Harness racing can be a famously fickle career path – but accomplished reinsman Paul Diebert has every reason to make the leap to full-time race driver with some confidence.
Queensland-based Diebert has left behind the security of paid employment to give freelancing a go and could not be happier with his decision.
"I just love the sport and I'm loving being in Queensland – there's not really a winter here, and even when it's wet it's still warm," Diebert said.
"I think the time's right for me, because Queensland racing is looking good, the betting turnover is improving and there's more money coming into the industry," he said.
"You hear a lot about the negatives, but I really think racing here is good, and we might see a few more stables shifting up here to give it a crack, or at least setting up satellite stables because the sport is going ahead."
The well-travelled horseman has worked most recently for the powerful Grant Dixon team, but finished up three weeks ago, after 16 months at the Tamborine stables.
"The racing here (in south east Queensland) is Tuesday to Saturday, and I was getting 15 or 20 drives a week, so it was pretty busy," Diebert said.
"If you are working full time and trying to do the race driving as well, you're working of a morning, then going to races in afternoon and getting back pretty late. You don't have much of a life outside that," he said.
"I was starting to get some nice drives and opportunities on some Kiwi-bred horses and the racing prizemoney and driver percentages went up a bit, and driving fees came in for the Marburg meetings as well, so I thought I'd give it a go."
Raised in the Riverina and Victoria, the son of Norm Diebert Jnr and grandson of Norm Diebert Snr has harness racing pedigree on both sides of his family (the Dieberts and the Maguires).
So it would be reasonable to expect a harness racing career was inevitable for Paul – but it's been a long journey to self-employment.
"Mum and Dad were in the sport, I had a lot of family involved and I had a passion for it growing up. I was always helping out around the stables, but mum and dad really didn't really want me to do it, probably because of the money side of things," he said.
"But when I was 15, I got a sports injury and I really couldn't do much but sit in the gig. So that's when I really got into it. I wasn't that keen on school and finally mum and dad agreed that if I had a job I could leave.
"I'd helped (Bendigo trainer) Glenn Douglas out at school holidays, and I asked him if he would give me a job, and he did and ever since then, I've been working for others full time."
Along the journey, though, Diebert credits some valuable mentors and experiences, working in four states and with numerous successful stables.
"I started off with Glenn and Eric (Anderson), and I had stint in WA with Ross Olivieri and Michael Brennan. In Queensland I've worked for Shannon Price and Scott Miller, Jack Butler and Ian Gurney," he said.
"They all have their ways of doing things and from a driving perspective, it's great that people are willing to help anyone who looks like they are in the game for the long run. Even the better trainers will talk to you about what you should have done or could have done to try to help you get better.
"I remember asking Daryl Douglas very early on about how he did his form. He told me 'you've got to worry about the drivers, before you worry about the horses!' I've never forgotten that!"
Over the past 18 months, Diebert has enjoyed some of the best form of his career and some unforgettable career highlights.
He collected his first Group One success in July last year (Ohoka Punter for Team Dixon in the Garrards Sunshine Sprint); achieved his 500th career win about two months ago and most recently notched up 100 winners in a season (within normal season rules) for the first time.
"It's definitely an exciting time for me and it's early days, but I am loving it," he said.
"In terms of career goals, at the moment, I'd just like to go back-to-back with the 100! Longer-term, once COVID-19 is gone, I've got an ambition to drive a winner in every State and I've got South Australia and Tasmania to go.
"But for now, my goal is just to keep enjoying it and hopefully be able to make a career out of this sport."
Terry Gange
NewsAlert PR Mildura