Episode 254: Brett Cavanough

John Tapp Racing

We spoke to Brett only a week after he’d learned that his brilliant Kosciuszko winner It’s Me had sustained an injury during the race. He handled it philosophically.

Brett reveals he jumped at the opportunity to take over the Scone training complex previously occupied by Greg Bennett.

He takes us back to his childhood in the Queensland outback town of Augathella when he lived with his maternal grandfather- a wily veteran of a tough era. The lessons he learned remain with Brett to this day.

Brett recalls his boyhood friendship with Peter Moody.

He looks back on his first trip to Sydney where his stepfather was a well respected horse breaker. He looks back on the stable rounds he made with a prominent veterinary surgeon.

The trainer takes us back to his complete change of lifestyle when he became a shearer in WA. His adventures took him to remote Karratha where he met a very special person.

Brett looks back on his very first training base at the border town of Tocumwal, and a subsequent move to Albury where his career took off. He went on to win 11 SDRA premierships and three NSW country training titles.

He looks back on his sudden ambition to have a crack at a world shearing record in the Riverina. He snared that record, but his shearing days ended soon after.

Brett talks of his new foray into the horse breaking business and the famous trainer who gave him a start.

The trainer acknowledges the contribution of some of his all time favourite horses.

He nominates one special horse in the Scone stable for punters to follow in the immediate future.

He looks back on his brief experience as a commercial stud owner.

Brett pays tribute to his wife Lauren and the four great kids who are all currently at home sheltering from Covid 19. He tells his story with all the earthy humour you’d expect from a bloke who grew up in the Queensland outback.