Episode 598: Stirling Osland

As his 37th birthday approaches Stirling Osland has already garnered a very sound reputation among NSW country based trainers. He’s one of only four trainers to use the facilities at the historic Armidale racecourse, and couldn’t be happier. With rarely more than twenty five horses in work Stirling has maintained a healthy strike rate over the past decade. He also manages to complete the breaking and education of around twenty youngsters every year. The young trainer has the happy knack of knowing when one of his horses has sufficient talent to warrant a trip to Sydney or Brisbane. From a limited number of runners he’s saddled up five TAB Highway winners. Stirling’s story to date makes for an interesting podcast. He begins by talking about a very hectic recent schedule.  Stirling says he enjoys the quiet environment of the Armidale training precinct as do most of his horses. He talks of the available training facilities and his own involvement in trackwork riding duties. Stirling speaks of his 100 acre property just outside Armidale where he lives with his family. The farm also doubles as a spelling venue for most of his horses. The trainer pays tribute to wife Courtney and two young daughters Heidi and Clare. He says combining racehorse training and the breaking of yearlings makes for a pretty busy life. Stirling talks of his longtime association with owner/breeder Stuart Ramsey. He greatly values the support of a larger than life character. He remembers childhood days on the family property at Tamworth where he and two brothers were rarely out of the saddle. Stirling looks back on the first of two stints at Stuart Ramsey’s Turangga Stud in the Hunter Valley.  He reflects on an amazing six years as a jackeroo on Northern Territory cattle stations. He says the experience taught him about life. Stirling looks back on his second stint at Turangga Stud. This time he proved to be a natural in the art of horse breaking.  He reflects on experience gained at Eliza Park Stud in Victoria and Gerry Harvey’s Broombee Stud at Armidale. By this time he was giving serious thought to trying his hand as a horse trainer. Stirling says his first runner as a trainer left him a little flat, but his first win a few months later determined his future career direction. He shares the story of that first winner New Endeavour not to be confused with a Waterhouse/Bott import of the same name.  The trainer makes special mention of another horse to get him up and running. He won 8 races with the son of Dylan Thomas. Stirling takes us through the backstories associated with his five TAB Highway winners. He says it was satisfying to play a part in the early education of Gr 1 winner Chain Of Lightning. He actually won two country races with the daughter of Fighting Sun before her transfer to Peter Moody. Stirling appreciated the opportunity to train So You Are until his recent transfer to Bjorn Baker. He won 4 races with the consistent galloper and posted 11 placings including a second to The Budgiesmugla in the recent Caloundra Cup. He acknowledges the talents of the two jockeys he supports on the country circuit. This is a laid back chat with a young man whose destiny was set in stone from those early days in the saddle on his family’s Tamworth property. Interesting to note he hasn’t strayed far from the famous New England region.