Ned Andrew's Insider Look at Life as Boyd Exell's Backstepper

It’s no secret that Boyd Exell is the world’s best carriage driver. Being a member of his team and working closely alongside him in the backstepper role is something few can only dream of. For Victorian, Ned Andrew, this dream is a reality. Horse Deals spoke to Ned to learn more about what it is like to be a part of Boyd Exell’s team.

Ned, tell us a bit about yourself and your history with horses. I was born into a horsey family, so they have been a familiar fixture in my life for as long as I can remember. My Grandmother Diana Lawrence started the passion and all of my family and extended family are involved in some way.

When and why did you get into the discipline of carriage driving? My great-grandfather brought home a carriage for my grandmother that he found on a building site, and that’s where the family’s fascination and passion for carriage horses began. My mother was still competing with her carriage horses when she was 8½ months pregnant with me, so I guess you could say I’ve been involved since birth! I remember going to a big showjumping competition when I was younger and thought, ‘thank goodness, we are into carriage horses’!

How did you meet Boyd Exell? My mother Elizabeth Lawrence, made the Australian Driving Team for the World Championships in 2010 Italy. I was only four at the time and firmly made it known that I was not going to be left at home. We travelled to the UK, where Boyd Exell was based at the time, and trained with him for many months in the lead-up to the Championships. Consequently, my mother bought a horse in the UK, and this saw us return for many summers to England to live and train with the Exell family. I formed a great friendship with Boyd’s son James, as we are of similar age so I looked forward to spending the summer in England, playing and heading off in the lorry to numerous national and international destinations.

You then became a part of Boyd’s team; tell us how this came about. For my year 10 work experience program I decided that going to Europe to work for Boyd was about the most interesting and exciting work experience I could come up with. Our family is one that encourages us all to reach for the stars so there was no hesitation when I suggested my plans to my parents. Having known Boyd, Preetha, his family and his team for such a long time, it felt like a natural second home. I fitted into Exell Equestrian working life, enjoying the challenges and demands of the job, and when Boyd offered me a more permanent position, I knew where I was going to be as soon as I finished my schooling.

What was it like moving overseas to start this new venture? I have travelled extensively but always had a return date, so leaving Australia not knowing when I would return was certainly a different feeling. I am an Australian country boy at heart so Australia will always be my home, but a venture like this is irresistible at my age.

In the beginning, you planned to be there for a short stint, but now it’s more permanent - what changed? I have a very keen interest in the mechanics of the carriages that we drive. The prominent carriage maker, Van Den Heuvel Carriages, is based in the same town as Exell Equestrian and, on my last trip, offered me an apprenticeship. As Van Den Heuvel also sponsor and work closely with Boyd, I can retain the opportunity to travel with him to competitions so it’s a win-win for me.

Explain your role on Boyd’s team. It’s a long road on Boyd’s team to learn the ropes, and I don’t ever think I will learn everything; that, however, is what makes it so interesting. Boyd himself is always learning new things and is a generous teacher, so I’m constantly updating my skills as part of his team. It’s always a good idea to keep the stable crew happy, so I like to help them out in the mornings, carting the straw etc. Then I seemed to become the unofficial maintenance officer and with so many horses and copious amounts of equipment, the ‘to do’ job list is never short. With a keen eye for detail, I am in charge of loading the trucks when we go away for competitions and making sure the carriages remain in the best condition possible.

What have you learnt in this process? I have learnt that it is possible to stud up a horse team at the 10 min halt!

Can you share a typical day in the life of Boyd’s backstepper? There is much walking of obstacles, working out advantageous routes, working out marathon times, making sure the carriage is in A1 condition, and ensuring the horses will have the right kind of studs to keep them safe on the terrain. All the team plays an important role and we must all communicate and work together to ensure team Exell steps out in the best condition for success.

You’ve been a part of some exceptional wins; how does this feel? Imagine the world’s best bar of chocolate – well, it’s way better than that! The ultimate euphoria after all the hard work. Boyd is generous to his team and makes full acknowledgment that we are all part of the win, particularly the horses.

What are your top 4 memorable moments or competitions with Boyd Exell?
• Winning Gold at the WEG Pratoni
• Winning the jump and drive with Andrew Hoy at Aachen
• Learning how to slalom water-ski under Boyd’s instruction
• Evenings at the South African man cave…

How do you handle the pressures and excitement of backstepping for the world’s greatest? I am a perfectionist in my own right, and so are all the people who work at a high level on Boyd’s team, so we all work well under pressure that’s why we are there for him. He trusts us to keep working toward the goal no matter what. The excitement only comes at the end; I never lose focus until it’s over. Often, the team’s celebration is after everything is done. The horses must always be comfortable before we down tools and reflect and celebrate the competition.

What is something that shocked or surprised you throughout this journey? I’m always surprised at how much time away from the training of his horses Boyd is able to manage, relying on his team and particularly his wife Preetha to keep them in work, whilst he is away so often teaching others. It impresses me how he knows every horse so well that he can just pick up the reins like he never left. A remarkable horseman.

What are your future goals? I would like very much to learn as much as I can as a backstepper for Boyd and follow in the footsteps of Hugh Scott Barret. One day, advancing to becoming an Indoor Series World Cup Backstepper would be a career highlight. Of course, backstepping at WEG, a World Championship and a World Cup Final would have to be on the list of future goals.
I’m hoping also to compete this year with a horse pair to gain my three star FEI qualifications, and who knows, one day I might be Boyd’s teammate instead of his backstepper.

What advice would you give someone aspiring to further their education and experience? Come and soak up the knowledge from all members of Exell Equestrian, and if this can’t be done overseas, come to one of Boyd’s yearly clinics held on our property in Hamilton, Victoria. Either bring your own horse or be a fence sitter. Suitable for all disciplines, Boyd’s knowledge of the horse extends way beyond the carriage.

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