Just over a year ago, Ross featured on One Out One Back, reflecting on his time as a trainer and his life in the harness racing industry.
Starting his training career in Katanning some 34 years ago at around the age of 41 with his start a rather unconventional one.
An injury in football saw Ross needing to get his knee replaced, and instead of letting him sit around, his friends Ashley Kemble and Bill Awcock said 'righto, we'll take you to a yearling sale and we'll buy a yearling and teach you how to train horses, I still owe them a clip under the ear, because as soon I done that they got out of it." Ross made mention on One Out One Back in April 2022.
The friendship with Bill eventually led to his association and great friendship with John and Sue Awcock – the breeders behind the Disco horses, with the name evidently coming from taking letters from their children's name, Diane and Scott, forming Disco, which is now one of the most influential prefixes in WA.
With his first winner in 1989 with Bargaz, a chestnut mare born in 1986, it was the start of what would go on to be a very successful career in racing, with Rosco going on to win in excess of 123 races in his lifetime as well as more than 273 placings, with horses such as Disco Lights, Dalmore Disco, Chelsea Lights, Disco Dynamo, Disco Under Fire and Johnny Disco just to name a few going through his stable throughout his three decade long stint.
"It was really exciting in them days even my aunts and uncles, nieces and whatever used to come down to Wagin to the trots from Perth just to watch the horses go around, it was a big thrill to have a horse start let alone have something that had a chance to win."
Chelsea lights gave him his first driving win in December 1992 down in Albany, a special one with Ashby breeding her himself. Chelsea Lights went on to have 39 starts for Ross, coming out on top five times, with the majority of her wins driven by Ron Young, and influential player in Ashby's career.
On Matt Young's show, he made mention that he used to spend his holidays heading to Pinjarra to learn from Ron and Karen Young, having a laugh that he graduated from sleeping in a caravan at the local caravan park to eventually getting a mattress on the floor in the families loungeroom.
Growing up, Ross has aspirations of becoming a vet because of his love of animals, but with finances crushing that dream, he went on to do a sheep husbandry course – but being the larrikin he was he did joke that 'growing up they had no money and he still had none.'
Ross made his move to Pinjarra in 2000 where he remined until he sadly passed on July 11, 2023.
You will be sorely missed Ross. Our condolences to Hilary and families.
To hear the One Out One Back podcast with Matt Young and Ross Ashby, head to the link.
