Springsure jockey Kym Dendle who won eight races on Kingsfield Lad dies of cancer

One of Central Queensland’s most talented jockeys, who raced in Rockhampton, Mackay and the Central Highlands, has died after a long battle with cancer.

Kym Dendle after winning on Kingsfield Lad at Callaghan Park in May 1995.

Kym Dendle, one of Rockhampton and Central Queensland’s most talented jockeys from the 80s and 90s, passed away last Sunday in Rockhampton following a long battle with cancer.

Dendle, 51 from the Springsure district was not only regarded as a gifted horseman but his quiet demeanour and gentlemanly nature won him considerable respect in the local racing industry.

One of Kym’s biggest successes was aboard the mercurial Rockhampton Neville Petersen trained gelding Kingsfield Lad (Memento-Conversation Piece) in the Mackay Cup (1800m) on July 7, 1995.

In all, Kym Dendle won eight races on Kingsfield Lad commencing on July 23, 1994 at Callaghan Park and in the ensuing months up to and including his Mackay Cup victory just two weeks short of a year later.

Many of those wins were in succession.

Kingsfield Lad raced on 126 occasions for 39 wins, 13 seconds and 19 thirds before he was retired from racing by his trainer and owner Dudley Walsh.

The gelding goes down as the last of the toughest and most versatile and consistent horses ever to race in Rockhampton on the Callaghan Park grass track.

Just researching Kingsfield Lad’s remarkable race record is in itself a nostalgic ride down memory lane as so many of his race jockeys no longer race ride.

These include Rockhampton’s Wally Welburn who had the longest and most successful association with Kingsfield Lad.

Mark Unwin, who like Welburn still rides trackwork at Callaghan Park racecourse also enjoyed success on Kingsfield Lad.

Others include Rocky’s Gary Evans, now a Rockhampton Jockey Club employee after his retirement just over a decade ago.

Other familiar CQ names astride Kingsfield Lad include Tom Button (now trainer); Michael Goodwin; Bill Melvin (trainer); Bill Kenning (trainer); Stan Watkins; Karl Neumann; Justin Lewis; Phillip Moodie and Athol Williams.

Regrettably, Kym Dendle’s jockeying career was cut short and restricted by weight issues which deprived him of the opportunity to have enhanced it much further.

Weight, not his resolute desire or ability brought about Kym’s retirement from the saddle more than a decade ago.

Undoubtedly, Kym Dendle and Kingsfield Lad, the best horse he ever rode, both shared a commonality called courage.

That quality was forever with Kym as he fought the scourge of cancer.

Kym was loyal and committed to those that employed his services and those attributes will always evoke joy of his memory.

Vale Kym Dendle – a darn good jockey and a gentleman.