Reigning QOTT Leaderboard winner welcomes new awards recognition

By Andrew Smith

Mandy Radecker has picked up several accolades while competing as a jockey, but it was an award for her work with her off-the-track retired racehorse that has provided the most satisfaction.

The former jockey and Enterprise Jack took out one of the High Point Horse Awards in the Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Leaderboard at last year’s Equestrian Queensland Annual Awards.

Radecker and the former Thoroughbred racehorse received the Eventing champion award after finishing well clear at the top of the QOTT Leaderboard in their category.

The QOTT Leaderboard was established to highlight ex-racehorses excelling in their new equestrian careers, with the awards presented to off-the-track horses that have accumulated the highest points in each discipline at the end of the competition season.

The duo racked up points by competing in events across the state between November 2022 and October 2023.

“Personally, I’m proud of the horse - I used to ride the horse track work when he was racing, so I was quite proud of him,” Radecker said.

“Some of the events I got points for, I didn’t necessarily win them but you are still competitive if you place in the fourth, fifth, sixth range, but he still got acknowledged for that at the end of the year.”

A middle-distance runner, Enterprise Jack picked up three wins and nine placings from 22 starts across South-East Queensland while racing.

Trained by Michael Lakey, the gelding mainly raced on the Sunshine Coast, where all three victories came.

Radecker is herself no stranger to competing at the top level, becoming the first female winner of the Brisbane Metropolitan Apprentices’ Premiership in 2007-08.

Forced to retire due to injury, she worked as Lakey’s foreman which saw her crowned with an Australian Stud and Stable Staff Award in the Horsemanship category in 2021.

With Radecker riding Enterprise Jack in track work, it was a strong connection that she did not want to break when the gelding retired from racing in 2021.

“The first 12 months off the track he did really well, and I basically just dragged him everywhere to all these events to get him out and expose him to everything,” Radecker said.

“This year, I’ve tried to pick and choose his events more selectively and just set a few little targets and more goals for him to achieve.

“It’s a bit of a balancing act sometimes having him too fresh for a competition but he and I are figuring that out along the way.

“I actually use him as a lead pony at the Deagon trials so he’s not completely removed from the racing side of things!”

The pair were on track to head to the Fig Tree Pocket Equestrian Club CCI & Eventing State Championships in early July.

Radecker does not think Enterprise Jack will defend his QOTT Leaderboard Eventing title in 2024, competing in fewer events this year.

She did welcome the announcement that the QOTT Leaderboards would recognise off-the-track Standardbred horses for the first time this year.

Radecker cited the extra amount of retraining that goes into preparing a harness competitor for life after racing.

“I think it’s a really good initiative because the first twelve months/two years of having a retired harness racehorse out competing, they’re not like these purpose-bred Warmbloods or kid’s ponies that are bred to specifically do that,” Radecker said.

“They are having a second career and I wouldn’t say they’re at a disadvantage but they’re a little bit behind the eight ball because they’re not purpose-bred.

“Standardbreds are not used to a having a rider on their back and carrying weight, so when they retire a lot of them have to be broken in to a rider.

“It’s almost like starting at the beginning because many of the competitions are saddle-based and rider-based and not in a harness.

“To have a separate category this year to recognise Standardbreds is a really good initiative.”

Other categories in the QOTT Leaderboards include Dressage, Show Horse, Jumping, Interschool, Driving and Vaulting.

Awards will be handed out at the 2024 EQ Annual Awards on Saturday, November 23 at Victoria Park.

Click here to learn more about the QOTT Leaderboards.