There were 80,000 people there and you could have heard a pin drop. It was like a funeral . . . my funeral

Mel Schumacher was born at Boonah, Southwest of Brisbane, and aquired his passion for the racing by riding ponies around his father’s dairy farming property. Once he got his start as a jockey, Schumacher held the rare title of being the leading apprentice in Brisbane and Sydney at the same time, as he would travel between the two cities for his riding commitments. While Schumacher will forever be known for his Melbourne Cup triumph, he was also a ‘big race jockey’ and won several other major events. But it was one single racing moment of madness that his name will always be associated with.

The 1961 AJC Derby was a highly contentious race, marked by both the on-track drama and the subsequent controversies in the stewards' room. Tommy Hill had his mount Summer Fair positioned fourth on the outside, poised to make his challenge as the field entered the straight. Meanwhile, Schumacher on Blue Era, who had preferred to stay on the outside for much of the trip, was about to break through on the inside. During the ascent, Summer Fair deviated from its course, momentarily obstructing the fatigued Kilshery. Despite this, Summer Fair still maintained its line under Hill's firm guidance as Blue Era posed a challenge, drawing close to the lead near the finishing line. The camera officially declared a narrow victory margin in favour of the Victorian colt ridden by Schumacher. To the spectators gathered in the grandstands, it appeared that Blue Era had simply demonstrated greater endurance than Summer Fair and was the better horse on the day.

As the horses pulled up, the defeated rider exclaimed his intention to file a protest, prompting Schumacher to dismiss Hill's accusation as "absurd." Upon returning to scale, a visibly upset Hill promptly filed a formal protest against the declared victor. However, the basis for this protest raised serious doubts among the officiating stewards. Incredibly, Hill asserted that Schumacher, who was on the inside rail, extended his left arm across and grasped Hill's right leg during the final fifty yards of the race, maintaining this hold until just before reaching the finish line. For such a major race, the claim was fanciful.

But for the first time ever they were using a head-on camera that many of the jockeys were unaware of. Schumacher explained that Blue Era was persevering, and he resorted to using his whip out of desperation during the final fifty yards. At least the bit about getting desperate was true. The official head-on film footage, however, corroborated Hill's fundamental assertion; the Shu's arm was clearly visible extending across and holding on tightly as the two battled neck and neck to the line. In reference to the grainy footage, Schumacher asserted that had not intentionally grasped Hill's leg, but rather strategically held his wrist against Hill's knee to secure the position and avoid the horses making contact. It was not a good look, and Mel knew he had been caught out cheating.

Schumacher was asked to appear again before the stewards near the close of the day’s proceedings. The decision was made swiftly and definitively: his actions resulted in a life ban disqualification. He departed from the course with a permanent ban before the conclusion of the last. A poignant image of a dejected Schumacher, suitcase in hand, leaving the racetrack served as a stark reminder of the gravity of the situation.

"There was 80,000 people there and you could have heard a pin drop. It was like a funeral . . . my funeral," Schumacher said. For years the sporting public had read and heard about the many and varied nefarious tricks practised on the racecourse, whether through newspapers or in the pubs. However, reading about them or loose gossip is one thing - seeing it is another. The remarkable wonders of television had disseminated Schumacher's antics directly into households across the nation.

On appeal a fortnight later, the AJC committee reduced the term to ten years. Announcing the committee’s decision, chairman Sir Alan Potter said Schumacher’s record showed “his complete disregard for the rules of racing and the safety of his fellow riders". This was despite a long series of warnings since May 1957 where the bad boy of Australian racing had incurred eight reprimands, eight suspensions, three warnings and one fine. Although Schumacher wasn’t destined to serve out his full disqualification, it had a devastating impact on his career. He had celebrated his 24th birthday only a month before, and 1961 had already seen him triumph in the VRC Australian Cup on Dream King; the Golden Slipper Stakes on Magic Night and Doomben 10,000 on Aquanita. He also had the glory of the 1958 Melbourne Cup aboard Baystone for trainer Jack Green. Mel was the most promising young jockey in the country, and the AJC ban cost him his best riding years.

Many respected sportsmen believed that the AJC stewards and committee had overreacted in the Schumacher case and some private representations were made to the club on Schumacher’s behalf. The AJC committee reviewed the case and announced in the closing weeks of 1966 that the disqualification would be commuted to a suspension from January 1st, 1967 and that his licence would be renewed on March 1st. In total, Schumacher served just five-and-a-half years of what was initially a lifetime ban. Schumacher resumed riding at Canterbury Park on Wednesday, March 1st, 1967, and for a time became the main jockey for the T. J. Smith stable. Schumacher eventually relocated back to his native Queensland in June 1969, initially as the stable jockey for Eric Kirwan in Brisbane, where he continued to ride for many years.

In 1974 he won the Doomben 10,000 on Charlton Boy for Tom Dawson. Schumacher rarely made forays south of the border but did so in 1984 to partner Goleen to victory in the AJC Flight Stakes and later that spring in the VATC One Thousand Guineas as well. He continued to ride successfully for a few years more in Queensland. The long-time Queensland hoop last rode in a race in November of 1999 at Toowoomba’s Clifford Park. He had a career spanning half a century before he did retire. The former jockey was able to find humour in the suspension he received for the infamous "leg-pull" incident in the Derby. He came to appreciate the tranquility of his post-racing life, which stands in stark contrast to the intense public scrutiny he faced during his competitive years. Schumacher passed away in March 2024 aged 86.