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Fiona McIntyre wins 2020 Racing Victoria Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year award

The award, announced by Equestrian Victoria, recognises the efforts of Victorian-based Acknowledged Retrainers in training, rehoming and promoting off the track (OTT) racehorses...

Adele Severs

Published 11 Nov 2020

Fiona McIntyre and off-the-track horse Precedence.

Fiona McIntyre wins 2020 Racing Victoria Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year award

By Equestrian Life

Fiona McIntyre has been named the Racing Victoria (RV) Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year for 2020. The award, announced by Equestrian Victoria, recognises the efforts of Victorian-based Acknowledged Retrainers in training, rehoming and promoting off the track (OTT) racehorses.

Fiona was one of five deserving finalists, alongside Amanda Porter (runner-up), Nikki Cook (second runner-up and the 2019 winner), Jade Willis, and Lisa Robertson-Smith. The award was sponsored by RV and offered cash prizes of $3,000 (winner), $1,000 (runner up) and $500 (second runner up) to assist in the continuing development of OTT work.

On finding out she had won, Fiona says she was almost lost for words and really appreciates RV’s support of the award. “I’d also like to congratulate all of the RV Acknowledged Retrainers on the great work they do; all are worthy winners in their own right. The sheer number of nominations demonstrates their work is held in high regard,” she says.  

Fiona, who grew up around thoroughbreds with her parents being racehorse trainers, has a long affinity with off-the-track horses and has transitioned countless horses from track to show hack — including the well-known four-time Melbourne Cup runner, Precedence.

In the past 12 months, Fiona has enjoyed plenty of competition success, with a highlight being a win at Royal Windsor Virtual Show with Precedence in the OTT (known as Retraining of Racehorses (RoR) in the UK) Led Class. Her other horse, Caravan Rolls On, placed fourth in the ridden OTT (RoR) class. These results made headlines around Australia and in the UK, and we featured them in the June issue of Equestrian Life magazine.

Caravan Rolls On, who came through RV’s Off The Track program, also enjoyed a successful first season in the Australian show ring. He won many blue ribbons and championship sashes and was declared Champion Newcomer Show Horse and Champion Newcomer Off The Track Show Horse at the Victorian Agricultural Show Saddle Horse Championships. Caravan’s transformation to show ring champion is no mean feat; the “quirky” horse had been rehomed twice before RV placed him in his forever home with Fiona.

Active on social media, Fiona has done a wonderful job promoting off the track thoroughbreds and has also made numerous mainstream media appearances to discuss the good things that are happening with retired gallopers. In addition, Fiona led the 2019 Spring Racing Carnival’s parade of off the track horses with Precedence and fellow former Cup runner Sirmione.

The RV Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year award is not the only accolade Fiona has garnered in 2020. Her work with OTTs was also recognised when she won the 2020 Wakeful Club ‘Lady of Racing’, which is an award that celebrates women who have made an outstanding contribution to the thoroughbred racing industry. Exemplifying the wider interest in her work with off-the-track horses, Fiona was nominated for this award by a member of the general public who follows her on social channel.

However, for Fiona this year hasn’t all been about show ring success and media coverage; one of her greatest achievements has been with horses she calls “diamonds in the rough”; she successfully rehabilitated two ‘injured’ horses who needed a little extra time and TLC.

“What I love about the off-the-track horses is finding the diamond in the rough. The two that I’m working on now… when they first came, you wouldn’t have thought anything much of them and then as they start to develop, this diamond starts to shine and it’s a really satisfying process. I love taking the before and after photos,” says Fiona. At present, she has twelve OTT horses in her care — and she impressively manages to juggle that with a full-time career.

Fiona believes career opportunities for ex-racehorses are endless given enough time, and the correct retraining. She says every racehorse can have a purpose and second career when they’re retired from the track; it’s just a matter of finding the right fit for each individual horse and matching them correctly to their person to provide the best possible opportunity to excel, whether that be as a competition horse or simply a pleasure horse.

“I tend to approach all my horses as individuals. You soon work out their personalities and what you can and can’t do with them, and what is the best approach for each horse,” she says. “Thoroughbreds are just magnificent animals and I think they’re the most graceful of all the horse breeds, particularly as a show horse. They’ve just got it; they’re the complete package and they’ve got that real ‘look at me’ presence about them. There’s nothing better than seeing a beautiful thoroughbred on show.”

Congratulations Fiona on your wonderful achievement, and well done to Amanda, Nikki, Jade and Lisa, who have all shown an amazing level of commitment to bettering the lives of off-the-track horses.  

Equestrian Victoria also announced the 2020 OTT Victorian Horse of the Year winners. Christine Brown’s Koko Popping Candy, ridden by Amanda Ross, won the OTT Dressage and OTT Eventing horse categories and was also named overall Eventing Horse of the Year. Saddle Up Smudge, ridden and owned by Adam Prime, was named OTT Jumping Horse of the Year, while St Andrews, ridden and owned by Natalie McKay, received the OTT Show Horse award. Congratulations to all!

You can view the full list of winners from the 2020 Equestrian Victoria Awards here.

This article was written in conjunction with Racing Victoria.

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