By PETER BREDHAUER
ONE of Australia’s best known horsemen, John Drennan, passed away in the early hours of last Friday morning at Toowoomba.
In an ABC Big Country documentary on the late T J Smith, the legendary trainer declared Drennan ‘the greatest horseman he had ever seen’.
John was born on October 26 1938 at Augathella. He commenced race riding at Tambo on October 22 1954.
From this humble beginning emerged one of the greatest Amateur jockeys ever seen who was forced to turn professional by Stewards in the CQRA and D&SWDRA when they deemed he was too good to be both riding at the Amateur and Professional meetings. John late became a horse breaker, handler and educator of thoroughbreds for T J Smith and Bart Cummings from a section of the Inglis and Son Newmarket Stables he leased at Randwick
John’s first winner was for his sister Joan at Tambo on December 27 1954. He then developed a close relatonship with the Reg Kent stable in Tambo and broke in and educated many top line gallopers that made their way to the city including Alspick, Jolly Spear, Transdown and Translipper.
Alspick was a very good galloper winning the AJC Summer Cup (twice), City Tattersalls Gold Cup, Grafton Ramornie , Ipswich Nolan Handicap, plus numerous other races. In one season he ran fourth in the AJC Doncaster, fifth in a Stradbroke and third in a Queensland Cup to show
how versatile he was.
During his Amateur days John was a regular at the big Amateur Carnivals at Townsville, Rockhampton and Cairns. He rode the Tambo galloper Captain Peter for the Sargood family to win the Rockhampton Bracelet in 1959.
After turning professional John then moved to the Rockhampton area where he both trained and rode for the Ohl family. He won 16 races with a mare called Coral Charm and Mogal Stream. Weight was always a problem for John trying to ride as a professional with light weights so eventually he and wife Barbara moved to Sydney in 1973.
During his career he rode hundreds of winners all over Queensland. And so began an association that lasted decades.
Although he didn’t break in Kingston Town he is credited with educating the champion when
he was still a colt.
Other top-line horses that came under his care were Bounding Away, Star Watch, Toy Show and Show Ego. He also broke in Bold Promise for T J Smith’s brother Ernie and son Sterling. He was responsible for breaking in and educating more top gallopers for Bill Mitchell in his fledgling days plus numerous other Sydney trainers.
After retiring John and Barbara moved to Toowoomba. Our sympathy and thoughts are with his family including daughters Jackie, Jo-Ann and Jai.
John’s younger brother, Terry, has been a well-known farrier in the Toowoomba area for many years and people who visit the Cobb & Co Museum in Toowoomba can see the master blacksmith at work as he demonstrates his many skills at the forge.
Terry was also a champion horseman and won the World Open Buckjump Championship at Mt Isa in August 1973. The bronc saddle he won as part of the prize is now in the Stockman’s Hall of Fame in Longreach.
