Hi Stranger (George Sal/Racing Photos)
Shane has also mentored four apprentices at Bendigo: Lachie Thompson, John Robertson, Hayden Bath, and Mark Smetzer. While Lachie and Hayden have retired from race riding, they still ride trackwork for Shane. Mark has gone on to train independently in regional NSW. Beyond training, Shane has significantly contributed to the racing industry. He was a founding committee member of the Bendigo Trainers’ Association in 2014, serving as Secretary for eight years, and has been a long-time committee member of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Trainers’ Association since 2016. On the personal front, Shane married Briga Coffey in 1983, and they have two children, Kelly and Matthew, and two grandchildren who bring them much joy. With nearly 50 years in the industry, including 22 years as a jockey and 12 regional riding premierships at Mildura, Shane has trained 335 winners over his 26-year training career. His successes include two Group 3 and six Listed race winners, with total prizemoney exceeding $9.2 million. From his early days as a jockey in NSW and Victoria to establishing his training business in Bendigo in 1998 and achieving significant race success, Shane has also excelled as an educator of apprentices and a dedicated committee member at the Bendigo Jockey Club and ATA Victorian branch. Congratulations to Shane, a most worthy recipient of the 2024 Country Achiever Award.
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