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The grass is always greener for Tim Boland

Photo Credit: Roger Fitzhardinge  

Unassuming, modest, dedicated, talented, entrepreneurial, shrewd and, above all, a genuine horseman who simply loves to be around horses – meet Tim Boland, one of the leading eventing riders and racehorse pre-trainers in Australia.

BY ROGER FITZHARDINGE

Tim started his riding career as a boy when he went along with his sister, Sarah, to share a pony at Avondale Pony Club at St Ives, just north of Sydney. He admits he soon became known at the club for his ability to fall off, yet it ever troubled him and only made him determined to master the art of staying on. Riding was in the family but certainly not at a seriously competitive level, yet Tim was already showing a determination to be the best.

At school Tim was sport-orientated, playing rugby and cricket at Knox. Modest yet positive in his outlook, he was a quiet achiever. His unpretentious and somewhat shy and introverted attitude concealed a burning desire to succeed.

His academic record was strong and gaining enough marks to get him into veterinary science, so Tim opted to do work experience in an eventing yard. He was soon bitten and decided he wanted to make his mark in the eventing world and make a living out of his innate love of horses. He chose to follow his heart despite peer pressure to pursue a degree. He dreamt of representing Australia as an event rider instead of going to university to do “some bachelor degree of something”.

Photo Credit: Roger Fitzhardinge 

He wanted to show he could combine his sport, his dedication to horses and his will to be successful financially to others, and prove his self-belief. He started the Australian Event Horse Centre with the realisation that to make money in the sport he would have to not only ride, coach and train horses to high levels but he needed to buy and sell horses as a business. He stuck by his business model that every horse he owned was available for sale, no matter if it was his best.

He admits that luck played a big part in success in the equestrian sports and to come across good horses and good people was often by chance. Early in his career, an opportunity to work in Dubai heralded his start in the racing world. Teaching and buying horses for the Maktoums, the royal family in Dubai, opened many doors to Tim, and opened his mind to ideas for the future. And this was at the same time as he was shortlisted for the 1994 WEG with Waratah. He was based in Newmarket with Eddie Stibbe. While working for the royal family, it was not just his expertise in buying horses that proved of benefit, but his ordered and methodical attitude saw him became Sheik Mohammed bin Khalifa al Maktoum's racing manager, responsible for all and sundry that involved travelling a team of experts around the world buying and racing horses. 

He had to prove he could make a living out of his sport and his current business stemmed from taking on a few wayward horses for retraining, and teaching and selling horses through his Australian Event Horses, from his parents' property at Frenchs Forrest. Tim found two superstar horses in Limitless and Waratah. Interestingly, they were potentially sold but failed their vet checks. Yet their illustrious careers speak for themselves, both travelling to England and competing successfully. At this time, Tim had another shortlisting, with Limitless, for the Sydney Olympics. Both horses retired at Limitless lodge and lived out their retirement there, cared for in the lap of luxury. Tim kept them near the house "where they were spoiled rotten''. 

You could call it luck, but calculated and determined better describe Tim’s rise to fame. He made his next move after selling Kildonan Tug to America after he had just run second at the Melbourne CCI *** behind his stablemate Limitless. (Tug, with his new owner, ran second at Kentucky **** only to tragically break a leg galloping a few months later). Tim decided in 2003 that it was time to bite the bullet. He wanted a property to continue what he had started and found it in the Yarramalong Valley, near Wyong Creek, in the NSW central coast region. Now named Limitless Lodge Main Barn, it was a well set up property with an indoor arena and great post and rail paddocks and a barn with eight boxes. After much persuasion, his accountant finally consented and the deal was done. Breaking in thoroughbreds Tim's methodical and structured way, Limitless Lodge quickly took off.  It now has a cross-country training course as well as a huge, grassed show-jumping arena. It caters more for the problem horses, breakers and eventing competition horses, and is where Tim's home is. His attention to detail and his ability to remain totally focused on every horse under his care is awesome. Every horse on the property is treated as if it his own best one, and there is no stone left unturned. From farriers to grooming to special diets and veterinary care, to knowing the weight of every horse to assess feeding regimens and individual pre-training programs are what makes Tim Boland the success that he is.

Photo Credit: Roger Fitzhardinge 

 His ability to multi-task with consummate ease is astonishing. From riding a dressage horse or cross-country or show-jumping training, to being on the phone shipping horses around the world, returning pre-trainers to the city tracks, organising trucks, chatting to owners and trainers and physios and the like, vets to attend injuries, staff members to organise, Olympic eventers to work (and sometimes all at the same time) and compete – and to still find time for the odd round of golf or a day at the races is remarkable. His ability to visualise what needs doing each day would blow most people away and this is seven days a week. He is in his element at the property. The stables and grounds are immaculate. He demands it be that way. Tim is driven to be the best he can both in sport and business. 

Despite his success and thriving business in the pre-training and breaking and rehab programs for the racing industry, Tim's main love is still eventing. He would give up all to pursue eventing and is dedicated to his training and competing here. “it’s a tough sport and full of ups and downs but it's really what I live for,'' he says. "I simply can’t ignore the passion and realise the expense and the time consumed here but I have to admit that consumed I am, and I won't give up pursuing my dream.” 

Tim has had many good horses but none more wonderful that G.V. Billy Elliot, a spunky diminutive imported black gelding who was reserve for the London Olympics. To see them together, the bond is obvious and Limitless Lodge and life revolve around his wellbeing. Spoilt? Never! Not half! And why not? He won Melbourne CCI*** last year and was second at Sydney CCI*** and also in 2011. Billy won many CCI*** and was Australian Eventing Horse of the Year in 2012, ironically, the year he was travelling reserve for the London Olympics.

Photo Credit: Roger Fitzhardinge/Equestrian Life 

Tim's second property, Limitless Lodge Racing Stables, followed as the main property was overflowing and at the time Tim was renting other properties in the area. This 35-acre property was two kilometres away on the same road as Main Barn and was basically a vacant block with a modest house and barbed-wire cattle fences when bought by Tim in 2007. Tim planned its development exactly as he wanted and it is now a state-of-the-art horse-racing facility catering for all facets of the industry. It proved instantly popular. 

Tim decided from day one that there would be no breeding. But, from yearlings onwards he could cater for every need. The horses came in from the likes of Gerald Ryan, Chris Waller, M.W. and J. Hawkes, Coolmore Stud, Kia Ora Stud, Peter Moody, John Size and the Hong Kong Jockey Club. Here they could be broken in, pre-trained, spelled or rehabilitated and sent back to their stables ready to trial. The infrastructure needed included the safest horse rail fencing, a training track with an all-weather 1050 metre surface, and stabling for 100 horses. As well as the 100 that need daily work, individual feeding or treatment regimens, there are around 80 being spelled. A ten-horse exercise walker and an Aquaciser water walker not only help with training, but have recuperated jaded and injured horses back to winning again.

Tim Boland is one driven sportsman and businessman who runs his own race and believes in his own direction. His eventing competitions are his number one priority, and with his string of amazing top class eventers he is set to get on the team to represent Australia at Normandy, France, next year at the World Equestrian Games. He is already successful in business yet remains modest and understated. He is a tough businessman but he has certainly done well and continues to do so. His love of horses has only become more so as his experience widens and this genuine feeling is obvious and no doubt the passionate basis for all his success.

 
Tim Boland riding one of his many horses

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