Tyler Leslight sets sights on new goals

By Jordan Gerrans

As a person, apprentice jockey Tyler Leslight is goal oriented.

The 24-year-old has ticked off quite a few of his ambitions since his name first landed in the headlines in February of 2022.

Back then, he was an apprentice jockey with just one race ride under his belt declaring to the world that he was transgender.

Now in September of the following year, Leslight is the reigning champion apprentice jockey for the country region of Queensland.

He did so working for the Bevan ‘Billy’ Johnson barn in the Central West.

That is a significant goal he ticked from his list and arguably the most important.

But, there has been a few others that he is proud to say he has achieved.

He has bought himself a flash new car, which is required to drive the long distances required to be a jockey in regional Queensland.

He has moved into a nice new rental property in Barcaldine with aims of purchasing his first house in the coming year or so.

After being the leading rider in the country zone of Queensland, another of Leslight’s goals was to test himself on the provincial circuit.

The hoop is in the process of doing that, as well.

Last week he started a three-month loan period with Group 1-winning Eagle Farm trainer Desleigh Forster.

Leslight – the first jockey in Australia to openly declare he was transgender – could never have dreamed that his life could have changed so much in the period of time since he sat at Clifford Park in early 2022 and bared his soul to the world.

He jokes that he was ‘eating paint off the wall’ in early 2022, underlining just how broke he was.

Now he is working towards buying his first house and is regarded as a leader in the LGBTIQ+ community through his brave steps to detail his personal struggles so openly.

“I do not think I expected the response I got,” the apprentice rider said when asked about his last 18 months or so.

“It has been positive more than anything but I was expecting some negative reaction.

“The support has been overwhelming and opportunities have risen because I spoke about who I was and they would not have come to me if I had not spoken publicly.

“Billy told me that was the reason he wanted me to come work for the stable, because speaking publicly like I did showed courage and that is what you need in a good jockey.

“Everything has fallen into place after I spoke out publicly.”

Not long after he broke the news to the world about his medical transition, Leslight linked up with the long-time bush stable of Johnson.

That took him from Toowoomba, where he was previously living and working, to Moranbah with the Johnson clan.

And, then it was on to Barcaldine when Johnson and his family purchased a new property in the Central West.

Johnson’s wife Melanie is hands-on with the stable and she says they welcomed Leslight into their home and team with open arms.

“He has had a lot to contend with,” Melanie said.

“We spoke about it at the start of him working for us and agreed that “you are who you are” and as long as you are happy, then so are we.”

As Leslight notes, the vast majority of feedback he has received about proclaiming he was transgender has been overwhelmingly positive.

He has fielded plenty of questions from racing participants around his situation, which he is happy to answer, as he can then educate them. 

And, he has received numerous messages on social media from complete strangers who have congratulated him on his approach.

But, there was one interaction that stood out above everything else.

Leslight can pick up the story.

“I actually had a letter from a school teacher sent to me and she told me that she had seen my story and she was showing all her students the vision of it,” he said.

“Her message to the students through me was that you can do whatever you want if you put your mind to it.

“I think the last 12 months is a good representation of that because I did say that if you want something and you work hard enough – there is no reason why you cannot have it.

“Well, I did it, so it proves it even more.”

The entire Johnson clan have been crucial to Leslight’s success, he says.

And, as they are one of the stronger stables through the Central West and wherever they travel their team to, their support prompted other trainers to book Leslight.

“Country people are very genuine people at the end of the day,” Melanie said.

“Country people will judge you on your merits.

“If you are real, you are genuine, you get in, you have a go and try, that is all that matters to us.”

Leslight was crowned with the Country Apprentice Premiership at the 2023 TAB Queensland Thoroughbred Awards on Sunday night.

He did so with 41 winners to his name.

He fell two winners short of claiming the overall Country Jockeys Premiership, finishing two triumphs behind Robert Faehr.

“It was the goal from the start of the season, I rode seven winners in seven days in the first week of the year, which set me up for the year,” Leslight said.

“It gave me a good step-up and lead and I was able to claim it with a couple of weeks to go in the season, I could not be overtaken at that point.

“The goal was to win the apprentice’s title but a few weeks out, Billy told me that he thought I could win both of them.

“We decided to make it happen but Robbie just finished ahead of me in the end.

“But, it was good, fair competition.”

At the 2023 Queensland Thoroughbred Awards at the Royal International Convention Centre on Sunday night, the Country Trainers’ Premiership was handed to Bevan Johnson while his stable star Han Dynasty was recognised as the Co-Country Horse of the Year.

Leslight played a key role in both of their award-winning campaigns.

He has worked his claim down to just 1.5 kgs on the country scene and now he is working towards getting through his provincial allowance.

Leslight started a three-month loan spell with Forster last week.

Forster hails from Ilfracombe, which is just down the road from Barcaldine.

“I want to test the waters and see if I can make the grade,” Leslight said.

“I will always be Billy Johnson’s apprentice but like he told me, I need to have a crack because if I don’t then I will never know.

“I would love to ride in the provincials mid-week and then if I was to head out to the bush on the weekend to help out the country trainers, that would be great.”