Adam’s 10 out of 10

By Justin Robertson
PAKENHAM’S amateur horse racing phenomenon, Adam Bodey, has capped off an incredible record-breaking season, claiming his 10th championship in as many years.
His stellar year included 63 wins, the highest recorded in Victorian amateur horse racing, beating the previous record of 56 set by former picnic rider Gavin Brady.
“After I won my first championship, if you told me I was going to come out and win another nine, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Bodey said. “It’s something I can look back on.”
From 162 rides during the summer season, Bodey’s record was so prolific, that he only failed to finish in the top four 28 times, a success rate of 82.7 per cent.
“I’ve always tried to chase 50, but would win 49 on a few occasions and was never able to crack the 50. To get the 50 and go beyond was pretty good.”
His remarkable season included riding 35 horses into second place, 19 thirds and 17 fourths.
At the end of last month, Bodey was acknowledged by Country Racing Victoria for his tremendous results, awarding him with the Leading Riders Award and the Barry Ryan Memorial Award, voted on by the racing stewards for the best riding performance each week.
With a decade of dominance under his belt with Picnic Racing Victoria, Bodey conceded turning professional is not a reality.
“We ride on a slightly heavier weight scale than the professional riders,” he said. “I have to be pretty strict with my weight management to be able to ride where I do, so to turn pro, I’d have to cut a leg off to be able to do that.”
Bodey was a clear winner, polling 57 votes, scoring from 23 out of a possible 32 race meets . He finished with a staggering 37 votes, ahead of equal placed runners-up Tyson Buck and Leigh Taylor.
Not only was Bodey hailed for his impeccable riding, but he was acknowledged as a top trainer, taking home the Leading Trainers Award, something that came as a surprise to him.
“It’s something I’ve never chased, we’ve had a few horses on the go and they just happened to keep winning races, so it was a bonus,” Bodey, who has held his trainer’s license since 2004, said.
As a trainer, Bodey chalked up nine wins from 22 starts, which included five seconds, two thirds and three fourths.
While reflecting on his riding and training achievements, Bodey said an 11th rider’s title is not the main focus for next season, but declared his enthusiasm for riding is still there.
“Oh, my word, I’m a pretty competitive person by nature,” Bodey said. “The idea is to just keep riding as many winners as I can.”
“I guess the day the hunger goes and I don’t want to go out and ride, that’s when I know my time is up.”