By RUSSELL BENNETT
LOCAL icon Brien Bourke’s famous sense of humour was on display even in his final days as he lay in his hospital bed surrounded by his loved ones.
The racing identity was watching the Grand Annual Steeplechase at Warrnambool from son Anthony’s iPad earlier this month when his wife Judy started talking to one of the nurses, who used to live on the same street in Modella that she once lived in as a child.
While they were comparing notes, Mr Bourke looked at his daughter Julia, raised his eyebrows, and said: “She’s having a good time – anyone would think it was her farewell!’
“It’s certainly been a tough few years for dad,” Julia said at his funeral at the Kooweerup Catholic Church on Saturday.
“We’ll certainly miss him.”
The church was packed with Mr Bourke’s family and friends – their eyes moist with tears of both laughter and sadness, a sign of just how many people he touched in a remarkable life.
Mr Bourke leaves behind a lasting legacy of a man who worked tirelessly, treated everyone he knew as his equal, was always willing to lend a helping hand, and never ‘whinged’.
Julia and Mr Bourke’s four sons – Michael, Gerard, Anthony and Brien – each spoke from the heart about just what their dad meant to them.
Mr Bourke was born in 1933 at Koonara private hospital, where his parents first met years earlier.
He attended primary school at St Patrick’s in Pakenham, riding his horse to school each day down the main street.
His love of horses was obvious from a young age, as was his quick wit and dry humour.
“(Dad) was probably not the keenest of students and was known to regularly use to the excuse that ‘the horses needed to be home early to be re-shod’ to clear out for the afternoon, rather than sit behind a desk,” said son Gerard.
“The horses he and his siblings used to ride to school would also sometimes ‘accidentally’ escape, taking half the day to re-catch before learning activities could begin!”
Mr Bourke went to high school at St Patrick’s College in Ballarat but soon returned home to work at the age of 17 at the family farm in Monomeith and Caldermeade after his father died suddenly.
He continued to work on the farm with his brother Hughie until he retired in 2008 at the age of 74.
Mr Bourke loved life on the farm but he loved being involved in the racing industry just as much.
His training career began soon after he left school, under the guidance of Ray ‘Darb’ Webster.
He even rode one of his own horses – Disruptor – in one race, despite being affectionately known as ‘the big fella’.
Mr Bourke soon stepped down from riding duties and was soon rewarded with his first victory as a trainer.
But the glory of the win was short-lived, with Disruptor refusing to load on the float after the race – forcing Mr Bourke and the other connections to lead it, on foot, from the Drouin racecourse back to Pakenham.
Mr Bourke continued to train thoroughbreds for most of his working life and trained a number of city winners, including Doc’s Gift (one win); Blue Prelate (three wins); and Cordelier (one win at Flemington).
But Mr Bourke’s racing involvement extended far beyond the training.
He served for 49 years as a Pakenham Racing Club committeeman – nine of those as chairman – and was also awarded life membership.
He was also a community volunteer – involved with the Lang Lang Show Society almost his entire working life.
He was awarded life membership there too.
Mr Bourke’s work with the Lang Lang show later led to his involvement as a steward in the horse ring at the Royal Melbourne Show, where he worked for more than 20 years and once again was rewarded with a life membership.
But racing wasn’t the only sport Mr Bourke excelled in.
From the time he left school until he was 27, he was a member of the Pakenham Football Club senior side.
He played in seven premiership sides, although Hughie said one thing took precedence.
“If there was a good race meeting on or one of his horses was racing, the rest of his team knew that Brien would not be pulling on the maroon and blue that Saturday,” son Gerard said.
Mr Bourke’s focus narrowed on training horses after retiring from footy at 27 due to chronic back problems.
But continuing with the life membership theme, the football club also bestowed the honour upon him.
Never one to shy away from being on a committee, Mr Bourke was also involved in establishing the Charolais Society of Australia, the Lang Lang Scouts committee, and the local Liberal Party branch.
To round out an astonishing community résumé, Mr Bourke was also an active volunteer of his hometown Kooweerup Football Club, where his four sons played the majority of their football.
Though it might have seemed strange to some to see Mr Bourke’s sons play for Kooweerup after he had such a decorated career at Pakenham, he always said to anyone who asked: “You play where you live, because that’s what makes you part of the community.”
Another of Mr Bourke’s sons, Brien, spoke on Saturday about the burden of being named after his father.
“I thought it wasn’t a good thing, especially when I would get called Brien Junior, or Brien Bubby,” he said.
“Also it didn’t help when I went to see (local) Dr Sandy and he got our files mixed up!
“(But) in the end I have seen it as an honour, especially now with another Brien named in the next generation.”
One of Mr Bourke’s sons, Michael, is based in America. Brien is godfather to one of Michael’s sons, also named Brien.
Mr Bourke’s children drew raucous laughter at times throughout the service on Saturday with stories about their father, but there were also a number of heartfelt moments that just as clearly defined his character.
Mr Bourke and his brother Hughie – a fellow local legend – shared a typical sibling rivalry with more than the odd example of one-upmanship, but when push came to shove, there was no doubt who would stand right by his side in the tough times.
“I know in the last couple of years we’ve been very appreciative of Hughie keeping an eye on both mum and dad while they’ve been taking turns in hospitals for various treatments,” Mr Bourke’s son Anthony said on Saturday.
“(But) Hughie, I’m sure dad doesn’t mind me telling you now that in the last 12 months or so he’s said to me a number of times: ‘I’d be stuffed without Hughie’.”
Mr Bourke’s son Michael flew back to from American when he became aware his father didn’t have much time left. He arrived just in time to spend some quality time with him.
“Dad didn’t look down on people,” he remembered.
“From farmers, to the VRC – he got on with everyone, which was probably why he was on so many committees.
“This was a big influence on me.”
Michael said he never heard his father complain about his declining health in his later years.
“We heard only recently when dad was being examined that he had signs of previous body part breaks – shoulder, elbow, wrist – that we never knew about,” he said.
“Physically the last few years have been tough for dad, but as long as he had a beer, family, and the racing channel around him, he was content.”
