under the new model to focus on other exciting new ventures and we wish them the very best. Warren and Bronwyn from Cobe Lodge will continue until the end of July, and we thank them for their great work in this space, too,” Fisher said.

The new-look stable of HERO re-trainers is as follows:

Jackie and Stacey Barker – Monivae Park (Hamilton)     

As part of the legendary Barker clan from Hamilton, sisters Jackie and Stacey have a thorough grounding in harness racing and equestrian pursuits.

Riding from a young age, as well as working in the family’s harness racing stables, Jackie and Stacey soon learned to love the standardbred. And after their riding ponies were outgrown, their favourite racehorses, once retired, became new Pony Club horses.

Breaking them in to saddle themselves, the Barkers still compete with those horses, despite their equine friends being over 20 years of age.

Jackie is now a full-time harness racing driver, while Stacey co-trains the team with father Rod and granddad Jim, as well as studying equine myofunctional therapy.

Truly in love with the standardbred, neither Jackie nor Stacey sees what they do as “work”. 

They love receiving updates on horses they have worked with from their new owners.

Jackie and Stacey can be contacted via their Facebook page – Monivae Park Standardbreds or via mobile, Jackie: 0437 453 412, or Stacey: 0458 751 483.

Maree and Holi Campbell – Paul & Maree Campbell PTY LTD (Marong)

Based near Bendigo, Maree and Holi love all things equestrian but in particular the standardbred.

Maree has bred, trained, driven, and ridden standardbreds for over 35 years, as well as working in a small animal/equine veterinary practice.

Holi has been riding since she was aged just 2 and started competing in Pony Club events at age 5.

Holi says she loves all disciplines, but her favourites are show jumping, eventing, and dressage. She has competed at State and National levels.

Putting it perfectly when asked their favourite attributes, Maree and Holi list intelligence, temperament, trainability, versatility, and work ethic.

Maree and Holi can be contacted via phone or text on 0417 124 178 or email on b.e.r.c.@bigpond.com

Nicole Touzel – Marzel Park (Katamatite)

Nicole Touzel trains from Marzel Park in Katamite. She has been riding from an early age and is enthusiastic about any breed or discipline of horse.

A member of the State Dressage Squad, Touzel has shown shetlands, galloways and hacks at Horse of the Year, Royal Agricultural Shows, and Grand Nationals.

“I'll give anything a go if it involves a horse,” she laughs.

Touzel believes there’s an unfair stigma around the standardbred and she’s eager to break it.

“They are tractable, that is true, but they don’t only pace. They can do anything – any Olympic discipline if you put the work in. They’re just not always given the chance,” she said.

Text message is the best way to reach Nicole on 0409 646 390.

Maureen McGrath – MM Equestrian (Orford)

Maureen McGrath of MM Equestrian operates out of Orford.

Specialising in show jumping and guiding standardbreds in the transition from racehorse to biddable pleasure horse, McGrath thoroughly enjoys her HERO work.

“We take them on the roads, on trail rides, to clinics, on and on to competition,” she said.

Maureen can be contacted via email at mmequestrianptyltd@gmail.com or text on 0400 670 086.

Daniel Bourke – Utopia Performance Horses (Sebastian)

Daniel Bourke of Utopia Performance Horses is based at Sebastian, in Central Victoria. Growing up in a horse-loving family, Bourke was able to learn from his father, who broke horses into both saddle and harness.

Since age 15, Bourke has strived to learn new ways to help horses reach their potential. He now works full time on Utopia Performance Horses.

Bourke says he loves the versatility of the standardbred. “From harness to show jumping, they can do it all,” he declares.

Daniel can be contacted via Facebook, Utopia Performance Horses, or email utopiaperformancehorses@gmail.com.

Gavin Beever – H-ED Horse Education (Emu Creek)

Gavin Beever grew up in Bendigo in Central Victoria and started riding at age 4.  He now runs H-ED Horse Education in Emu Creek.

Having learned legendary horseman Jack Runciman's breaking-in process at age 19, Beever has run a horse training enterprise for 23 years.

Services include breaking in, pre-training, performance training, and remedial training.

Beever has six years’ experience as a licensed thoroughbred trainer.

He can be contacted via mobile 0438 234 886 or email gavin@cumbre.com.au.

Amanda Porter – Forest View Thoroughbreds (Garfield North)

Amanda Porter started riding horses at a young age, joining a riding club and competing at Level 1 in dressage and eventing.

Riding trackwork as a teenager, Porter started re-homing retired racehorses.

After a trackwork accident took her out of the saddle for a time, Porter found another way to work with horses and formed Forest View Thoroughbreds.

She has since re-homed more than 80 Off The Track racehorses and has twice been first runner-up for Racing Victoria’s Re-Trainer of the Year.

Porter admires the temperament of the standardbred and thinks they are often a good size for children and small adults. Like her!

She can be contacted via text on 0417 622 329 or email on forestviewthoroughbreds@gmail.com

Jodee Young – Silhouette Farm (Myrrhee)

Jodee Young started Pony Club as a child and has worked with horses ever since.

She has competed in all Olympic disciplines and still competes in dressage and sometimes jumping competitions.

Young gained a thorough grounding in horsemanship with thoroughbred trainers Mark and Jim Houlihan.

Having trained in her own right for 10 years, Young is an acknowledged Off The Track re-trainer, who says she loves the attitude and nature of the standardbred. She relishes the chance to help the different personalities of the horses find their niche.

Young can be contacted via mobile on 0419 102 072, or on her business Facebook page – Silhouette Farm Retired Horse and Retraining.

Nikki Cook – Shory Park (Mount Duneed)

Not having come from a “horsey background”, it took a lot of hard work on Cook’s part to convince her father to let her have her first pony as a child.

From this, she progressed to Pony Club and competing in every discipline she could. She also worked at a local racing stable, and before long was taking home retired horses.

By age 15, Cook was on to her fourth Off The Track racehorse.

Since then, Cook has re-homed more than 500 racehorses.

Cook believes standardbred horses make the “perfect best friend” and loves seeing horses in their new homes, doing what they love, and making their new owners happy.

The best way to contact Cook is via social media channels, Facebook, Instagram (Shory Park Horses), or on her website shorypark.com

Fiona Dearing – Heroes with Hooves (Gordon)

Having always ridden horses, Dearing returned to her passion after a “normal career” in the music and arts industry.

She has been a riding coach for the past 15 years, working largely with nervous riders. Dearing has also recently become an accredited Bit Fitter.

Dearing genuinely delights in her role as re-trainer, saying there is nothing not to love about the standardbred. She describes them as “tough, sensible, keen to please, easy keepers and super fun to have around.”

Dearing says she gets a feeling of immense joy when teaching a standardbred horse a new job. “They genuinely relish learning something and getting a pat when they’ve been good,” she says.

Once re-homed, Dearing insists on regular updates on those horses from their new owners.

She can be contacted on her Facebook page, Heroes with Hooves, or on mobile 0459 190 433.

Mark and Di McIntosh – The Horse Workshop (Bass)

Mark and Di McIntosh manage riding school and retraining facility The Horse Workshop.

Lifelong horse people, the team works with all-ability riders and are accredited RDA coaches.

Daughter Angela works alongside them and has her own standardbred show horse, Ivy.

Angela and Ivy compete in Cowboy Dressage, which Mark considers more horse friendly – something dear to the heart of everyone at The Horse Workshop.

Introduced to the standardbred breed by inaugural HERO manager Tanya McDermott, Mark says he was “sucked straight in”, but admits it wasn't hard. “I love the standardbreds, they are as smart as quarterhorses.”

The Horse Workshop specialises in re-training but also helping owners work on any issues they might have with their horse.

The Horse Workshop can be contacted on email, thehorseworkshop@icloud.com, or via Facebook, The Horse Workshop.

Mitchell Fox and Brooke Sweeney – Fox Equestrian (Balmattum)

Mitchell Fox’s full-time work as a farrier and Brooke Sweeney’s as a licensed jockey has them living and breathing all things horses.

At home, they turn their hand to almost anything – breaking, re-training, and showing.

Fox has no hesitation in taking on standardbred horses for the show ring and thinks the breed is well-suited to almost any discipline.

Fox Equestrian looks forward to showcasing the standardbred’s strengths, particularly in the show ring, and finds them as trainable and willing as any other breed.

The team can be contacted on Facebook by looking up Fox Equestrian or on mobile 0448 142 306.

HERO AMBASSADORS

Acting as HERO ambassadors will be:

 

Sue Terry – passionate about helping standardbreds with their new lives after racing and proud owner of retired pacers Smudge Bromac and Im The Boss.

Steve Cox – of Steve Cox Equine Entertainment, who prepares horses for entertainment, photoshoots, and the big screen. He rates his million-dollar pacer Arden Rooney as one of the “smartest and best” horses he has ever dealt with. Owned by Merv and Meg Butterworth and trained by Kerryn Manning, the A.G. Hunter Cup and New Zealand Cup winner is continuing to live his best life.

Warragul horsewoman Kylee Paull breeds standardbreds in partnership with her father, and her retired trotter Risky Business (‘Minty’ to his friends) has proven a willing and talented partner in one of Kylee’s favourite pastimes, barrel racing. “Dad and I breed trotters together,” Kylee explains. “People underestimate them all the time, what they can do. They’re versatile, placid, easy to handle. They’re a great breed.”

Multi-talented Swedish-born, Australian adopted horsewoman Kima Frenning has competed as a monte rider, race driver and now trains in her own right. The HERO program holds a special place in her heart, as she admits she ‘falls in love’ with every horse coming through her stable. ‘They want to do things,’ Kima says. ‘They will do anything, put up with anything. We owe them.’

 

 

HRV HERO has a new-look website, which can be accessed within thetrots.com.au by clicking here.