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| Biography | I left school at the age of 15 and a half and went to Macquarie Stud (owend by the Late Arthur Baxter) at Wellington, NSW to serve my apprenticship with the private trainer Greg Henman.
After serving 3 years I was sent on loan to Bob Thompsen (Randwick) for 3 months. At the end of that 3 month period Bob wanted me to stay on and finish my apprenticeship with him, but my master Greg Henman would not allow me to be released.
This proved a big disappointment for me as I was battling increasing weight at the time and was just starting to ride for some of the bigger trainers.
At the time, I regarded this as a big set back for my career.
When I finished my apprenticeship, I had a break away from riding for about 6 months and went home to Condobolin where I worked in the shearing sheds
for a time.
I received a call from the Late Peter Pascoe (owner of Pittance and Pembleton) to join him in Wagga Wagga and started riding for him for 9
months.
I then shifted to the Gold Coast where I rode with a great deal of success for trainers such as the Late Jim Griffiths, and Alan Bailey.
I stayed at the Coast for 3 years but later moved back to Wagga Wagga, where I rode for 4 and a half years and also worked full-time at the Wagga Abattoirs for 3 years.
I was leading the Southern Districts Racing Premiership until I had a bad fall at Cootamundra in 1997 and fractured my T6 vertebrae. This put me out of contention for the premiership as I was sidelined for 4 months.
In the middle of 1998, I was approached to move to Canberra and relocated there in late 1998. After being in Canberra about 6 months I became very ill with encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and also had a very bad staph infection (which I had contracted from the abattoirs).
I had been sick on and off previously for 2 years and it was only when I moved to Canberra that I was finally diagnosed with the condition.
I was treated with antibiotics for 3 months and have now recovered fully. The hardest thing I have to battle is my weight and I have to train
regularly and diet to maintain a lighter weight. | | | | | | | | | | |
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