Topman | The Man on Top!

2005 Top Operator gelding, Topman, began his racing career in 2008 with trainer Steve Wallace. Topman had eight starts with Wallace, before a single start under the guidance of Lindsey Smith. Topman then moved into the stables of Peter Fernie for a following 19 starts, claiming himself one win, three seconds and one third across his 28-start career. This handsome gelding then retired in 2010 after earning a total of $18,212.

Following his retirement, Topman was used as for several years, before being put out on spell at Inverglen Park in 2016. Inverglen Park is owned and operated by Samantha McIntyre and daughter, Holly Belle McClune. It was while on spell with Holly’s family that Topman began his off the track career.

“From just that first ride, I knew Toppy (Topman) was something special and that I had to have him,” Holly said.

Toppy has become a talented all-rounder, competing across a wide variety of disciplines. Topman is a naturally easy-going horse, making training and competing the gelding a pleasurable experience for Holly. Topman has established himself as a powerful show horse competitor, winning multiple Horse of the Year titles and making the journey across Australia to compete at the Show Horse Council National Championships. Toppy has since begun competing in show jumping and eventing, coming home with consistently impressive results. In 2021, Topman briefly returned to the racetrack to compete in the Kulin Bush Races, proving his versatile nature across all disciplines.

Holly described her favourite memory with Topman as winning his first Horse of the Year title. Topman won Small Show Hunter Hack of the Year, and the winner of the Childs Small Show Hunter Hack at the 2017 Show Horse Council Horse of the Year event. Holly says this win was particularly special as Topman was the first horse she had personally produced for herself.

Holly commented that; “I feel the show ring has definitely become a warmblood dominated sport, so it was nice for Toppy to be recognised as the beautiful true epitome of the thoroughbred that he is.”

Holly and Topman are continuing to compete successfully to this day. At 18 years old, Topman has established himself as a schoolmaster and thoroughly enjoys his competition days with Holly and her family. Topman recently won the 90cm class at Serpentine Horse and Pony Club Tetrathlon event in February and has shown no signs of slowing down. Holly claimed that as long as she had a happy and healthy horse, she was happy to do whatever Toppy wanted.

We wish Topman and Holly all the best from the OTTWA Team.