Top jockey lands in North West as a coup for the region

By Jordan Gerrans

City-level jockey Brooke Stower will on Saturday become a welcome addition to the North West Queensland riding ranks and those in the local area are optimistic of seeing more of the hoop at the races.

Stower is a Toowoomba product and has ridden at a metropolitan level and across South East Queensland earlier in her career.

The 29-year-old has in recent times been based in Tamworth and ridden on the provincial and country circuit throughout NSW.

Stower was last at the races in early May of this year at Newcastle before she uprooted her entire life to relocate to regional Queensland.

She will make a return at Cloncurry on Saturday where she has a full book of engagements for Julia Creek trainer Tanya Parry.

Stower – who has ridden in black-type races earlier in her career – believes she is in an excellent mindset to return to race riding.

“It has been great out here and it has really changed my attitude,” she said.

“I think I will race ride better now as I am a lot fitter, happier and a lot lighter than I was before.

“I was in a pattern of wasting with my weight when I was in NSW and now where we are, we eat really healthy all the time and that is why my weight has come down.”

Stower’s partner Aaron Willis got a new job working in the bush of the Sunshine State and the jockey followed him.

On Friday of this week they were in Barcaldine but as Stower explained, they do not have a fixed home base and will move around the state depending on work opportunities as well as camp drafting events.

Stower is working on a causal basis and is likely to be spending the majority of her time around the Julia Creek area.

She referred to the move as a welcome ‘change of scenery’.

“I got to a point that I have been with my partner for a little bit, so it was either we keep going with the relationship or my career – and I chose him,” she said of her riding in NSW.

“I am really enjoying what I am doing at the moment and I have missed my race riding a little bit every now and again.

“It usually happens whenever I see the races on TV.

“I am happy doing some riding part-time, doing some camp drafting, mustering, working cattle and the rest.”

Veteran bush trainer Parry was shocked but also very pleased when she received a message on Tuesday morning of this week from Stower inquiring about race rides at the ‘Curry for Saturday.

“Hopefully Brooke can pick up a few winners on Saturday and keep riding in the area for us,” Parry said.

“It is really great to get another jockey out here and I really hope she can get a winner or two so she keeps going.”

All five of Stower’s rides on the non-TAB program are for Parry.

Stower hails from the Darling Downs where she did her apprenticeship with the Tony Sears team before spending periods living and working in Ballina, Grafton and Tamworth at different times.

She has not committed to riding every weekend on the North West circuit but says her race day availability will depend on her other commitments.

“With a few local race meetings coming up, I thought stuff it – I'll pull the old race gear out and have a go,” the top hoop said.

“My weight is really good at the minute.

“I will ride depending on where we are for work and where the races are on at the time – it will be based around the camp drafts coming up and everything like that.

“It will be on a casual basis my riding.”

Stower has 22 metro winners in Brisbane to her name.