Jessica Owers
Total 45 Posts
Written In The Stars - 'The ol’ horse racing itch came back'- Dave Appleton's remarkable ride
When Dave Appleton grew too big to continue as a jockey, the boy from Clermont catapulted to international fame as a world rodeo champion. Now firmly ensconced in Texas, he tells Jessica Owers how he found his way back to thoroughbreds.
Written in the Stars - ‘What else would I do if I wasn’t doing this?’ - Age won’t stop the remarkable Shirley Batten
Most people retire when they move to the Gold Coast, but Shirley Batten’s career as a horsewoman is still going strong at 93, 30 years after her relocation north. Jessica Owers spoke to Shirley about a lifetime spent in the company of horses.
Written In The Stars - Years of dedication and a Strand of fortune
Amid the dust and the sun of Australia's racetracks and sales grounds, Sharon Lee Chapman is always looking for her next great photo. In the next instalment of Written In The Stars, the award-winning photographer talks to Jessica Owers about life behind the lens.
Written In The Stars - Val Hayward's Magic journey
In the first of a new series, Jessica Owers chats to the recently retired Val Hayward about her 37 years with Magic Millions, her love of travel and the ever-changing nature of her own life and the thoroughbred industry which became her professional home.
From a Meteor to a shooting Star - Widden gets its champion sire
While Northern Meteor’s journey to champion sire status was cut short by a fatal bout of colic, 12 years later, almost to the day, Widden will feel some degree of atonement when his first-crop son Zoustar is crowned Australia's champion sire of 2024/25.
Changing places - Ryan’s drive also opens the door for Dilmi
New adventures await Sara Ryan and Nacim Dilmi. But before Ryan hands over the keys to Dilmi at Domeland, they will have time to reflect on how a one-time biochemical engineering student and an aspiring but unsuccessful jockey found themselves on the precipice of big opportunities.
The kids are alright - How life’s biggest challenges turned Brett Cavanough from a trainer into a mentor
From breaking records in shearing sheds to honing his horsemanship under TJ Smith at Tulloch Lodge, trainer Brett Cavanough is determined to pass his life lessons, positive and negative, to the next generation.