NORM Loy has quit his job to become a full-time trainer.
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Tired of the constant grind of juggling full-time work and part-time training, Loy knew deep down in his heart that he had to choose one or the other.
In the end, his passion for racing made the decision an easy one.
"Racing is a tough game and I think if you are not committed 100 per cent, you soon get found out," Loy said.
"At the end of the day, the owners pay the bills and don't won't a part-time trainer.
"To be brutally honest, I don't think my horses have been performing as well as they should have been.
"I feel one of the major reasons behind that was because I couldn't spend the time necessary to get the best out of them.
"But I didn't have as many horses in work as I do now.
"I have no doubt now that I'm fully committed to training that I will get better results."
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Loy was manager of the Harvey Norman dispatch warehouse for the past 12 months.
The father of four said he rarely worked less than 12 hour days during the week.
"I was getting up at 4.30am and getting home at 8pm," he said.
"It was tiring and I'm not getting any younger.
"As you know, horses are seven days a week and the job was five days a week.
"I just wasn't getting any rest and was burning the candle at both ends."
Loy was a former jockey before retiring in 2004.
He rode over 400 winners and was considered among the top echelon of local jockeys after multiple top-five placings in the Southern Districts jockeys premiership.
The talented horseman gained his trainer's licence soon after retiring and trained several handy gallopers at Albury racecourse.
He was best known for his association with honest sprinter Hillbilly Dancer and speedster Voodoo Star, who both won races over the 2009 Albury Gold Cup carnival.
Loy made a shock comeback to the saddle in 2011 as a 41-year-old after shedding almost a third of his weight and almost eight years as a trainer.
However, his comeback lasted less than 12 months after notching seven wins from just over 50 rides.
Loy said he felt fortunate to have the support of some loyal owners who had help reignite his passion for training.
The 50-year-old is still putting the finishing touches on his 20 acre property at Jindera where he lives and will train from alongside the Albury racecourse.
"The stables at home have taken a massive lot of work and money to get them how I wanted," he said.
"When you see the transformation it helps drive the hunger and motivates you to get out of bed each morning and to get going and make things happen.
"Since I've committed to training full-time, my horses look amazing and my owners can see that.
"It's no coincidence that I was also able to land a double at Albury on Tuesday.
"That keeps your owners happy and they are the ones that keep putting their hands in their pockets to pay the bills."
