Danielle Hess driving retired thoroughbred Refero into new career

A retired racehorse that is similar to a ‘Formula One car’ may not sound like he has the best temperament to make the transition to the dressage arena.

But it has been the journey of former galloper Refero that shows persistence pays off, according to Queensland Off-The-Track Acknowledged Retrainer Danielle Hess.

The gelding had two wins from just 10 starts at the track under the guise of leading Brisbane trainer Tony Gollan.

Retiring from racing in November 2022, Refero was moved to the Gollan’s spelling facility at River Junction.

It was there that he came to the attention of Danielle who was looking for a new addition to her Kobble Creek retraining stable.

“We know Tony and Jane Gollan quite well and I'd asked Jane to keep an eye out,” Danielle said.

“Jane said to me that he was a horse with a lovely temperament, and to come and have a look at him - I didn't even go and have a look. I just said, ‘I'll come and pick him up!’

“Refero was meant to be a project…but he definitely wasn't my first pick to be a team member when I first had him in the stable.

“He's been with us now for two and a half years, and we sort of started getting it together about this time last year, and I started seeing the promise in him.”

The thoroughbred out of I Am Invincible/Ella Listo is known as “Roy” around the Bunya Springs Equestrian facility, which Danielle runs with partner and fellow eventing rider James Ferrier.

Danielle admits it had been a challenge initially to bring Roy up to speed with his new life.

“He's quite a hot horse due to his breeding, they're quite known for their life after racing being a little bit trickier,” Danielle said.

“My partner refers to Roy as a Formula One car, specifically a Red Bull car, in that he's quite touchy and he's finicky.

“You've got to get him right, but if you've got him driving forward, he's the most incredible horse.”

Danielle engaged the help of QOTT Subsidised Lessons Program Coach Rebel Morrow to help bring Roy up to speed with eventing.

The 31-year-old said the challenge of taking on the six-year-old gelding had helped her in the development of her own skill set.

“It took a long time for us to put it all together, and I've had to really work on myself and find more tools in the toolbox for him,” Danielle said.

“He's not how I trained horses in the past, but that's why I went and got a bit of help from another QOTT Approved Coach to help along the way, especially in those early days with him.

“I've known Rebel for many, many years, and she's had great success on thoroughbreds, and it was just a no-brainer for me.

“I think there has been a big change in my riding - not every thoroughbred is going to be the same, and he's opened my eyes into how to school them in another way.”

Roy has since gone on to become a star in in the dressage arena, winning the QOTT high point award at the RM Equestrian Centre Mike Williams CC & QLD OTT ODE in April.

With the thoroughbred recently moving up into the one-star class, Danielle is now eyeing off the Equimillion event hosted by Racing NSW in October.

“He was brilliant last year down there, and finished fifth in both his classes…we are trying to get to more interstate events,” Danielle said.

“He's got a really good gallop on him. I think that as an eventing horse, especially at a higher level, making time on cross country and having a thoroughbred that can be fit is such a necessity, because it does put you above the warmbloods.

“It gives you that little bit of an advantage against the warmbloods – thoroughbreds may not always compare to performance-bred horses when it comes to movement, but speed and agility is something they do have, and it's something that I can see that Roy is going to have up the grades.

“It looks really promising that he's going to be quite a quick horse on cross country, and that's a really important phase in our sport to get right.”

Danielle first teamed up with an OTT thoroughbred as her first horse as a teenager while part of the Hendra Pony Club.

Prior to becoming a full-time professional rider, she worked for the Education Department at Racing Queensland, before heading to work at Belcam Stud to pursue her dream to ride and coach as a profession.

She eventually created Bunya Springs Equestrian, and now has six horses in total at her property, including another two OTT thoroughbreds.

Who Da Kid, formerly trained by the late Pat Duff, was Danielle’s first success story, being her first horse to reach the two-star class in eventing.

Joining the QOTT Acknowledged Retrainer Program in January 2024 has further confirmed her love and passion for her profession.

“The best part is getting to do this every day of the week…the amount of people that I've met throughout the QOTT Program has been great and I've met so many new trainers,” Danielle said.

“Just building such an understanding of that link between the racing industry through to the equestrian industry, being that in-between person is so special.

“I think a lot of people forget that we are extremely lucky to have those contacts, and I love hearing from them, and they love hearing about how their horses are going.

“I spoke recently with (co-trainer) Corey Geran about two of the horses that I've got here from him and he's based up at Toowoomba.

“I think that's really lovely - there's been a big change in the industry with how we can meet these two different sports and have these beautiful relationships with people.”