Doubling up on training success

South Australian brothers Ryan and Trent Hoare are having a start to harness racing training that they could only have dreamed of – recording their second double in as many weeks last Saturday night (Aug 17).

The brothers, from Port Pirie, an hour north of Adelaide, decided to “have a go” at training earlier this year, after enjoying the ownership ride with several horses over the past decade.

“We got pretty lucky with a win early on, and then the doubles this last couple of weeks, have been great. We’ve been going okay!” Ryan said.

“All up we’ve had eight winners, but winning isn’t everything for us. We don’t mind the placings, either, and as long as we’re watching our horses go around and being competitive, that’s all we’re really looking for, because we just love the sport,” he said.

“Trent and I have still got the first horse we had together as owners, Goodboy Cowboy – he didn’t win a race for us, but ran a few placings. He’s our favorite, and always will be.  He’s a beautiful horse and has an equally beautiful temperament around my kids, too.”

Ryan said the brothers getting their trainers’ licences earlier this year brought the family’s involvement in the sport full circle.

“Our family was always involved – our two grandpas, Brian Montgomery and Mervyn Hoare were both trainers, who did pretty well in country South Australia,” Ryan said.

“Dad and mum (Mark and Julie) trained for a while when I was young.  Dad’s aim was to turn not-so-good horses into decent horses, and he was pretty good at that.  That’s where it all started for me, because I used to help him around the stables, and I can remember nana and pa out there doing their work too.

“Mum and dad went out of it when I was probably around 10, but they never really lost their interest, so we still followed the sport and went to the trots.”

Ryan said he and Trent started as owners about 10 years ago, but decided about 18 months ago to “take the leap” into training their team.

“We had to get our stablehand’s licences first. Marty Schraeder and Butch (Brian) Smith had our horses out at their place and we helped train them,” Ryan said.

“Once we’d done our ‘apprenticeship’, Trent bought a farm, and we set ourselves up out here at Bungama.  It’s got two tracks, a bit of sand and a hill to train them up and down.  It’s a really good setup for us.”

Ryan, 39, is a shiftworker at the Nyrstar lead smelter, while 32-year-old Trent is the owner of local business Pirie Signs and Designs and Ryan said preparing the team was, by necessity, a family affair.

“Dad is retired and he’s our stablehand and our Nan (Margo Montgomery) is out there every day doing the manure and the waters – she’s amazing.  They both play a huge part,” he said.

“We also couldn’t do it without my wife Chelsea and Trent’s partner Tiarna too. It’s pretty hard on Chelsea with our three boys and with my shiftwork and the horses, and Tiarna is a nurse as well as expecting their first baby, so everyone puts in, but we all love it.

“There’s nothing better than having our boys out there at the farm, on their bikes and doing the horses. I think we spend more time out there than anywhere else, but we’re all absolutely loving it.”

by Terry Gange, for Harnesslink