FEATURE
Lucy Yeomans talks about her life from a pony-mad toddler and talented eventer to soon-to-be co-trainer at Kennewell Racing. GOLDEN GLORY
BY SARAH MARINOS
A t her family’s Gippsland farm, Lucy Yeomans was in a saddle before she could walk. Her chestnut Welsh mountain pony, Token, was a key feature of her childhood and Yeomans’ feisty four-legged friend created a deep love of horses that has lasted a lifetime. That love and those early days on horseback have taken Yeomans from the farm to Flemington. Assistant trainer to Ciaron Maher and Dave Eustace at the time, she celebrated last year when the horse they’d trained together, Gold Trip, won the coveted Lexus Melbourne Cup. “When he won, I was a crying mess and in complete shock,” recalls Yeomans. “I always stand by myself to watch the big races because I get nervous. I remember standing out on the grass to the left of the mounting yard and I saw him coming and he was running well. Then about 200m from the finishing line he pulled away and I knew he was going to win – and then I didn’t see much else because I was crying.
Yeomans’ hard work and talent saw her become a reserve member of the Australian eventing team and she competed to 4-star level. She was also a groom for the Australian team and travelled to New Zealand and Germany. But Yeomans’ focus shifted to the racing industry after finishing high school. “It’s hard to make a career in equestrian and to earn money. I taught at pony club and was paid to ride other people’s horses but it was tough,” she recalled. “My sister was working in the racing industry and suggested I work in a racing stable in the mornings so I had a steady income while I continued to ride my own horses and teach.” Yeomans began cleaning boxes, saddling horses and then learned how to ride track work at Cranbourne for Colin and Cindy Alderson. “There were good old-fashioned horse people and they taught me a huge amount,” said Yeomans.
“When the horses were back in the yard, I made sure Goldie had a drink and I checked our other horses were all OK – then I had a glass of champagne. That’s a day I’ll never forget.” But the racing industry wasn’t always part of Yeomans’ equestrian career plans. “Mum grew up with horses and had my first pony waiting for me and my older sister before we were born. She wanted us to have the same childhood she did growing up in New Zealand, so we were always going to ride – there was no choice!” said Yeomans. “My sister and I were taught the basics by Mum and Dad and we’d canter round the paddocks, gallop up hills and race each other up and down the driveway. My horsemanship skills really began to develop later when I joined Pony Club and was exposed to gymkhanas, dressage and cross-country. I loved the adrenaline rush of cross-country and my parents drove my sister and me to competitions every weekend.”
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INSIDE HEADQUARTERS ISSUE 2 2023
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