Trainer pushed out by NT rules

VETERAN Territory horseman Kevin Mearns, 85, is at odds with Thoroughbred Racing NT for refusing to grant him a restricted trainer’s licence.

The Darwin pensioner made his return to horse training this year after a decadelong break.

He now races a couple of horses in Far North Queensland and drives for hours to and from Darwin to keep his passion for horse racing alive.

Mearns said he was “left with no choice” but to move interstate after Thoroughbred Racing NT rejected his application for a restricted trainer’s licence seven months ago, despite having 30 years experience working with horses.

He was granted a licence in Queensland and began training his four-year-old gelding Little Gun which has since won some races in Cairns and Innisfail.

TRNT Chairman of Stewards David Hensler said Mr Mearns was rejected because he did not meet the criteria of having a Certificate 4 in animal husbandry or equivalent experience horse training in the last five years.

Mearns’ last starter before his hiatus was well over five years ago with Richland on Boxing Day in 2001 at Darwin’s Fannie Bay track.

“What upsets me is that somehow my life’s work of training and working with horses, didn’t qualify me,” he said. “Even when I came home with a Queensland trainer’s licence, they said it still wasn’t good enough.

“I’d like a bit of Territory old-fashioned understanding.”

Mearns now faces a long wait before he can be reconsidered for a licence.