STACKHOUSE ATTRIBUTES RECENT SUCCESS TO THE FARM DANIEL STACKHOUSE HAS LONG BEEN THOUGHT OF AS ONE OF THE TOP RIDERS IN THE VICTORIAN JOCKEY RANKS, BUT IN RECENT SEASONS HE HAS REALLY TAKEN THAT REPUTATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL. The hardworking 34-year-old from Ashburton New Zealand currently sits third in the Victorian Jockey Premiership, and fourth in the Victorian Metro Premiership, which is where he has elevated in 2024/25. Stackhouse arrived in Australia from New Zealand as a teenager, but his path to becoming the go-to man for many top stables in Victoria might not be the one you thought. “I have a background in showjumping. When I was 12 years old my parents bought me my first pony. I went to pony club and then graduated and got into the showjumping circuit,” Stackhouse said. “I had some pretty decent ponies, got up to Grand Prix level and even got Pony of the Year Award a few times. “I then needed a job, so I started riding trackwork before school for Ricky Donnelly and Sharen.” Stackhouse regularly rides at 54kg, but managing his weight was something he struggled with in New Zealand when he first got his apprenticeship. “I moved up to Te Akau and was an apprentice at Te Akau in Matamata for a year. I had troubles with my weight, so I actually gave up riding and went back to Ashburton to work on dad’s farm for a year. “Dad sacked me, and said get back into riding horses. I was an apprentice to Pam Gerard and Tommy Haslett and started riding over the jumps. The more I rode over the jumps and worked hard, the weight got a lot better, so I started riding on the flat. “I did quite well. I won the South Island Scholarship and got to spend two weeks in Australia, and luckily enough had a friend working for Peter Moody, so I did two weeks with him and was able to ride a winner. “I went back to New Zealand, and then Tony Hayden got in touch with me and asked me to come back, so I jumped at the occasion, signed up to Pete and haven’t looked back since.” BY BEN CALUZZI
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