Devoted Deziree Roos crowned QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year

By Andrew Smith

Deziree Roos is so committed to her coaching duties that she did not even consider cancelling on an annual pony club camp to attend the 2024 TAB Queensland Thoroughbred Awards.

The Oakhurst-based retrainer was crowned the Queensland Off-The-Track (QOTT) Acknowledged Retrainer of the Year – Thoroughbreds at last month’s awards ceremony.

“I feel very excited, and appreciated,” Deziree said.

“I do devote my entire life and my career into rehoming and retraining, so to be acknowledged for the hard work and the commitment that I give towards these thoroughbreds, it’s a nice feeling.

“I’d love to thank the owners and trainers of these horses because I know that the equine welfare prizemoney levy does help us do our job and that’s important to remember.

“My partner Cindy is also amazing - she’s the one who looks after 20-something horses when I go away for weeks at a time teaching kids.

“I couldn’t honestly do this many horses if it wasn’t for her keeping everything together at home.”

As well as retraining, Deziree runs competitions for retired racehorses, competes on them herself and coaches the next generation of riders.

Such was her devotion, she could not attend the awards ceremony in person in Brisbane.

Instead, she was busy educating future riders and industry participants at the Zone 15 Pony Club Queensland camp in Capella, north of Emerald.

“I’m gutted I couldn’t be there in person,” Deziree said.

“I had a four-day camp up there and I get rebooked every year so this was my fourth year up there, and it’s their 60^th anniversary this year.

“When you’ve got 140 kids from all over out west and you only have coaches that come to them once a year, it’s a pretty big thing for them to have this many coaches in a big week like that.”

The 29-year-old has rehomed 31 horses since she came on board as an inaugural QOTT Retrainer in 2022.

Deziree knows more than most the important role that pony clubs play in developing skills and abilities.

Coming from a “non-horsing family,” she was a regular pony club attendee before her passion for the industry was ignited as a teenager, where she learnt a range of different disciplines.

“When I was 14 and went to a Christmas party at Wattle Brae Stud, that pretty much ignited the fire with the thoroughbreds - I caught the bug and have been involved ever since,” Deziree said.

“From then on, I worked either track work or stud farms and have been involved with the thoroughbreds whilst doing everything else.

“I think you can learn from everybody and probably the most important advice would be to travel and learn in different disciplines.

“When I was in Beaudesert, I worked with Brett Welsh at Allstars doing stock horses as well as riding trackwork, and I’ve worked overseas in America for hunters and jumpers -  I have worked for every single discipline, and I’ve learnt something from all of them.

“I think that really helps to be successful because not a lot of horses learn the same way or respond to the same technique either, so you learn from everybody and it’s important to go and travel and work within different disciplines and then put it all together.”

Deziree’s favourite horse since entering the program has been Helsman, a gelding that came to her Carratum Park facility as a two-year-old.

While she is currently only retraining two horses, Deziree is committed to helping foster the growth of the QOTT Program.

“When I heard the QOTT program was starting, the first thing I did when I went home was started my application and that’s the fastest I’ve ever filled out paperwork,” Deziree said.

“I think the best thing about the QOTT Program is that it’s made the general public and probably the rest of the horsing community a little bit more aware of the versatility of the thoroughbreds.

“Not all of our retrainers are in Olympic disciplines and not all of us compete every weekend - we do have thoroughbreds doing everything from dressage and trail riding to cow horse, they’re useful for anything.”

RQ Senior Animal Care Manager Kim Duffy said that Deziree had made a remarkable impact with assisting retired thoroughbreds transition from racing to their post-racing lives.

“Deziree has a genuine love and passion for thoroughbreds and is a fantastic advocate for the breed - we are incredibly honoured to have her as a QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer,” Ms Duffy said.

“Not only is she a fantastic horsewoman, it’s also important to recognise Deziree’s continued efforts to educate trainers, owners, the equestrian community and the general public about life after racing opportunities for racehorses.

“I would also like to congratulate Amanda Benson who is a very worthy recipient of the runner-up award.

“Amanda joined us as a QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer in 2023 and hit the ground running, implementing a successful retraining model that is a true credit to her experience, professionalism and dedication to finding suitable homes for retired racehorses.

“It is incredibly important for the racing industry to recognise and celebrate our network of Acknowledged Retrainers that work tirelessly to improve aftercare outcomes for retired racehorses.”