Life on the farm suits jockey Olivia Kendal

By Jordan Gerrans

Hidden away on a farm at Wanora with a big crop of animals while mowing and tractor slashing a property is not where you would usually find an apprentice jockey aiming to make it in the city.

But, that is just how hard-working rider Olivia Kendal likes it. 

Wanora is a rural locality in the Somerset region of Queensland and it provides the 28-year-old with the perfect outlet to switch of mentally from the rigours of a long day at the races.

The up-and-coming hoop was recently granted her licence to ride in town after years of toiling away on the provincial and country circuit. 

With her cats and dogs, quarter horses that she barrel races competitively with as well as a number of former racehorses, Kendal is at home at her massive Wanora farm. 

“I just feel like it's good for the mind, really,” she said.

“It's peaceful. I don't have anyone near me (laughs).

“I don't have the hustle and bustle of the city and I've got the horses here. It plays a really big part on the mental side of things.

“You come out here and you just sort of relax and take a breather from everything.

“Being a jockey, you are amongst people all the time when you're racing, you are always around people all day, every day at the races.

“I get to come out here and hang out with the animals and the horses.

“I think it's super important, not many people get that opportunity.”

Kendal has eight horses at her Wanora farm, many of which are former racehorses, while she has a couple of quarter horses she rides in barrel racing events.

She has 60 acres at the property.

Groovin' The Moo – who Matt Kropp and Beau Gorman trained in his 28-start career – is one of the several former racehorses that Kendal looks after.

Groovin' The Moo won six races with Kendal scoring aboard the gelding in October of 2024 at Toowoomba's Clifford Park.

“I just do a bit of mowing, tractor slashing and maintenance really,” Kendal said of her property. 

“It's pretty peaceful out here. The dogs go crazy, they love it. And, the cats, they all love hanging around.

“The dogs are very loyal and really good company.

“They come with me nearly everywhere, sometimes even to the races.”

The lightweight rider loves to switch her mind off from racing in her downtime but at the races, trials or jump-outs, she is deadly serious about making the grade at a metropolitan level.

Kendal’s master Gorman has known his apprentice since she was teenager and marvels at her growth.

Gorman and Kendal were mates that rode together socially before their relationship turned into a professional one when they entered their current roles.

“I am extremely proud of her,” Gorman said.

“She's actually a really good friend of mine. I've known her for going on 12 years now, so I've known her from the start.

“I've seen how far she's come and I'm extremely proud of all the obstacles she's had to overcome with her injuries.

“She always comes back bigger and better.

“She just takes it as it comes and just keeps going, puts her head down, giving it a crack, which is all you can do really.”

As Gorman notes, Kendal has endured a ‘stop-start’ run of with her apprenticeship as she has regularly been struck down by injury not long after she experienced a good run of form.

She has 27 winers to her name this campaign, which follows a career-high mark of 39 in the 2024-25 season.

After recently being approved a ticket to ride on a Wednesday and Saturday in town, Kendal is fiercely determined to eventually make her mark in the big smoke, despite her eagerness to live away from the city.

She has had a few rides at a metropolitan level and was set for one engagement on Wednesday at Doomben before the horse was scratched.

With her three-kilogram claim and her ability to ride light, she thinks she could be a valuable commodity to trainers.

“You've got to have the support and the horses to be able to get going in there,” she said.

“But, I feel like in the next couple of months I should hopefully have a few horses that make it to town.

“I think Beau and Donna Stanbridge, who have been my biggest supporters, have got some horses that they think could be town quality.

“Hopefully we can get them going good and get a win somewhere in there. I think once I can ride a winner or two, then I should get the ball rolling. I can ride light with a three-kilo claim.

“I feel like the opportunities should come, hopefully if I work hard and ride the winners.”

Gorman, who has recently shifted his training operation to Ipswich, has prepared seven winners dating back to the middle of October of last year.

The emerging trainer credits his apprentice’s hard work behind the scenes at trackwork for his recent strong run of form.

“She's very loyal,” Gorman said.

“I know she's always got my back and she does what's best for the horses. So, that's all you can really ask for in a staff member like that and a friend.”

Kendal was included in Queensland’s National Apprentice Race Series team last year.

The talented hoop was booked to partner Ariat for Toowoomba trainer Anthony Freeman in the Benchmark 70 Handicap over 1600 metres at Eagle Farm on Saturday.

Ariat has also since been scratched.