REBECCA HENRY
Photo credits: (cover) Oz Shotz (above) Jordan Wicks
Queensland Off-The-Track proudly introduces Rebecca Henry as a QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer.
Spending a lot of time at the racetrack during her younger years, Rebecca’s love of off the track thoroughbreds was no surprise to many, with Rebecca’s father an experienced horseman who owned and raced thoroughbreds in Far North Queensland, including a 7 year tenure as president of the Innisfail Turf Club in the 1990’s.
Retraining off the track thoroughbreds in her teenage years and working as Clerk of the Course at Cairns and Innisfail Turf Clubs, Rebecca’s biggest achievements came off the track, where she retrained many retired racehorses and competed in some of Australia’s most prestigious show jumping arenas. A member of Queensland’s Elite Performance Squad, Rebecca rode to World Cup Level and successfully competed at the National Grand Prix on three off the track thoroughbreds – Farmer’s Friend, Spielberg and Our Olympics.
“I have always enjoyed working with Thoroughbreds. I learnt from an early age they have huge hearts and give their all, as long as they understand the task at hand. I have great delight in seeing these intelligent and athletic horses finding a new way of going and discovering the joy of the performance industry, particularly jumping.”
In recent years, Rebecca has focused her attention on coaching, course design and officiating at show jumping events. Rebecca is an Equestrian Australia Level 2 Course Designer, an Equestrian Australia Level 2 Judge and a FEI 1* Course Designer, building show jumping courses and officiating at Championships and World Cup events all over Australia. Rebecca also holds a Diploma of Horse Business Management, a Bachelor of Business (Agribusiness) and a Certificate in Equine Sports Massage.
Rebecca is an Equestrian Australia Level 2 Specialist Showjumping Coach and an Approved Coach for the Queensland Off-The-Track Subsidised Lessons Program, where she has been instrumental in supporting Far North Queensland’s retired thoroughbreds in their pursuits post-racing. With a keen interest in teaching horses and riders of all disciplines and interests, Rebecca ensures that all of her lessons contain a strong focus on horsemanship fundamentals and foundation training.
Living on a 70,000 acre cattle station in Mount Garnet, Rebecca has an abundance of space to allow each thoroughbred to have an appropriate let down period and just simply “be a horse”, prior to commencing official retraining.
Retraining Interest: Thoroughbreds
Retraining Focus: Showjumping, Leisure
CONTACT REBECCA