It is with great sadness that we inform that George Alexander Warrener, a lifelong participate of the thoroughbred breeding and racing industry has passed away after short but fierce battle with cancer.
George was one of the first owners to support Gai Waterhouse as she entered the training ranks in 1990's and had some great success with many horses under her care over past 30years.
George was also a huge supporter and initial investor with Denise Martin's syndication business, Star Thoroughbreds, in her early years enjoying sharing in many successful winners.
Luckily enough to retire early to focus his business finances and true passion into racehorses, George has owned and bred many great racehorses in his lifetime over the past half a century including Big Bickies, Bulldog, Rewa Lad, Brokers Bid, She's Gamble, Broker's Son, Samui Lad, October Rebel, And Irish, August Palm, Chevron Island, Lucky Kentucky & Parameter with countless more being upwards of over 150 individual winners in his years as a racehorse owner, along with owning and running boutique horse studs in Richmond, NSW, (Lowlands Stud), Grafton, Nth NSW, (Kentucky Stud) and currently at Beaudesert (Glamorgan Stud) in Sth East Qld.
Notably George, who is survived by dedicated and incredibly supportive wife Barbara, two daughters Brenda & Susan, quadruple grandchildren and many great grandchildren, has always supported any female involvement within the thoroughbred industry from its early stages by utilising Gai Waterhouse as trainer, Denise Martin as a Syndicator and always insisting on giving many female jockeys and apprentices opportunities to ride his steeds at every single chance as equals within our industry.
Whenever it was decided that his horses weren't not of city grade, he actively sought out female country trainers to send horses to continue their racing careers.
George strongly believed that women had a unique and very special ability to connect, listen, bond and in many instances, bring the best out of some racehorses that were more suited to a softer energy, thus helping to bring a great equality to our industry and had absolutely no problem voicing this opinion when racing was majority dominated by males throughout his lifetime.
George felt that both sexes could achieve great success with racehorses, yet always wanted to support the underdogs, in a time that women were struggling to break all the glass ceilings with the thoroughbred industry in the late 20th century.
George's favourite television racing presenters were always Caroline Searcy and Bernie Cooper, loving their knowledge, vibrancy and great passion for horses and believed their educated input within the media, encouraged and opened many doors for other young women to join and progress to different avenues within thoroughbred industry.
In his later and recent years, many of his home bred horses were trained by Greg Cornish from Beaudesert, who learnt his trade from Tommy Woodcock, who trained Pharlap, and these horses were often ridden by his partner Sheree Drake, Australia's oldest apprentice and later a senior jockey, who mentors with great positivity & supports countless other women throughout their career, before a recent major injury prematurely ended her career, and together their team enjoyed much success across Nth NSW & QLD country racing circuit.
Whenever George's racehorse's reached the end of their racing career, he invested time into making sure they were retrained into a suitable new discipline, whether a mustering station horse, barrel racing, pony club, eventing, showjumping, dressage or another career and he would experience great joy watching their new journey after racing which in itself was also a great contribution to our equine industry.
George's love for racehorse slipped a generation but was lucky to have passed his passion for racehorses onto his grand daughter, Roslyn Buerckner, who currently works for Magic Millions as their only female bid spotter, whose excitement for her role is quite unique and she has great aspirations to step into an auctioneer role in future, of which George has supported her progression within industry over past decades.
George's vibrant, eccentric and passionate personality will be sadly missed with the breeding & racing industry although his legacy will continue through family who supported his racing dreams.
A private service to follow with family and close friends will occur and his favourite ageing equine stallion friend, Parameter, who will be present to enjoy their last carrots together as George is send off towards the great racetrack in the sky.
