By Isaac Murphy
The greyhound industry is mourning the loss of Michael Stephenson, who passed away last week.
Remembered by the wider greyhound community as a knockabout larrikin, those closest to Stephenson - like Jemma Daley and owner, breeder and close friend Tony Glover - knew he was a man of substance too as they begin to pick up the pieces and celebrate the man they call Tricky.
“He was a force to be reckoned with,” Daley said.
“I was in a bit of shock at first but when I saw Tony; I really fell apart because Tony, Tricky and me we just about come in the same sentence and that’s when we realised, he was gone.
“Since then, Tony and I have had the chance to sit down swap a few stories and have a few laughs, which I think will be really important for everyone involved with him going forward to remember the good times.
“It’s still been incredibly tough but so many people loved him we’re just trying to band together the best we can now.”
Tricky was invested in his passion of training dogs right until the end, never letting Daley off the hook with a few tips and tricks.
“Tricky was actually at my place Wednesday helping me out with a few things as he always did and Thursday morning, I got the phone call from Tony about what had happened,” Daley said.
“It was a hard day trying to process it all while also having to spring into action and come and pick up the all the dogs from Tricky’s place.
“A few people have said to me down the track 'you’ll be grateful that you got to spend some of that last day with him and see him at his best,' which is something I’m already thankful for.”
Stephenson took Daley under his wing as she transitioned from the thoroughbred industry into greyhounds and has championed the young trainer from day one.
“Tricky and I have had bad days, but we’ve had a lot more good ones and there was never a time where we were too busy to help eachother out,” Daley said.
“He’s made me as a greyhound trainer; he was the one person who was always pushing me to give it a go and I’ll be forever in debt to him for that.
“It was only the previous Friday we were driving home from Capalaba trials and he was telling me 'one day you’re going to have a kennel of good dogs.'
"Then yesterday Tony said to me 'I’m not farming the dogs out anymore, you take what you want' and I’m determined as anything to prove Tricky right.”
A lifelong greyhound man, he trained countless winners but his pride and joy was Hara’s Panda who last year gave him his first Group winner after almost 50 years in the sport.
“He was a force to be reckoned with as a trainer, you’ve only got to look at what he achieved with Hara’s Panda,” Daley said.
“A lot of people told him the dog would never get 500 metres and he ended his career with nine Albion Park wins over the distance and a Group 3 Townsville Cup over a similar distance.
“Through Tony, we’re lucky enough to have another strong line of Hara’s Annie pups coming through and I hope when people see them winning in the future they think of Tricky and his legacy.”