Ted Demmler

[Ted Demmler]

Hello, I am Ted Demmler former Harness Racing Trainer and Driver.

[Ted Demmler]

Hello This is Ted Demmler former harness Racing Trainer and Driver.

[Maorisidol]

Hi Teddy!
Welcome.
Hows your health these days, a year or more ago i believe you a little under the weather...???
While i got you, what do you think about a few old fellas left driving from your glory days such as B Gath and Daddy Lang having the odd drive on his trotters?
And i know you drove some great horse flesh in your day but would you say Steelo may have been number 1?
Would be great to have someone of your standing contributing here on this forum!

[Smoken]

Hi Ted. How weird, I was thinking a few days ago where you had gotten to and the good old days when your name used to be big in harness. Great to have you on here :)

[jackthepunter]

Hello This is Ted Demmler former harness Racing Trainer and Driver.
I really hope this is the real person not some idiot taking the piss

[The Form Student]

Yeah! Yeah!

[Ted Demmler]

I really hope this is the real person not some idiot taking the piss



Yes this is the REAL Ted Demmler only my wife MERRYN does the postings as I am unable to use the computer....Any questions will be welcome.....

[Ted Demmler]

A bit of History as to where I am at the moment......
After the near fatal accident at Warragul back on the 18th November 2005, I have not been able to return to the job I loved most in the world.I have brain damage,I broke my neck and ribs and various other bones.I spent months and months in and out of Hospitals and Rehab.My biggest problem now is the depression caused by the brain injury and the fact that I have a pacemaker after I nearly died from my heart stopping for 30 seconds then starting up again so that set me back a lot.
My days are spent watching my son Craig driving his horses and not much else.I have not been able to get back to anywhere near what I use to be.Cannot do anything really.
But I am luckier than most.I can walk and talk so that's a plus...My only real interest in Harness racing is our horse Charlie Machsheen who is having a long spell here at home.Hopefully he will make a comeback before the end of this year.

[Ted Demmler]

Hi Teddy!
Welcome.
Hows your health these days, a year or more ago i believe you a little under the weather...???
While i got you, what do you think about a few old fellas left driving from your glory days such as B Gath and Daddy Lang having the odd drive on his trotters?
And i know you drove some great horse flesh in your day but would you say Steelo may have been number 1?
Would be great to have someone of your standing contributing here on this forum!
Hello and thankyou
Yes Brian and Graham are going good ,while they still enjoy it they should continue.
Pure Steel yes a tough horse.Impressionist was the one I trained and he was just a beautiful horse.My Cherie,Breenys fella, Tupelo Rose ....I had some outstanding horses.Pacers and Trotters....I loved training both.

[Ted Demmler]

Yeah! Yeah!


Thankyou Steve...Hello

[Ted Demmler]

Hi Ted. How weird, I was thinking a few days ago where you had gotten to and the good old days when your name used to be big in harness. Great to have you on here :)

Hello and Thankyou..

[Messenger]

A bit of History as to where I am at the moment......
After the near fatal accident at Warragul back on the 18th November 2005, I have not been able to return to the job I loved most in the world.I have brain damage,I broke my neck and ribs and various other bones.I spent months and months in and out of Hospitals and Rehab.My biggest problem now is the depression caused by the brain injury and the fact that I have a pacemaker after I nearly died from my heart stopping for 30 seconds then starting up again so that set me back a lot.
My days are spent watching my son Craig driving his horses and not much else.I have not been able to get back to anywhere near what I use to be.Cannot do anything really.
But I am luckier than most.I can walk and talk so that's a plus...My only real interest in Harness racing is our horse Charlie Machsheen who is having a long spell here at home.Hopefully he will make a comeback before the end of this year.
Hi Ted,
If I got another horse I would want to be able to spell him at home.
A broodmare or two would be nice.
It has got to be good to have a horse in your life

[jackthepunter]

Hi teddy big fan so im glad its you. I read the book you wrote on training and driving and thought it was great, a real insight into your methods. I was wondering you thoughts on racing 2 yearolds, as I think it does more harm than good and stops a lot of horses racing on at 5 and 6 plus. If you look at most horses on the grand circuit they didnt have alot of starts at 2 or their weren't in group races.

[Messenger]

Ted, in the Odds and Ends thread on the Australian board someone mentioned seeing your colours on the old TV show The Sullivans but they were not sure if you were on the show too.

[Ted Demmler]

Hi Ted,
If I got another horse I would want to be able to spell him at home.
A broodmare or two would be nice.
It has got to be good to have a horse in your life
Hello kevin,Yes Charlie Machsheen has been such a great surprise for us.Our first successful horse breeding him ourselves with the Lochheads in New Zealand.
Craig will be taking him on Sunday to train so hopefully he can get a few wins out of him...If not that's OK he is done such a great job for us and brought us many happy times.
Ted

[Ted Demmler]

Ted, in the Odds and Ends thread on the Australian board someone mentioned seeing your colours on the old TV show The Sullivans but they were not sure if you were on the show too.
Yes my younger sister is married to the producer Alan Hardy.So they taped at the stables using Ronny Hall, Me and Karen Dunsford and the rest of my staff as the drivers...It was a lot of fun.

[Ted Demmler]

Hi teddy big fan so im glad its you. I read the book you wrote on training and driving and thought it was great, a real insight into your methods. I was wondering you thoughts on racing 2 yearolds, as I think it does more harm than good and stops a lot of horses racing on at 5 and 6 plus. If you look at most horses on the grand circuit they didnt have alot of starts at 2 or their weren't in group races.
Hello Jack,
Yes I like to look after my horses and not over race them as young ones so they can compete when they are older but these days there is so much money around for young horses that I feel you just have to put them into everything to get some decent money.Yes my book tells it exactly how it is from the start.We made it very simple and easy to follow...Glad you liked it.
Ted.

[Amlin]

Hello, Ted, great to see you on the forum and I am sure the members will enjoy you sharing your experiences and knowledge as I am sure your training and driving methods are still as relevant today as they ever were.


By the way I have nearly finished going through all those tapes!


I am sure everyone else would love to relive some of those great horses you won with in Melbourne, both your own and outside drives. I will have to share some of the footage on this forum.


Will catch up with you again soon


Kyle Galley

[Ted Demmler]

Hello Kyle, Good to hear from you....

[trish]

Hi Ted.
You may enjoy watching this but its not horse related. Everyone else may enjoy it too.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/61cY1ILv60k?rel=0&autoplay=1

[Messenger]

LOL trish. There was one part where I did not know where to look :o

[Ted Demmler]

Hi Ted.
You may enjoy watching this but its not horse related. Everyone else may enjoy it too.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/61cY1ILv60k?rel=0&autoplay=1
Absolutely fabulous...LOVED IT...Thankyou for sharing.......Ted

[Amlin]

Here is a video that a harness racing fan has put onto YouTube - Pure Steel winning a heat of the 1980 InterDominion Championship at Harold Park.


What great days these must have been in front of a huge crowd.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ay7LMWztIgs&list=UUjLrCAqZ2dZHNiPtm31BEWw

[Richard prior]

Steelo was as tough as they come and I'm sure that Ted would agree.

[smokey steel]

Yes my younger sister is married to the producer Alan Hardy.So they taped at the stables using Ronny Hall, Me and Karen Dunsford and the rest of my staff as the drivers...It was a lot of fun.


Hi Ted. I was a horse crazy teenager visiting Melbourne in my school holidays around that time. You very kindly allowed me to hang out at the stables and lend a hand with the horses where I could. I had a ball and I'm sure many people on this thread would love to have had that experience. I hope you continue to recover from your injuries. I remember that the horse they used for the Sullivan's shoots was Happy Chap because he was such a gentle fellow.

[Ted Demmler]

Hello Richard,
Steelo was the best...He would sit outside a horse and break its heart....

[Ted Demmler]

Hello Kim,
Thankyou for that info...good to remember....I'm glad you had a good time at the stables. We always enjoyed any people who wanted to come and help or just to have a look.
regards
Ted.......

[Jim]

Hi Ted, Sincerest sympathy mate. I am long retired from sulky making and just joined here, and it is good to see some familiar names from back in the day. I had no idea your injuries were that serious. So sorry to hear they are :-( Actually I just posted a question elsewhere on this forum and you might be able to help. When did you first see a Brewer sulky on the track? You remember the type that was hugely popular at Harold Park and elsewhere in the 1950s and 60s? Vin Knight had an ultra-narrow version, as I recall, which he used on Popular Alm, among others. I know it was designed and built by Harold Brewer, who passed away in 1959 I think. They were a bloody good sulky in their day and were usualy fitted with Freebairn Singles (wood rim, 15g spokes, glued-on tyres), probably the most accident-prone but efficient sulky wheels ever.

[Hot Rod]

Just wondering how Ted Demmler is recuperating from that shocking injury at Warragul .. I fondly recall him driving a Champion little mare in the '70's at the showgrounds in Tarport Wyn.

[Hot Rod]

Hope your health has improved , I don't get a lot of Vic racing news as I now reside in QLD but remember well you driving Tarport Wyn back in the '70's at the old Showgrounds track , she was a pretty handy little mare.

[Yabbie]

He is very well. I saw him at Bill Walker's funeral on Thursday.
He does not attend many meetings any more. :)

[Hot Rod]

Thank you …… nice to hear.

[Halwes]

I'm new to this forum and followed pacing in the 60s and 70s .. You can guess by looking at my user name the horse I loved. Teddy of course will remember Halwes

[Messenger]

Well done Warragul
The horse stabling complex at Logan Park is now named the "Ted Demmler Stables"

http://www.harnesslink.com/Australia/Demmler-in-shock