Bundaberg family savour special milestone

By Jordan Gerrans

When Allan Emery’s daughter Darcy’s showjumping interests were taking off in her younger years, the Bundaberg trainer stepped away from the sport to support her desires in the discipline.

The talented Darcy went on to win Queensland state titles as well as competing in Australian jumping events.

Now 26 years of age and living back in the 'Rum City' after stints in Brisbane and on the Darling Downs, it has come full circle for the father-and-daughter team.

Darcy is now training her own small stable of gallopers with Allan offering useful guidance and advice when required.

Darcy and Allan enjoyed an occasion they will not forget anytime soon on Saturday afternoon on their home deck when the rookie conditioner landed her first winner with her maiden starter.

Gelding Becallmah was able to score impressively with Allan doing the strapping duties for his daughter.

“Once I had moved back to Bundaberg, Dad had retired from his job and said to me that if I wanted to have a go training – he would support me,” Darcy said.

“I have always wanted to train but the timing has not been right.

“But, we own our own property now. Dad has been great, he gives me a hand in the morning and afternoon – he was there to strap for me on Saturday, as well.

“He put all his attention into my showjumping in my early days so it is great to share this with him now.”

There was a big contingent of Darcy and Allan’s family at the Bundaberg track on Saturday for the races, with several travelling north from Brisbane and Toowoomba.

Allan stopped training his own stable in July of 2008 with his last winner coming the month prior.

According to Racing.com’s statistics, Allan prepared a total of 33 winners in his time holding a licence, dating back to his first victory back in 1996.

Just like he is doing for Darcy, Allan was passed the torch to train in the family by his father Jim.

When studying a business degree at university in Brisbane, Darcy worked in the racing industry as a stablehand as well as strapping on race day at times.

She spent time under the watch of Barry Lockwood, Chris Munce, Liam Birchley, among other Queensland trainers.

She decided to finally take out her own training licence late last year when the writing was on the wall.

“I have always liked racing and gravitated towards it,” she said.

“As a family, we love racing and at the end of last year, I was going to shows by myself and the rest of my family were going to watch our racehorses that we owned with other trainers.

“It did make me think about why I am I not getting in on this, as well.”

Becallmah did his early racing for Billy Healey at Caloundra – where he had two starts – and had a short stint with fellow Bundaberg mentor Darryl Gardiner before landing with Darcy.

Darcy trains under her married surname of Short.

The rookie conditioner parted with just under $2,000 for the three-year-old son of Dubious and he quickly won that back – and some - with his Maiden Plate triumph over the speedy 850 metres on Saturday.

Apprentice hoop Perrie Carter was able to steer Becallmah from a wide gate to a convincing win, scoring by more than two lengths on the ‘Bundy’ sand in the non-TAB event.

Darcy rides all the gelding's work and she believes her quiet stable helped deliver Becallmah’s maiden victory.

“He is a bit like a teenage boy, he has to do things his way as he can get a little bit cranky,” she said.

“He is really quiet and has a good attitude but he likes to do things his way.

“As he is my only horse, I think he likes that one-on-one attention, he has a pick every morning and afternoon.

“He is a beautiful horse and for me to learn with, he is great for me to ride trackwork with him and do everything with.

“He seems to thrive on the one-on-one environment and attention instead of being in a big stable.

“I thought his runs were quite well before we got him. It is really rewarding to see a horse come out and perform like that when you ride all his work and do everything with him.”

The likes of Lockwood, Munce, Birchley, Gardiner and of course her father prepared Darcy perfectly to open up her own barn.

“It was great and the likes of Barry – he was amazing to work for,” she said.

“He is really hands-on and he is one of the better ones to learn from – all of them were great – but Barry in particular because his attention to detail was unreal.

“I was only a teenager back then and they were a great support while I was down there for university.

“Darryl has been a big influence in me getting my licence, as well.

“Darryl has been very helpful in passing on his knowledge and also was one of the people who encouraged me to start training.”