Famous Bill: The trotting faithful might know which horse is Bill in this picture. For the rest of you, he’s the one on the left being ridden by his owner Daryl Olney.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Bill has spent a lifetime managing equine tempers at trotting tracks and standing out among the browns and bays.
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During his 15-year career in northern Victoria, he’s attended more than 600 race meetings from Wangaratta to Bendigo, officiated at 6000 races and helped break in more than 1000 young horses.
Owner Daryl Olney said the 21-year-old palomino was easy-going, trustworthy and adjustable.
“He puts up with everything,” Mr Olney, from Tallygaroopna, said.
“When a horse has trouble at the tracks and they rear up, I was able to ride under them and grab their reins on Bill. Other horses won’t go near a rearing horse.
“I reckon there is about 70 people who asked to buy him when he was a clerk horse.”
Mr Olney said he had never considered selling Bill, after receiving the quarter horse for free.
“He will die at my place.
“Any animal that makes me a living is looked after right to the end. It’s the least you can do for them.”
Stepping back: This is the hardest part of Bill’s life now — watching other horses work. Younger horse Levi is being boarded with Daryl Olney for liberty training.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
These days Bill’s only job is eating grass and teaching the odd kid to ride while Mr Olney uses voice commands from the ground to control Bill if the rider gets confused.
But before he was turned out for good, Bill also dabbled in trail riding, campdrafting and reining.
“He’s been pretty successful in his campdrafting, he’s probably made 10 to 12 finals,” Mr Olney said.
“He did everything from two-handed cutting to team penning. Campdrafting is the most popular equine sport in Australian right now and that’s because it’s a family affair and everyone’s friendly.”
Master and apprentice: Bill has always been a calm presence, entering a horse’s life at their most anxious and helping them understand the crazy world of humans.
Photo by
Daneka Hill
Mr Olney and Bill first met when the palomino was brought to him for training.
“I broke him in for some people. A reining trainer was going to take him next, but Bill injured himself and got turned out for 12 months.
“They decided to sell him, but he was too old for most people.
“I offered to buy him and the owner asked what I wanted him for. I said as a clerk horse and they gave him to me for free. They had pacing (horses) of their own.
“Later, I got a picture of Bill next to one of their winning horses.”
A horse-breaker for 26 years, Mr Olney said the most important thing about horse training was to have an open mind.
“Too many people are closed minded. What I’m doing today I wasn’t doing five year ago. What I did five year ago I wasn’t doing 10 year ago,” he said.
“Every horse is different ... and Bill is a gem of a horse.”
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