{"id":225467,"date":"2018-12-13T13:43:12","date_gmt":"2018-12-13T03:43:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=225467"},"modified":"2020-07-25T12:53:11","modified_gmt":"2020-07-25T02:53:11","slug":"vale-colin-ryan-1938-2018","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/12\/13\/vale-colin-ryan-1938-2018\/","title":{"rendered":"Vale Colin Ryan: 1938-2018"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Veteran starter Col Ryan, who served the Nanango Race Club for more than 35 years, had the club’s barriers named in his honour in 2015<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Gunsynd's<\/a>December 13, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

A personal tribute by Ross Stanley:<\/strong><\/p>\n

On countless occasions over the decades, Colin Ryan would return to the enclosure after a race at Nanango and give off the slightest of quirky grins as he approached.<\/p>\n

We both knew exactly what the smile meant.<\/p>\n

As starter, he had just sent a dozen or so horses away from the gates in a perfect line.<\/p>\n

His expertise was great for racing but a nightmare for a racecaller.<\/p>\n

Uneven breaks make a commentator\u2019s job easier as there are some clear sets of colours to concentrate on while the field sorts itself out.<\/p>\n

I was, of course, delighted for Col and his team that their professionalism and determination was being rewarded.<\/p>\n

The squad developed an enviable record of successfully getting almost every entrant into the starting stalls.<\/p>\n

This success was no fluke because Col\u2019s approach won horses over. <\/strong><\/p>\n

It was, in the main, a pat and his gentle manner that gained the thoroughbred\u2019s confidence and co-operation.<\/p>\n

I vividly recall his opinion of a visiting starter who was inclined to promptly resort to a flick or two of the stockwhip, and order late scratchings quite quickly when his power strategy failed.<\/p>\n

Col didn\u2019t suffer fools and I don\u2019t believe the expert ever attempted to give Col advice again.<\/p>\n

As a city slicker, I relished learning about cattle through conversations with Col.<\/p>\n

Again, his methods revolved around a natural affinity with the animal and his deep knowledge of behaviours gathered over a lifetime.<\/p>\n

I recall doing a magazine article quite some years ago about Col\u2019s artistry as a starter. <\/strong><\/p>\n

His modesty stood out as he stressed it was a team effort … and he was right, of course.<\/p>\n

He was not a boaster, but clearly he was a good chief who modelled methods for his support staff.<\/p>\n

Another point I remember was the risk minimisation Col practised.<\/p>\n

He never wanted his assistants to enter the stall while leading a runner, because he was concerned they could be pinned against the front gate if a galloper took fright.<\/p>\n

Col also liked to be on the stand as the last horse was going in so he could let them go before restlessness became an issue.<\/p>\n

Col\u2019s association with local racing went back to Nanango\u2019s re-opening day in 1968. <\/strong><\/p>\n

He was a long-serving vice-president of the race club, and his contribution was later recognised with the award of a life membership.<\/p>\n

The club named its starting stalls in his honour in 2015.<\/p>\n

Col was ever the gentleman, acting with dignity and respect – a wonderful family man and industriously dedicated to any cause or project he took on.<\/p>\n

It must be said that he was a popular favourite with the staff at the treatment centre at the Wesley Hospital during his recent illness.<\/p>\n

He was perennially positive, cheerful and appreciative of their efforts.<\/p>\n

Col loved to find a winner, and you can bet on this certainty: Anyone who watched him working with animals was certainly richer for the experience.<\/p>\n

Many can count it as a blessing that he was part of their lives in some way.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Hannah Phillips, Col Ryan and Hannah English caught up with each other at Lee Park on Nanango Cup Day in August 2015 (Photo: Ross Stanley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

On countless occasions over the decades, Colin Ryan would return to the enclosure after a race at Nanango and give off the slightest of quirky grins as he approached. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":116651,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[564,3,58,6],"tags":[30,1136],"yoast_head":"\nVale Colin Ryan: 1938-2018 - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"On countless occasions over the decades, Colin Ryan would return to the enclosure after a race at Nanango and give off the slightest of quirky grins as he approached.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/12\/13\/vale-colin-ryan-1938-2018\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Vale Colin Ryan: 1938-2018 - 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