Working & Winning - Lloyd Neilsen, CEO of Bean Growers Australia and Cutter

Story from July 2019 Horse Deals magazine

Lloyd, what does a normal working week look like for you in your job as a CEO of Bean Growers Australia?
My role as CEO of BGA is varied and demanding. We process and market pulses and specialty grains for Australian and export markets. As well as my role as CEO, I oversee our export and import portfolios and currency hedging. I also serve on the management committees of two peak industry bodies and chair two subcommittees. As you can imagine there are not too many spare hours in my working week.

How many horses do you have in work and what is their workload?
The morning shift of my “horse” program fits between 4.30am and 7.30am, or earlier leading up to a big show like the Futurity. I keep three to four horses in work so they are getting around 30 minutes training in a session, which may include working them on cattle. It’s a race to get the workhorses saddled and on the walker. We run four to five broodmares, plus yearlings and two year olds, and a 25 head feedlot. They are all fed and managed while the workhorses are warming up. I work everything on the flag (mechanical cow) early in the week. On the days I work cows, my wife Carlee usually helps turn back. The workhorses are stabled at night, but the PM feed up will depend on how late I get home from work.

Preparing horses for competition takes a lot of time and effort. How do you make it all happen and keep your horses fit on limited time?
During the winter it all happens under lights. It’s all about routine and efficiency. My arena is linked to my feedlot by a laneway to ensure I have easy access to cattle. Everything is designed to save as much time as possible. The show horses are cruisy, they know their job and take the shortest amount of time. The young horses take the most workload, and if you have a bad day on one, the time constraint can be frustrating. I would be lost without my walker. It doesn’t replace a good loping program, but it means I’m not wrestling with fresh horses. Modern cutting horses are the ultimate athletes. Fit, well-prepared horses mean less muscular and joint injuries.

Do you do any fitness work other than riding?
I am only “riding fit”, but there is never any shortage of walking when you manage horses.

What are some of your proudest moments in your riding career and in your job?
I’m proud of my achievements as CEO. The company is 55 years old this year and I feel privileged to manage it on behalf of our 370 shareholders.

However, I am very passionate about my horse program. I was ecstatic when Duplicity won the NCHA Futurity last year. I imported her mother from the US in 2012. She was in foal to High Brow Cat when she arrived. We have had great success with Pimped Up Cat, but being born in Northern Hemisphere time, he has always been six months behind the other horses. Duplicity was a standout as a two year old. I trained her until the October of her three year old year, when I passed her over to master trainer, Todd Graham. Being a Dual Rey she is quirky, but when you put her in front of a cow she goes to another level. We made a decision ten years ago that it was going to take horsepower to compete at the top level. It is satisfying to see that decision pay off. I believe the depth in their bottom side is what sets them apart. When they are under the pressure of competition both Duplicity and Pimped Up Cat have a lot of integrity.

Do you have a strapper to help you on the morning of a competition and what jobs do they assist with?
I have had some outside help from time to time, but for the most part we do everything ourselves including shoeing the show horses.

What do you do after a weekend comp, to prepare for the next weekend’s comp?
We try to give the show horses as much break as possible to let them freshen up. Once they are in show condition it doesn’t take much to keep them going.

Out of your four weeks annual leave, how much of that is used for competitions?
I use far too much annual leave on my horses. I have just spent two weeks at the Futurity. Getting time off is certainly an issue and often influences what shows we go to.

How many events would you do in a year?
We only do around ten a year. More would improve my showing, but we are limited by the logistics and how long we can be away.

Do you do anything in the offseason with your horses?
My show horses get plenty of rest in the offseason. But that gives us an opportunity to work on the two year olds and manage the babies. Running mares to the breeding farms also keeps us hopping.

How do you balance work, family, social life and competitions?
I try to make family the priority, but at some point, one or more aspects will suffer, and sometimes tough decisions have to be made. We try to get as much of the horse work as possible done during the week so we’re not working them all weekend. My 12 year old son Mitchell is crazy about soccer, and we’re now approaching his passion in much the same way. He trains with the FC Barcelona Academy Team in Brisbane a couple of times a week.

What sacrifices do you have to make to do it all, and do it all successfully?
Keeping your horses at this level of competition can be quite selfish. Working full time and having a family life at the same time usually means you’re not getting it all done. You have to make compromises.

What words of advice can you give to other amateur riders who want success in all aspects of their lives?
To be successful at the top level you have to be relentless. I have been working this hard for at least ten years and there have been as many failures as there have been successes. You can’t let the failures get in the way. You need to be honest with yourself about your performances and your horses. Learn to forgive yourself for the poor performances and celebrate the successes. They are often few and far between.

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