Former Lakes Entrance girl, Jessica Gallus, was over the moon with Vow and Declare’s win at the Melbourne Cup.
She has been a track rider for the past 12 years and spent the last two working for trainer, Danny O’ Brien, at his stud at Barwon Heads.
Jessica had been riding Vow and Declare until she broke her ankle late last year while riding another horse.
Technically she could get back to track work, but has been working around the stables, choosing to make sure her ankle is completely right.
Jessica attended St Brendan’s Catholic Primary School and then Lakes Entrance Secondary College before taking up an apprenticeship as an electrician.
She is the daughter of Terri Duffy and Peter Gallus and has a two-year-old daughter.
Bairnsdale trainer, Jackson Pallot, invited her to do some track riding for him and after two rides, she was hooked.
After one year riding for Jackson, Jessica decided to enroll in a Diploma of Equine Business Management in Geelong in 2010.
That was in 2010 and nine years later she is still working in the industry.
She attended the Melbourne Cup and struggled to describe how thrilling it was to see a horse from her stables win the race that stops the nation.
It was the first time Danny O’ Brien or jockey, Craig Williams, had won a Melbourne Cup. Vow and Declare was the first Australian bred horse to win since 2009.
Jessica and many of the stud’s team celebrated well into the night in Geelong.
PICTURED: Former Lakes Entrance girl, Jessica Gallus, was over the moon with Vow and Declare’s win at the Melbourne Cup. She works for trainer,
Danny O’Brien, at his stud at Barwon Heads and had been riding Vow and Declare until she broke her ankle late last year. (Photo: Melman Photography)
