SIZING John, Sizing Europe, Synchronised and Asian Maze are names that will be very familiar to National Hunt followers in this country. All these horses have graduated from the Busteed academy, along with many more top-flight winners.

As a child, I did all the usual hunting and pony clubs but it was not until I went to boarding school in Dublin, that I really became passionate about horses. By fourth year, my love for horses became more apparent than my love for study, so I left and went to work in England.

I was based in Newmarket with Gavin Pritchard Gordon, a well-known trainer in those days. In 1973, I met up with Edward O’Grady who I knew briefly before I went to England. He asked if I would be interested in returning home to ride out for him and take over as stable amateur from Mouse Morris. The latter had recently turned professional and I was thrilled to get the opportunity to take his place.

Over the next eight years, I rode Kilmakilloge, for Edward (O’Grady) in bumpers, while also competing on the local Cork point-to-point circuit. In all, I rode close on 60 winners during that period, including a treble for Fergie Sutherland at Lismore one afternoon. The latter, who trained Imperial Call to win a Gold Cup, was a very decent trainer from whom I learned a great deal.

HIGHLIGHT

One of the highlights of my riding career was partnering The Arctic to win the second ever bumper run at the Curragh. I had been due to ride Kilmakilloge for Edward (O’Grady) the previous year but had to travel to America with horses. I was gutted to miss the ride as he became the first ever bumper victor at the headquarters of Irish flat racing.

Thankfully I made up for it the following year on the Kevin Prendergast trained The Arctic. In that race I beat Ted Walsh on No Hill. Ted was one of the leading amateurs of our time and it was a privilege to ride alongside him. It was also a great thrill to get the better of him on the very odd occasion!

I rode for O’Grady from 1973 to 1978 and continued on the point-to-point circuit until a bad fall ended my career in 1981. Bannow Rambler, who went on to win at Cheltenham, was one of the best horses I won on during that time. I also spent some time as assistant trainer to Edward O’Grady and travelled the world in that role.

We went to the Colonial Cup with Golden Lancer, Camden in Southern Carolina and also brought horses to Cagnes Sur Mer and Deauville in France. It was a great time in my life, riding alongside Mouse Morris, Niall ‘Boots’ Madden, Tommy Ryan (head lad), Frank Codd and M.J. Byrne.

I married Avril Hitchmough in 1979 and we had one son, Desmond. He is currently teaching out in Columbia and I am planning to head out to visit him in January. Desmond was an accomplished showjumper in his day, a talent he inherited from his mother’s side of the family.

Avril was an aunt of Irish International Billy Twomey and also ran her own equestrian centre alongside her sister Gill. The latter continues to run that centre very successfully to the present day.

Sadly Avril passed away in 1999, by which time I had already gone full-time with the horses. A year previously we lost my brother-in-law Billy Twomey senior – a very difficult period in my life. I got great support from my best friend, Enda Bolger, who helped me find my feet again and sent me some horses which really got me off the ground. J.P. McManus and Frank Berry were also great supporters at this time and continue to be so. David Wachman, another close friend, was also very supportive in his National Hunt days.

One afternoon I received a call from Henry de Bromhead which was to change everything. He had a new owner who wanted me to break some horses for him, a man by the name of Alan Potts. I took charge of nine young horses the following day, including one who would go on to great success – Sizing Europe.

Since that day, I have broken over 70 horses for Mr Potts, including Gold Cup winner Sizing John, Sizing Tennessee and Sizing Coal. They were all broken under the same system that I have kept for years – driving for a few weeks and backed in a stream running through our land. Those horses were dispersed between Henry de Bromhead and Jim Dreaper. In later years, Mr Potts has changed his regime somewhat, as the horses are now sent direct to the trainer to break but I still receive a few every season.

J.P.’s horses

In recent years I have also started to pre-train and rehabilitate horses for leading owner J.P. McManus. I have gradually cut down on the number of horses I take in, preferring to work with a small number, giving them plenty of time and individual attention.

It is becoming harder and harder to get good lads to work with horses. My head lad, Jordan Reidy, and myself do all of the work here; when we get busy we get busy and when we get quiet we get quiet. Jordan has been with me for over 17 years and travels from Mallow every morning. He is very dedicated to his job and an integral part of what we do here. We have around 12/13 horses in most times, although with horses coming and going regularly it can get as low as six or as high as 14/15.

Once a horse is ready to be returned to training he or she is moved on and I may get another or it could be some time before I am sent a replacement. I love the whole process of bringing a horse back to racing standard – the slow work, roadwork, hill work and trips down the road to my local beach on the edge of the beautiful Cork Harbour. I still ride out five or six lots every day and enjoy spending this time with the horses.

A few years back, I trained a number of runners on the track and in points and while I enjoyed some success, I decided to curtail that side of my business as it took me away from the yard too much. When I trained between the flags men such as Tom Lombard, Noel Fehily, Derek O’Connor and James Sheehan all rode winners for me.

YORKSHIRE

In 2004, I married Audra Sharman who hails from Yorkshire and we now have a nine-year-old son, Josh.

Audra is a huge help to me here at the yard and is also a keen show jumper. Josh is competing on the circuit at the moment and seems to love it. We travel everywhere with him and I have a couple of ponies for him.

I did some show jumping and eventing in my younger days so it is wonderful to see my son follow in the family tradition.

Aside from the show jumping with Josh, I also do a few commentating gigs during the summer months, including all the three-day eventing internationals. It is a seasonal role but one which I thoroughly enjoy.

I have great admiration for the smaller trainers throughout the country who are probably finding it very difficult in the current climate. I wish them all the best as they are the bread and butter of our sport.

Tom Busteed was in conversation with John O’Riordan