A Magistrate said there's no excuse for a man to be behind the wheel the morning after drinking 19 beers the night before.
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Jackson Garry Painting, 33, returned a blood-alcohol reading of 0.107 after he was stopped by highway patrol.
Painting, who faced Leeton Local Court on Tuesday, was stopped by police on the Back Yanco Road at 7.30am on December 21.
Painting told police he had consumed around 19 beers up until 2.30am.
According to facts tendered to the court, police described his eyes as bloodshot, his speech slowed and the smell of alcohol could be detected.
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The court heard on December 20 and 21 the Leeton area experienced extreme hot weather, with temperatures of 44 degrees being registered.
Painting had been attending a Christmas party on December 20 with his partner, friends and family.
When he awoke the next day he wanted to check on the horses stabled at his employer's property, to be sure they had enough water in the heat and told police this was why he got behind the wheel the morning of December 21.
Painting travels around 50,000 kilometres a year due to his employment with the harness racing industry.
In sentencing Painting, Magistrate Joy Boulos was stern in her judgement of his behaviour.
"You were well and truly still affected by alcohol (at the time of the RBT)," she said.
"There is simply no excuse for it.
"I'm sure you watch the news ... you should know the effects of drinking and driving.
"If you're going to go on a bender, you don't drink and drive and you don't drive the next morning. Perhaps not even that day.
"You don't want to be another statistic (on the road)."
Magistrate Boulos ordered Painting pay a $650 fine plus court costs, as well as having his licence suspended for the minimum period and an interlock device fitted to his vehicle.
