TIM Bell’s brief but brilliant life was remembered and celebrated in Quirindi and Narrabri yesterday when the gifted 22-year-old jockey was laid to rest at the Narrabri Lawn Cemetery.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Jockeys, racegoers and the Quirindi Jockey Club gathered at the Quirindi Racecourse for a short service at around 2.15pm yesterday before the big nine-race program got underway.
Two hours earlier a massive crowd packed out the Crossing Theatre to remember and celebrate the life of the young jockey tragically killed in an accidental fall in Singapore last week.
His service drew family and friends, a large contingent of jockeys and trainers from across NSW and Queensland and many racegoers touched by his life.
Quirindi president Danny Donoghue addressed the crowd at Quirindi as the jockeys stood side by side in the parade yard at Quirindi.
He recalled a young jockey who was a regular at Quirindi meetings during his apprenticeship with Sue Grills and Quirindi secretary Ted Wilkinson remembered a talented and personable young man.
“He was always very enthusiastic and wanted to achieve a lot in his riding career,” Wilkinson said.
It was sad to see that sort of talent gone so quickly.
Veteran jockey Robert Thompson said Bell was always good to have around the jockeys’ room.
There were no dull moments, Thompson said.
“He was always a likeable young fella and full of confidence,” he said.
“Everything he was striving for he gained.”
Thompson has seen many a talented young jockey during his time in the saddle and said Bell had a lot of natural talent.
“He had heaps of talent and heaps to come, unfortunately,” he said.
In Narrabri the Crossing Theatre was jam-packed to hear a touching service from Pastor Peter Westman.
“He has been a big loss for the town, district and horse racing as well,” Pastor Westman said.
“It’s a tough day, a tragic death,” he said.
Family friend Laurel Donaldson, reading a family eulogy, told of his early days when he set a record as a 16-month- old baby in Adelaide who became the youngest to have an appendicitis operation.
He was setting records even then.
As a young primary school student at Narrabri Public School, he grew up playing every sport and playing footy on the front lawn with older brother Hayden.
They had some stirring matches with a few punch-ups.
Tim’s early pony club days set a footing for his racing career.
A white pony called Mary was his pride and joy.
Queensland Racing chairman Kevin Dixon got to know Tim Bell following the young Narrabri teenager’s move from Sue Grills’s Tamworth stable to the Gold Coast.
He recalled a cheeky, confident, ambitious and competitive young man.
He saw how talented he was when he rode 180 winners in his first two years of riding and won two NSW apprentices of the year awards before winning a Brisbane jockeys’ premiership two years ago and some of the biggest races in Queensland.
“He had 5451 rides and rode 652 winners, 28 black type winners and another 1255 placings,” Dixon said.
“He won $18.1million in prizemoney (for owners).
He leaves behind a grieving family and a young lady, Heidi Whalley, who was his first and great love.
They were going to be together for ever, a tearful Heidi said during her short but impassioned recollection of her husband to be.
