About this episode
Ashlee Grives nee Siejka left a big imprint on the NSW race driving scene with an impressive tally of 800 winners. She trained many of them in her own right. In more recent years Ash has dabbled in the training of thoroughbreds largely with online purchases. It’s well documented that she has won a race or two with most of them. During her years in the trotting game the gifted horsewoman worked as a veterinary nurse for the famous Randwick Equine Centre, spending much of her time assisting in the operating theatre. Her interest in the anatomy of the horse has remained with her ever since, and played a part in her recent decision to go full time into Equine Rehabilitation. Ash joins us on the podcast to look back on her outstanding career in harness racing, a brief but successful stint as a gallops trainer and a recent transition into a brand new phase of her life.
The Bathurst born horsewoman talks about the grind of horse training and travelling in recent years, interspersed by the arrival of daughter Dulcie and son Reggie.
Ash believes she was beginning to identify the symptoms of “burn-out” after more than twenty years of non stop racing involvement.
She says her interest in rehabilitation work surfaced when friends asked her to try her methods on a handful of unsound horses. She produced some excellent results.
Ashlee outlines the procedure she intends to adopt on horses coming through her practice. Vets will be working with her throughout every programme.
She talks of the unwavering support of Ryan Grives, her husband of ten years. Ryan, a bricklayer by trade, knew little about horses but learned very quickly.
Ash takes us back to early days when her father Michael Siejka was working as a concreter in Bathurst and hobby training a handful of pacers before and after work. She was in the trotting sulky from an early age.
She says the defining moment came when her father sent her to Melbourne to look after a three year old he’d entered for the heats and Final of the Victoria Pacing Derby. By the time the teenager was back in Bathurst she was completely sold on the harness sport.
Ash still laughs about her maiden race drive at Bathurst. She thought she’d followed Michael’s instructions to the letter, and was bewildered by the blast that came her way.
The rising star made sure she didn’t make the same mistake on the same horse a couple of weeks later.
Ash talks about her first job away from horses. It didn’t take her long to realise office work was not for her.
She talks of a move to Sydney soon after, and an appointment as a veterinary nurse with the famous Randwick Equine Centre.
Ash says she had a couple of pacers in training during her time in Sydney. It wasn’t long before a handful of her veterinary colleagues joined the ownership of one of her horses- with happy results.
She remembers the thrill of being booked by leading trainer Paul Fitzpatri
