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Forum Name: Tributes Forum
Forum Description: Personal tributes to past and present day champions. Lest we forget our turf heroes.
URL: https://forum.thoroughbredvillage.com.au/forum_posts.asp?TID=49195 Printed Date: 24 Apr 2024 at 9:22pm Software Version: Web Wiz Forums 12.05 - http://www.webwizforums.com
Topic: TB's Off The TrackPosted By: Gay3
Subject: TB's Off The Track
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2014 at 4:23pm
Road to Triequithon - Kerrie Bowman and Nangula Star
Kerrie Bowman and Nangula Star
The only South Australian combination Kerrie Bowman and Nangula
Star hope the eight hour trip is worth it for next Saturday's Racing
Victoria Off The Track Triequithon.
Chestnut mares have a reputation in the equestrian industry but
talented event rider Kerrie Bowman is hoping her retired racehorse can
defy the stereotype in Saturday week’s Racing Victoria Off The Track
Triequithon.
Bowman rides eight-year-old Nangula Star, a five start maiden on the
track for Millicent trainers Vincent Bradley and Mark Dwyer, in the
innovative equestrian event to be conducted between races at Mornington
on 5 April.
While she admits a stigma exists around mares in eventing circles,
particularly those of the chestnut variety, Bowman believes her strong
affinity with Nangula Star is enough to cast aside any aspersions.
“For some reason people dislike mares anyway but then they dislike chestnut mares even more,” Bowman said.
“Between a team of eight horses, seven of mine are mares because I
just think they work harder and once you’ve got them, they help you out
no matter what.”
An accomplished rider who has honed her skills with some of the
world’s foremost event coaches in Australia and abroad, Millicent-based
Bowman is the lone South Australian rider competing in the Triequithon.
And while her vast experience across the three disciplines –
dressage, cross country and showjumping - isn’t matched by her mount,
Bowman is confident the quick-learning daughter of Fraar is well-placed
at 1* level.
“It will take me eight hours to get there so for me it is going to be
a three day trip but we’re all very excited to be coming along,” Bowman
said.
“Right from the word go she could really jump and she loved to do it.
“With eventing, she’s probably only had six starts all up but she’s
come up the ranks so quickly because shells such a confident jumper.”
A combination of luck and a handy reputation in her hometown saw
Bowman secure Nangula Star, who now competes under the name Fourwinds
Millicent, for what is now a bargain price of $600 following her
retirement from the track.
Accustomed to sharing a paddock with other livestock, Bowman said she
was interested to see how her mare would cope with the atmosphere upon
returning to the track for the Triequithon.
“It was a bit of a fluke that I got her because we were at the local
Millicent Show and usually after the Show everyone goes to the pub,”
Bowman said.
“My brother went to the pub and the owner spoke to him and told him that he had a horse for me.”
“She was out in a 4000 acre paddock with about 600 sheep and two
alpacas and as soon as I saw her I asked the owner how much he wanted
for her.”
“I was lucky enough to buy her for $600 which I couldn’t believe.”
Conducted in a condensed format inside and adjacent to the Mornington
racetrack, the 10 talented off the track thoroughbreds will compete
between races throughout the meeting, accumulating points based on their
performance in each discipline.
The public will have direct access to view the dressage and
showjumping rounds of the competition with the spectacular cross country
spectacle to be broadcast live on the course’s big screen courtesy of
cameras on the state-of-the-art course.
The riders will be competing for a prize pool totalling $15,000,
making the Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon one of the richest
contests on the Australian eventing calendar.
Equestrian goes to the races
RACING Victoria will conduct the inaugural Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon at Mornington on Saturday, April 5.
The unique event will see retired racehorses compete in three equestrian disciplines between races at the Mornington meeting.
Racing
Victoria’s chief executive Bernard Saundry said thoroughbreds were the
most common breed among the 600,000 pleasure horses in the state.
“Racing
Victoria is extremely proud to conduct the first Triequithon which
works to further promote the value and success of retired racehorses in
post-racing careers,” Saundry said.
“Thousands of racehorses have gone on to successful eventing careers following their retirement
from
the racetrack; they are highly versatile animals and we have witnessed
extraordinary results on the Australian eventing circuit,” Saundry said.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Replies: Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2014 at 4:27pm
Road to Triequithon - Natalie Davies and Yasmac
Former Jason Warren-trained mare Yasmac is adept as a jumper
Mornington Peninsula-based event rider Natalie Davies is hoping
the Black Caviar form stands up in Saturday week's Racing Victoria Off
The Track Triequithon
The legacy of superstar mare Black Caviar continues to extend
well beyond her retirement from racing and at Mornington on 5 April, a
small part of the Black Caviar story will play out in the inaugural
Racing Victoria (RV) Off The Track (OTT) Triequithon.
One of 10 retired racehorses competing in the Triequithon, a unique
event combining equestrian and racing, seven-year-old Testa Rossa mare
Yasmac boasts a link to the mare that captured a nation during an
undefeated run that spanned 25 races.
The former Jason Warren-trained galloper finished fourth in a
Cranbourne trial in March 2009, beaten more than five lengths by the
then unraced daughter of Bel Esprit who was making her first official
appearance at a racetrack for trainer Peter Moody.
In contrast to Black Caviar’s racing career, which yielded 15 Group 1
wins and just shy of $8 million in prizemoney for connections, Yasmac’s
highlight on the track came in the form of a maiden victory at
Bairnsdale in September 2009.
But according to Mornington Peninsula-based event rider Natalie
Davies, it’s Yasmac’s ability off the track that will see her line up as
one of the leading fancies in the lucrative Triequithon, an event that
will see some of Victoria’s leading 1* eventers compete in dressage,
cross country and show jumping between races at the Mornington meeting.
“She is absolutely amazing for me,” Davies said.
“Wherever I take her, a lot of people comment on how wonderful she is
and many can’t believe it when I tell them that she’s a thoroughbred.
“Some people don’t think that thoroughbreds can be as amazing as what
she is so it’s nice for us to be able to show that if you get a good
horse off the track, they are as good as any other.”
An established event rider who has ridden in 4* level at the
Australian International Three Day Event in Adelaide on multiple
occasions, Davies purchased Yasmac last year with little knowledge of
her racing history.
The mare, who now competes as Chatswood Design, joins another off the
track thoroughbred, former Lee Freedman and John McArdle-trained
eight-year-old El Grado, in Davies stable.
“When I bought her a year ago she’d already had some work off the
track and she’d already competed at the first two levels of eventing,”
Davies said.
“Yasmac is by Testa Rossa and I’m now finding myself looking at a lot
of Testa Rossas and they all seem to have similar characteristics to
her.
“I love to find out about their history on the track.
“I’ve got another off the track horse and I try to keep in touch with
the trainers and the owners because they are really interested to see
what they go on to do.”
Conducted in a condensed format inside and adjacent to the Mornington
racetrack, The RV OTT Triequithon will see horses accumulate points
based on their performance in each of the three disciplines throughout
the meeting, the winner rewarded with the largest share of the $15,000
prizemoney pool.
The public, who are offered two-for-one general admission at the
meeting, will have direct access to view the dressage and showjumping
rounds of the competition with the spectacular cross country spectacle
to be broadcast live on the course’s big screen courtesy of cameras on
every jump of the state-of-the-art course.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: PhillipC
Date Posted: 28 Mar 2014 at 8:18pm
It should be a great spectacle for everyone to see and a great initiative from Racing Victoria to stage an event like this. Unfortunately I can't make it to watch as I will be judging elsewhere that day :-(
------------- http://www.equinehaven.com.au
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 02 Apr 2014 at 7:34am
Road to Triequithon - Lucinda Doodt and Ruling Devil
A
last minute call up has presented Year 1 Racing Victoria apprentice
jockey Lucinda Doodt with the opportunity to contest Saturday's Racing
Victoria Off The Track Triequithon on Ruling Devil.
Racing Victoria Year One apprentice Lucinda Doodt can claim her first racetrack success at Mornington on Saturday.
While it won’t be in an official race, Doodt will join nine other
equestrian riders and their retired racehorses competing in the
inaugural Racing Victoria Off the Track Triequithon between races at
Saturday’s meeting.
The Ballarat teen is a late addition to the line-up for the
Triequithon, receiving the call up to ride nine-year-old Ruling Devil
after injury forced the withdrawal of another combination, Toolern
Vale’s Deb Pacing and her former Peter Moody-trained galloper Hit List.
Doodt thanked friend and fellow Triequithon competitor Stephanie
Thornton, Ruling Devil’s owner and regular rider, for the opportunity to
compete in the lucrative event that will see 10 of Victoria’s most
talented retired racehorses compete at 1* level in dressage, cross
country and show jumping.
“I have to thank Stephanie Thornton because she gave me a call and had a spare one-star horse,” Doodt said.
“We did a bit of a promotion between races at Geelong last week which went really well.
“I have two ex-racehorses but neither of them are up to the level that we have to compete in at the Trequithon.”
While she admits she lacks the association with her mount, an
unraced son of A P Ruler, many of her rivals boast, the 16-year-old
believes her work for Miners Rest trainer Mark Lewis has her well placed
to get the best out of the nine-year-old in each of the three
Triequithon disciplines.
As well as completing three days of classes every month in Racing
Victoria’s Apprentice Jockey Training Program, Doodt rides track work
for Lewis most mornings as part of her riding education that will one
day see her join Victoria’s jockey ranks.
“Other people probably have a little bit of an advantage but he’s a
very nice horse and I seem to be getting along with him very well,”
Doodt said.
“I think it definitely helps that I ride different horses of a
morning all the time so I’m used to getting on a lot of different
thoroughbreds.
“It’s really exciting; I went and had a bit of a trial run at Corio
Mooroobool Horse Trials on the weekend to get a bit more of a feel for
the horse.”
While much is made of her background in dancing, Doodt’s ability in
the saddle from a young age was key to her pursuing a career as a
jockey and she admits eventing remains a passion.
Thoroughbreds in particular hold a special place in her heart and
Doodt is hopeful of taking one of her own to the Melbourne International
Three Day Event at Werribee in June.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to continue with my eventing and I’ve got three horses that I still compete on.”
“Mark’s really good with helping me balance everything and makes
sure I get to school on time and have enough time to work my own
horses,” Doodt said.
“I’m hoping to take one of them to Melbourne Three Day Event in
June so, even on a different horse, this is a great opportunity to
showcase an off the track horse.”
Designed to showcase retired racehorses as the ideal equestrian
athletes, the Racing Victoria Off The Track Triequithon will be
conducted in a condensed eventing format that will see combinations
compete in dressage (between Race 1 and Race 3), cross country (between
Race 3 and Race 5) and show jumping (Between Race 5 and Race 7).
As well as the exciting seven-race program, fans can enjoy the
feature racing action from Flemington and Rosehill broadcast on course, a
‘racehorse to riding horse’ master class from Jonathon McLean and a
host of children’s entertainment and competitions.
More information on the Racing Victoria Off The Track Triequithon is available http://www.racingvictoria.net.au/p_Triequithon.aspx" rel="nofollow - here .
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Go Flash Go
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2014 at 10:03pm
Nice to see more life after racing for some lucky thoroughbreds and a fun time it would be for them.
Although am not a real horse person obviously, am learning though, whenever get to the Royal Melbourne Show (Kelpie* judging = much ) always like to take time to watch any eventing taking place. Although it's more than a little above my head am amazed at the strength, control and finesse, both horse and riders show, under a lot of competitive pressure.
Must take a lot to get to that point - particularly like the balance comment in the above article.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 19 Sep 2014 at 8:20pm
With
all the negative things being said about racing stories like this are
beautiful and should be shared. Ledger Racing retired "SPECIAL QUALITY" a
6yo gelding after a below par
performance at wodonga races last Monday. X-rays on Tuesday revealed
Quality had sustained a career ending fracture that extended up into his
joint. He was lucky not to break his leg in the run and had 2 options
euthanasia or surgery to pin the crack in the bone and allow him a
chance to retire to the paddock. Trainer John Ledger & syndicate
manager https://www.facebook.com/tony.seychell.7" rel="nofollow - Tony Seychell
from "Quality Thoroughbreds" both dipped into their own PERSONAL
pockets to finance the operation which has saved Quality's life and will
now give him a chance to retire to our farm. Racing is not the evil
entity all these animal rights head cases make it out to be. Racing is
about heart and love for all our equines. Enjoy your retirement Special
Quality and thank you for the racing thrills and memories!
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 20 Sep 2014 at 11:09pm
thats nice . shows some folks do care. and dont let horses end up in the hands of creeps, like that one in another thread,,the one who raced in the Melb Cup .
there are people in the game who care.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 21 Sep 2014 at 10:29am
I'm sorry the FB pics don't reproduce for me as he's a lovely strong type with an attractive head & beautiful kind eye
https://www.facebook.com/HorseAtAuction" rel="nofollow - Horses at Auction - Preview added 6 new photos.
I live in nsw so i was not looking for a horse out of state i had liked
this page to just keep an eye out and stuff. on the 20th of august
everything changed i saw this young stunning boy with the kindest eyes
in pen 89 and had to try my best to get him. being a 5 yr tb that was
also 17hh i was expecting the worst of the worst in behaviour wise but a
month on and there is nothing that can explain how much this boy as
surprised me he is the most chilled out
affectionate boy i have ever met he loves people and pats. i have not
done much with him has I'm still trying to get weight and muscle on him
i have jumped on him bare back a few times first and second rides i was
mores suprsed at the fact that he walked over small jumps and a trap
did not refuse a thing he's such a smooch i can not fault a thing i
did find out that he was a cribber but to be honest i can not blame him
for that he might have stared it because of his history. he is enjoying
living it up and getting spoilt best buy ever very very very impressed
with him and i know he has more to offer
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2014 at 9:54am
Stephens brings World Cup Dreams to Life with Galvanised
Daniel Miles
https://www.twitter.com/DanielMiles90" rel="nofollow - @DanielMiles90
23 September, 2014
The
hype surrounding million dollar gelding Dreams To Life looks set to
finally become a reality this week, though maybe not in the way his
breeders had first imagined.
An
imposing steel grey son of Show A Heart and brother to dual-Group 1
winner Heart Of Dreams, Dreams To Life began his life at the track under
the careful eye of Caulfield-trainer Mick Price in mid-2009, however it
quickly became apparent that life as a racehorse was not for Dreams To
Life.
After
three unplaced race starts Dreams To Life, better known as Galvanised,
was retired and taken in by Mick’s wife Caroline, a highly respected
thoroughbred re-trainer and rider in her own right.
After taking
Galvanised through a basic equestrian education, Price set out to find
the eye-catching youngster a home for life, and as such put in a call to
brother-in-law Phil Stephens
Stephens, a power station reliability technician by trade, was on the
look-out for a new showjumping horse and was immediately taken by
Galvanised’s stride and size.
“Caroline organised for me to have a ride of him through my wife
Katherine. I remember I gave him a try-out that day and bought him
pretty much straight away,” he said.
“He felt really good. At that stage he was still pretty green but there was something really special about him.
“After having a ride on him I pretty much knew straight away that I
didn’t want to let him go. It was tough because a lot of people were
interested in him, but in the end though I knew I just had to have him;
you could try another 50 horses and not find one that feels like he
did.”
Stephens is the first to admit his mixture of power stations and
showjumping is a rare one. The father of two and has spent the past 30
years in the saddle travelling the state to compete in shows.
“It’s quite opposite to showjumping isn’t it,” he said with a laugh.
“My mates at work hang a fair bit of gelati on me for the uniforms we
wear and that. As a bloke, even from when I was in school you can cop it
a bit. In the end, it doesn’t really bother me; I wouldn’t keep doing
it if I did.”
Stephens has become quite successful in his ‘hobby riding’ and will look
to take a further positive step this week as he prepares to saddle up
Galvanised at the Royal Melbourne Show.
A recent winner of the Best Performed Retired Race Horse award at the
2014 Australian Showjumping Championship, Galvanised has quickly earnt a
reputation as one of the most promising jumpers of the future, though
it hasn’t always been easy.
“The first few shows we went to, probably for the first 12 months, he
wasn’t very competitive it was more about learning the ropes,” Stephens
said.
“By the time his second season came along it was all systems go and time to get competitive instead of just training.
“He’s starting to step up to Mini Prix’s now and if he’s good enough
this time next year he’ll jump in a World Cup. Obviously there’s a fair
bit of work to be done between now and then but 12 months is a long time
in show jumping.”
That work begins this weekend at the Royal Melbourne Show when
Galvanised steps out in the Group B Jumping Competition. Stephens is
confident that Galvanised can make a prominent showing this week, as
long as he is able to remain calm in the ring.
“He’s got the ability, it’s just whether he can get on top of his nerves with the heightened atmosphere around,” he said.
“With him it’s all about managing his mind and seeing how goes on the
day, he just gets his nerves up. He’s definitely got the ability, and
every show he enters he learns something and gets better; he’s young and
sound at the moment so who knows.
“We’ll get through this week with him and see how he goes. He’s a
great horse and just a nice horse to be around, so hopefully he can put
the right foot forward this weekend and go on from there, only time will
tell I guess.”
By Daniel Miles - @DanielMiles90
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: reng
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2014 at 12:33pm
------------- The problem with Opportunity is that it wears overalls and looks like work.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2014 at 7:15pm
Chosen the One for Garryowen win
Shae Hanger and Chosen One celebrate their Garryowen success
Retired racehorse Chosen One has given Mornington show rider
Shae Hanger her second win in one of Australia’s most coveted equestrian
events, the Garryowen Equestrienne Turnout, at the Royal Melbourne Show
today.
The nine-year-old was presented in immaculate condition and put in a
faultless workout to top the judges scorecards ahead of another Off the
Track thoroughbred, former Lloyd Williams-owned gelding SLM Orlando
(raced as Ingleby) for Stephanie Barrington.
Chosen One won three races from his 39 career starts on the track for
Mornington trainer Tony Noonan and collected more than $65,000 in
prizemoney for his connections.
Following his retirement in 2012, the son of Choisir was immediately
identified as a potential show ring proposition with Hanger wasting
little time beginning his re-education.
The victory, in the 80th renewal of the event, carried added
significance for Hanger who is the great-great-niece of Violet Murrell,
owner and rider of the event’s namesake, Garryowen.
In a red-letter day for Off the Track thoroughbreds, five of the top
six Garryowen placegetters boasted histories on the racetrack, including
fourth placed DP Amazing (Medal Of Honour) , fifth placed The Russian
(Portland Pirate) and sixth placed Montilla (Don Eduardo).
The Best First Year Rider award was presented to Rebekah Carollan who
partnered former Western Australian galloper London Court (Fimiston).
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 24 Sep 2014 at 8:13pm
WOOOOOOO HOOOOO.
go you wonderful OTTTBs .
for those who cant find homes for their retired OTTTBs,,,,you aint tryin'
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: ChestnutGreyandRoan
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2014 at 12:03pm
Gay3 wrote:
Stephens brings World Cup Dreams to Life with Galvanised
Daniel Miles
https://www.twitter.com/DanielMiles90" rel="nofollow - @DanielMiles90
23 September, 2014
The
hype surrounding million dollar gelding Dreams To Life looks set to
finally become a reality this week, though maybe not in the way his
breeders had first imagined.
An
imposing steel grey son of Show A Heart and brother to dual-Group 1
winner Heart Of Dreams, Dreams To Life began his life at the track under
the careful eye of Caulfield-trainer Mick Price in mid-2009, however it
quickly became apparent that life as a racehorse was not for Dreams To
Life.
After
three unplaced race starts Dreams To Life, better known as Galvanised,
was retired and taken in by Mick’s wife Caroline, a highly respected
thoroughbred re-trainer and rider in her own right.
After taking
Galvanised through a basic equestrian education, Price set out to find
the eye-catching youngster a home for life, and as such put in a call to
brother-in-law Phil Stephens
Stephens, a power station reliability technician by trade, was on the
look-out for a new showjumping horse and was immediately taken by
Galvanised’s stride and size.
“Caroline organised for me to have a ride of him through my wife
Katherine. I remember I gave him a try-out that day and bought him
pretty much straight away,” he said.
“He felt really good. At that stage he was still pretty green but there was something really special about him.
“After having a ride on him I pretty much knew straight away that I
didn’t want to let him go. It was tough because a lot of people were
interested in him, but in the end though I knew I just had to have him;
you could try another 50 horses and not find one that feels like he
did.”
Stephens is the first to admit his mixture of power stations and
showjumping is a rare one. The father of two and has spent the past 30
years in the saddle travelling the state to compete in shows.
“It’s quite opposite to showjumping isn’t it,” he said with a laugh.
“My mates at work hang a fair bit of gelati on me for the uniforms we
wear and that. As a bloke, even from when I was in school you can cop it
a bit. In the end, it doesn’t really bother me; I wouldn’t keep doing
it if I did.”
Stephens has become quite successful in his ‘hobby riding’ and will look
to take a further positive step this week as he prepares to saddle up
Galvanised at the Royal Melbourne Show.
A recent winner of the Best Performed Retired Race Horse award at the
2014 Australian Showjumping Championship, Galvanised has quickly earnt a
reputation as one of the most promising jumpers of the future, though
it hasn’t always been easy.
“The first few shows we went to, probably for the first 12 months, he
wasn’t very competitive it was more about learning the ropes,” Stephens
said.
“By the time his second season came along it was all systems go and time to get competitive instead of just training.
“He’s starting to step up to Mini Prix’s now and if he’s good enough
this time next year he’ll jump in a World Cup. Obviously there’s a fair
bit of work to be done between now and then but 12 months is a long time
in show jumping.”
That work begins this weekend at the Royal Melbourne Show when
Galvanised steps out in the Group B Jumping Competition. Stephens is
confident that Galvanised can make a prominent showing this week, as
long as he is able to remain calm in the ring.
“He’s got the ability, it’s just whether he can get on top of his nerves with the heightened atmosphere around,” he said.
“With him it’s all about managing his mind and seeing how goes on the
day, he just gets his nerves up. He’s definitely got the ability, and
every show he enters he learns something and gets better; he’s young and
sound at the moment so who knows.
“We’ll get through this week with him and see how he goes. He’s a
great horse and just a nice horse to be around, so hopefully he can put
the right foot forward this weekend and go on from there, only time will
tell I guess.”
By Daniel Miles - @DanielMiles90
I never understood how geldings could be worth a million dollars. You can't bred them! Also never heard of "steel grey", is this just another name for roan? What color would be listed on the Jockey Club papers?
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 29 Sep 2014 at 1:24pm
He would've been a colt when the mill. was paid, in the hope he could be well enough performed to stand at stud. Steel grey: Google 'horse steel grey' & you'll see the images, no, not to be confused with roan & also known as 'iron' grey.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: reng
Date Posted: 30 Sep 2014 at 8:18am
Roans are grey with black legs and mane, while grey horses are grey everywhere.
------------- The problem with Opportunity is that it wears overalls and looks like work.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 01 Oct 2014 at 12:53pm
Handy to keep track of all this painstakingly slow to research, data
What happens to racehorses when they leave the track?
Last week I was contacted by a number of people critical of our decision to display of a http://www.nma.gov.au/online_features/horses/objects/horsielicious" rel="nofollow - can of ‘Horsielicious’ , created by the Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses (CPR), in the http://www.nma.gov.au/exhibitions/spirited" rel="nofollow - Spirited: Australia’s Horse Story exhibition .
The can was used in 2014 protests aimed at raising awareness of the
need for a ‘retirement plan’ for horses involved in racing.
In recent years, animal welfare groups like the http://kb.rspca.org.au/What-is-horse-wastage-in-the-racehorse-industry_235.html" rel="nofollow - RSPCA , http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/horse_racing.php" rel="nofollow - Animals Australia and the http://www.animalsaustralia.org/issues/horse_racing.php" rel="nofollow - Coalition for the Protection of Racehorses have raised concerns about the long-term care of horses from the racing industry.
In 2013 the http://www.australianracingboard.com.au/" rel="nofollow - Australian Racing Board
commissioned Thoroughbred consultant Renée Geelen to undertake a survey
of retired horses. Renée was one of the people who wrote to the Museum
to express her disappointment that we had included the CPR’s can in the
exhibition. I’ve invited her to present her perspective on the issue in
this guest blog post.
—
“The wind of heaven is that which passes through a horse’s ears.” Arabian Proverb
There is nothing much that beats the thrill and companionship that
comes with partnering a 500kg animal at speed. You can’t make a horse do
anything but you can become a partner and move together. We celebrate
the racehorse as the finest example of athleticism and partnership.
Their will to win drives an emotional connection, and the stories of our
champions keeps the dream alive for everyone.
Racehorses have been specifically bred for purpose for over 350
years, and premier breeder Frederico Tesio summed it up when he said
“The Thoroughbred exists because its selection has depended, not on
experts, technicians, or zoologists, but on a piece of wood: the winning
post of the Epsom Derby.”
Young Rockingham was the first official racehorse in Australia,
imported here in 1797 and used to breed all types of horses. The first
official race meeting was held in Sydney’s Hyde Park in 1810, and since
then, the Australian racing industry has kept extensive records of every
horse born or raced here. A racehorse’s pedigree is more accurately
known than most people’s genealogy, and every raceday outing is tracked
and recorded.
The Australian racing industry is the second largest in the world
(after the USA) with more than $520million in prizemoney on offer every
year. Over 70,000 people own shares in more than 32,000 racehorses and
the range of ownership is huge. Some syndicates have more than 100
people involved in one horse, while bigger owners have more than 500
horses in work.
These numbers are huge, and the prizemoney is just the start of it. A
racehorse costs about $30,000 a year to keep in training, and that
money employs the strappers, trainers, riders, vets, farriers, feed
companies and many others that look after the horse’s every need.
Racehorses are athletes, and live in five star accommodation, and the
racing industry has always had a strong internal focus towards animal
welfare. The industry bodies take care of the wider issues of animal
welfare through the strength of their anti-drug policies and
enforcement, their safety policies and through the use of racecourse
vets to both ensure that horses are in a fit state to race when they are
on course and to give immediate assistance to horses when required.
Racehorses mature quickly compared to other breeds, and can legally
start racing from the age of two. Only 20% of horses actually race as 2
year olds, but these precocious horses have longer careers and earn more
prizemoney than horses that take longer to mature. The remainder of
horses have their first start as 3 year olds or older, and in 2014,
there are four horses racing that are still racing as 12 year olds. For
most horses, however, they retire before then and with a potential life
span of 25 years, these horses need to go somewhere.
So what happens to all those racehorses? Every season, approximately
11,000 racehorses retire for a range of reasons, such as old age,
injury, illness, or being not fast enough to compete successfully.
Owning a pleasure horse is not like owning a car, there is no central
registration for them and therefore there is no data on what happens to
all those racehorses. I was commissioned by the Australian Racing Board
(ARB) to design and undertake a survey on our retired horses.
Australian Stud Book records tell us that approximately 3,000 of the
11,000 retirees go to stud, staying in the racing industry, but this
leaves 8,000 horses that we needed to collect timely data about.
An initial list of 25 trainers was compiled that represented the
major city and country based stables across Australia. These trainers
had an average of 100 horses that had raced for them over the past three
seasons, and by tracking these horses we ended up with information
about 2,514 horses. Because of the initial bias towards large stables,
the survey was later expanded to include 21 other country trainers to
capture a wider range of horses across the industry. The response rate
was much lower, with only 12 trainers responding with data for 737
horses, resulting in a total of 3,224 horses surveyed.
The results were:
Still Racing
Combined Results
Total
% of Retired
Different Trainer
662
21%
Still in Work/Spelling
1,015
31%
Exported
77
2%
Total
1,754
54%
Completed Racing Career
At Stud
664
21%
45%
Sold/Gifted as pleasure horse
450
14%
31%
Returned to Owner
205
6%
14%
Died/Euthanised by Vet
109
3%
7%
Unknown
19
0.6%
1.3%
Career in Racing
17
0.5%
1.2%
Knackery
6
0.2%
0.4%
Total
1,470
TOTAL
3,224
While doing the survey, I also took notes on the different jobs that
horses went on to do under the ‘Sold/Given away as a pleasure horse’
category, and they were quite wide ranging and interesting. Comments
include “stars in horse movies”, “stock horse in Broome”, “eventer”,
“champion show jumper in Victoria”, “polo”, “sports broodmare”, “nanny
horse at stud”, “ridden by an 11 year old girl who loves him”, “plays
Phar Lap in the Outback Australia show”, “owner’s kids ride her”,
“riding for the disabled”, “he’s on a farm we bought for all our retired
horses”, and so on. Stock horses, pony club, and show horses were the
most common comments for where retired horses had ended up. Many
country trained horses had owners who were graziers and used their
retired horses on their farms.
This survey found that most retired racehorses find a new career
after racing, and gratifyingly, from a scientific point of view, this
data lines up with a previous survey done in 2002/03. It’s taken more
than ten years, but this data has recently been published by Professor
McGreevy et al, and in summary, found that of 1,333 horses that left a
racing stable, 63% stayed in the industry with 243 (18%) going to stud,
229 (17%) moving to another trainer, 150 (11%) spelling, and 221 (17%)
sold at auction. Of the 490 horses that left racing, 324 went to other
careers, with a small portion being unspecified, dead or at a knackery.
This study used their data to calculate that in 2002/03, an estimated
650 Thoroughbreds went directly from racing to a knackery.
ARB CEO Peter McGauran said “This is a ground breaking study that
injects statistical rigor and accuracy into an emotive debate
characterized by exaggeration and distortion. The community in deciding
between the competing claims wants accurate and reliable information.
The racing industry, like all competitive animal sports, operates under a
social license and must adhere to community standards. If we lose the
confidence of the public, we will become marginalized and gradually
become irrelevant. Racing is a mainstream sport with enormous cultural
and economic importance and adheres to the highest integrity and animal
welfare standards. This survey shows that the overwhelming majority of
racehorses enjoy a productive or secure retirement courtesy of their
owners who genuinely love the animal. That’s the way it should be.
Owners are responsible for the humane treatment of their horse(s) both
during and after their racing careers. By all means let’s have the
debate on the retirement of racehorses, but let’s have it on the basis
of the facts not an ideological obsession. The community deserves better
than the propaganda and outright lies of the Animal Rights lobby.”
Animals Australia state on their website that the industry “discards”
significant proportions of horses every year, while the Coalition for
the Protection of Racehorses (CPR) state that 15,000 Thoroughbreds are
slaughtered every year by the racing industry. By chanting this, they
are claiming that every Thoroughbred foal ever born is sent to the
knackery. The CPR has, following the National Museum of Australia’s
request for material, donated some of their protest items for display in
the Spirited exhibition. The can of “Horsielicious” is from an anti-racing protest that, from my understanding, attracted 10 protestors.
By contrast, the ARB study is further validated by research done by
Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) in 2001
that used economic, recreational event data and breed society data to
estimate the number of horses in Australia. They estimate that there are
nearly 180,000 registered Thoroughbreds in Australia, of which 32,000
are racing, 66,000 are breeding or young stock, 24,000 compete in
registered non-racing events (eg the Royal Easter Show), and 57,000 are
used for recreation. There are also 300,000 feral horses, 320,000
horses of other breeds (Standardbreds, Arabian, Quarter horses, pony
breeds, etc), and 218,000 unregistered recreational horses in Australia
(of which unnamed Thoroughbreds make up a significant proportion).
RIRDC uses an average life span of ten years for these horses, and
this means that every year between 8,100 and 15,000 Thoroughbreds in
leisure homes will die of old age, illness or injury and will need to be
replaced. Simply put, there are a minimum of 8,100 new homes outside
the racing industry for our horses every year.
This study highlights that the vast majority of racehorses go on to
new careers in a large range of areas, including breeding, leisure
horses, sport horses, stock horses and police horses. Each of the state
Principle Racing Authorities have a racehorse retraining system to aid
in this process and these can be found on the various websites of these
organisations. The horse is a willing partner with a human and brings
joys to many people in many facets across Australia.
Looking
good Danleigh!!! We love keeping in touch with how our horses when
they've finished racing and by all accounts - Danleigh's carried his
winning ways through to the show ring with Sandy Parker and family.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 05 Oct 2014 at 10:40am
Polo Ponies
This article first appeared in Equestrian Life magazine, for more pick up your latest copy today
JUST LIKE MANY of the racehorses
we retrain and introduce to competitive polo, I was brought up in a
racing family before converting to the exciting sport of polo. I’ve had
passion for horses from a young age, growing up in the heartland of
British racing, Newmarket, where my parents still run a bloodstock business. Since getting the polo bug, however, the sport has
taken me all over the world in various roles. From grooming to playing,
managing professional players, clubs and teams. I have also had the
privilege to represent both England and Australia in Ladies polo. But
throughout, my main passion has always been the training and retraining
of horses.
I have been lucky to have worked for exceptional
horsemen and women around the world from whom I’ve learnt a great deal.
My biggest influence was being surrounded by exceptional bloodstock
from a young age and understanding the skill and work involved in
producing a champion. It is the same long slog for the racetrack and
polo field alike. I came to Australia nine years ago, and it was while
playing at a tournament in Melbourne that I met my boyfriend and
business partner, Edward Matthies. We started JM Polo in 2006 and have
been providing services to the polo community ever since. Edward is a
talented horseman and has a great affinity with his horses. He is a
professional polo player and we produce horses to mount him, myself and
the country’s top professionals and to sell domestically and overseas.
My main role is training the young horses. We have a proven breeding
program in place, but we also supplement it by buying young horses with
little to no education. I draw on my racing background to help me in
their selection, on and off the track.
The first step is research, starting with the
Australian Stud Book for the breeding and racing history of a horse.
Where available, we watch races on archived video, and there’s the odd
phone call to the UK to get my parents’ opinion if they have had
dealings with the bloodlines. Another exciting avenue of supply has come
from a great initiative by the NSW racing industry and the corrections
system. We have formed a relationship with the Thoroughbred
Rehabilitation Trust, a not-for profit organisation that helps
rehabilitate and re-educate former NSW Thoroughbred racehorses. The
program is a working partnership between Racing NSW and Corrective
Services NSW. Former racehorses given to the trust for re-education into
other disciplines are first sent to St Heliers Correctional Centre,
near Musswellbrook in north-east NSW, where they are spelled and given
early retraining and handling by inmates. They are then sent to
Canterbury Racecourse where TRT is based, to be retrained by TRT’s
Thoroughbred rehabilitation manager, Scott Brodie, and his dedicated
team. These horses are then offered for sale, with all proceeds going to
further this fantastic cause.
All the horses we have purchased from TRT have been
very well mannered, honest horses and we’re pleased with how they are
developing as polo ponies. Scott is in tune with our requirements and
lets us know if he thinks he has a candidate. He takes a lot of the hard
work out of the selection process and we have a number of talented
ex-TRT horses currently in our program.
Training a polo pony is a slow process, but the
rewards are immense. The horses we look to source off the track are
judged not only on their current physique but we have to be mindful of
their potential for growth, as many are as young as two. Upon inspection
we look at the horse as a whole, paying particular attention to its
legs and feet. We watch the horse walk towards us and away, and then
watch while it’s being free lunged. This lets us see how the horse holds
itself and, most importantly, its head carriage. We want our horses to
run flat with their heads on the low side of level.
As in all sports, polo players come in all shapes
and sizes and so do their horses, but in our experience horses between
15hh and 15.2hh suit most of the market and generally make the best polo
ponies. Typically, players prefer to play on a string of horses all
roughly the same size, as they then don’t have to adjust their swing too
much from one horse to another or play with different length mallets.
The ideal age we look for is two to four years.
Polo ponies generally reach their full potential and most valuable point
at six to eight years. Once we have purchased a horse off the
racetrack, we turn it out for a spell to get the feed out of it and also
let them switch off and get racing out of their system. On all our
young stock, we strongly believe in eliminating problems before they
occur. We ensure a dentist looks at their teeth and also have it seen by
our chiropractor and we have its feet assessed. We can then create a
plan of how to proceed, allowing for any problems and knowing whether
behavioural issues are associated with pain or discomfort.
Life as a polo pony is very different from that of a
racehorse. In the initial training, each horse is worked individually
most days and we integrate them into the polo way of life as soon as
possible. When we exercise our playing ponies, we do so in groups of
four or five, in what we call a set. This is when one horse is ridden
and the others lead (pictured). This is a quick and effective way to get
horses fit before the season. The horses that have come off the track
can often have difficulties with this and as such we incorporate this
into the early stages of training. It also helps acclimatise them to the
contact with the other horses, reducing their inclination to race when
they get out on a polo field.
Whilst Equestrian
Life does publish photos of riders without helmets, we strongly
recommend the use of an Australian approved helmet at all times when
horse riding.
When a racehorse is in training, it is usually
stabled and paddocked by itself; however we run our horses in batches.
They come in and get stabled through the day and are turned out in the
evenings, generally running together in groups of up to 10-12 horses.
In a polo yard the staff-to-horse ratio is on average 1:10, so it is
important the horses learn to comply with daily routines and processes.
As we all know, each horse is an individual and training programs are
tailored to suit the needs of each horse. We have targets we aim for,
but we’re flexible in the pathways to achieve them.
All our horses, homebred and sourced, begin with a
basic foundation of flat work. We find that an understanding of basic
dressage not only balances and rounds our horses but sets them aside on
the polo field. We use the round yard to aid us in much of our work,
predominantly in the early stages of training but also later for fitness
work. We tie back our horses using side reins and a roller on a regular
basis to build up the muscles in their necks, often while they are free
lunged.
Neck reining is how we steer a polo pony: the reins
are held in the left hand and the mallet in the right. Some horses take
to this better than others. Polo horses need to be as responsive as
possible, as the direction of play changes suddenly in a game. Initially
a lot of work is done at home riding in pairs or small groups. We play
games like tag to simulate the chasing and contact aspect of the sport.
We often school around barrels or trees to give variety to keep the
horses interested.
Our horses need to be confident and able to hold
their position in what we call “riding off”. This is the contact element
of the game where we are able to physically push another player out of
the way to establish right of way to play the ball. Ride-offs must be
performed at a safe angle and comparable speeds to be legal. We practice
this at varying speeds and levels of contact and find that most horses
take to it easily and like to push. When doing this in practice it is
important to let the horse both win and lose ride-offs.
When horses are first introduced to the polo stick
it is a non-threatening way. We usually go for quiet hack and begin by
slowly swinging it. We make sure the horses are settled with the stick
and that we can simulate every shot without it being worried, after
which we introduce a ball. We begin using an arena polo ball, which is
softer and bigger than a normal polo ball, before graduating to the
smaller standard ball, which makes a sharper sound when struck.
Once basic stick work and shot play has been
absorbed, we take horses to young horse chukkas, a practice match with a
group of people all on green horses. We play fluid games and aim to
keep the horses moving forward, putting all we have taught them in to
practice but with no pressure on them. We start these at a trot or very
slow canter and progressively get faster as the horses progress.
Alongside these chukkas, we take some of the
younger horses to tournaments to use them to umpire on, a great avenue
for green horses to get on the field and settle with other horses
galloping and competing around them. This process can be a little more
difficult for racehorses to master initially. A polo horse also spends a
lot of its time before and after it plays tied to the truck with the
other playing horses on the day. This can be a challenge for some young
horses and often takes a while for some to get used to.
After our young horses have showed progress and
have participated in chukkas relatively successfully, they go out for a
well deserved spell, allowing them time to relax and absorb their
education to date. Depending on their age and ability, some come in
again for another campaign of young horse chukkas, while the more
advanced and physically mature step up to the main playing string. They
play mostly a lower level of polo for their first season, and if up to
it we integrate them into the higher levels for a couple of minutes at a
time. This enables them to experience the game at a faster pace without
the pressure of having to perform for a whole seven minutes.
The process of training a polo pony is a long and
slow one, but being able to experience and develop a horse throughout
their progression to an elite polo pony provides a great sense of
achievement. To be a part of and see a horse realise their potential at
the highest levels within Australia and abroad is immensely satisfying
and rewarding when it all comes together.
To find out more about TRT’s work, visit http://www.trt.org.au/" rel="nofollow - - www.trt.org.au
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 12 Oct 2014 at 9:22am
A well written post on the rehoming of ex racehorses... alot of truth in this post
Hey
guys, I am noticing alot of people are commenting on how so many OTTers
end up in the sales, or on dogger pages, one girl even post a photo of
an 11 year old horse where the caption
even says that the horse obviously hasn't done anything in a while....
this is just a bit of education, just because its a TB and has a brand,
and has raced once upon a time, it doesn't mean the ''racing industry''
put it there, chances are, it was once rehomed by the race owner, to
what they were told would be a good loving home, only to be sold on, and
sold on and sold on.... next thing, its skinny, neglected, and on a
doggers page, that is NOT racing that put it there, it is horse people
outside of racing. We see it time and time again. We also see ex
trainers/owners seeing their once beloved racehorse on a dogger page,
and racing off to save it and bring it home. Some recent examples are
Modern Warfare and also Heppell, so before it's assumed racing has
discarded of all the ex racehorses you see at the doggers, or going
through the sales, do some research on where they have been
recently.....
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2014 at 6:36pm
A few more facts/figures
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: subastral
Date Posted: 05 Nov 2014 at 6:46pm
Such a bizarre statement that he doesn't know the exact number of deaths. Who proof-reads this?? If I was an activist, I would seize on this lack of knowledge as a sign the industry isn't doing enough to track every horse and learn how/why it died.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2014 at 7:02am
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Larry-Pickering/236991276355038?fref=photo" rel="nofollow - Larry Pickering
CRUELTY TO HORSES?
Blimey! 150,000 read the post, just on face book, and I tried to scan
through 500 comments and with a rough count I would say about 65% think
I’m a sweetheart. That’s okay, even my wife thinks I’m a sweetheart, but
fair dinkum the misinformation proffered about horses is gobsmacking.
So please let me explain. I have been around horses all my life, I owned and ran a racing and breeding
complex in Mangrove Mountain NSW, complete with a veterinary clinic, an
operating theatre and a pathology unit. I studied equine pathology and
can read a blood test like a book.
(In fact no horse of mine
started without a blood test to determine its well being on the morning
of a race. If the test showed up any anomaly the horse was scratched.)
Each of 100 stables was made of ironbark logs, without a single nail,
and each had a grassy yard at the rear and all stables were covered by a
verandah above a fog-sprayed fernery that reeked of jasmine and kept
the stables at a constant temperature.
I had up to 130 horses
at any one time with about 30 in racing including for some famous owners
including all of Russ Hinze’s horses, at one time, and a few of my own.
All the horses lived in five star accommodation and wanted for nothing.
They had a huge kidney shaped pool where they could safely swim
unattended. All had regular trips to Terrigal beach and after each race
they were turned out in an open paddock. My horses never needed
spelling.
If any of my staff were found to have been cruel to any animal for any reason it was instant dismissal.
I have experienced racing at its best in France and I have ridden a
100/1 winner at Canterbury Racecourse in Sydney (I know you won’t
believe that, but I wouldn’t lie to you).
Now, to be honest, I
have never witnessed such verballing and uninformed, ignorant garbage
from the animal rightists who invaded my post regarding the unfortunate
death of Admire Rakti in the Melbourne Cup.
The horse did not
have a “known” heart condition. I said it was “suspected” because of
continued reversals in form. Regular cardiograms would have normally
detected that condition, but it’s not always the case.
It may have been because of bleeding (a lung condition) but that would have been picked up via scoping.
The horse was obviously in fine physical condition and, contrary to
what is being said, was vetted prior to the race with no anomaly found.
It is simply not true to say horses don’t like to race each other. Put
them in an open paddock and watch, or find a tape of Black Caviar,
(pictured).
They are bred from horses who love to race in the same way golden retrievers are bred from dogs who love to retrieve.
Now, for those who want the whip banned. It’s almost impossible to hurt
you, let alone a horse, with the modern whip. It’s about re-directing a
horse’s attention on what it’s supposed to be doing.
A horse will quite often refuse an opening or will be quite happy to compete with a horse running seventh.
Banning the whip is likely to cause serious accidents because you have
taken away an important handling and steering tool for the jockey. You
cannot steer a horse at full gallop because the loose reins are being
thrown at it.
Serious accidents cause fatalities in every sport. Would you deny a racing driver a steering wheel?
Now for those who don’t understand the hemispheres of a horse’s brain:
A horse can only feel pain from one part of its body at the same time.
It’s more complicated than that but if you want to give a horse an
injection and it’s not keen on injections, you pinch it somewhere else
or twitch its nose and it will not feel the needle, because its
attention is diverted to another point.
The horse was
originally a predated, wild plains animal and, as such, has a huge
spleen, we have a small spleen that is almost obsolete in terms of its
role.
The spleen of a horse, which carries a reserve of pure
red cells, is triggered to release a gallon of them into the system when
the adrenal gland is triggered. The wild predatory animal like a lion
is the same.
A cheetah is the fastest animal alive. When
excited, it dumps pure red, oxygenated cells from its spleen to its
blood system. The trouble with this is the blood’s plasma, the white
cells, can carry only a finite amount of red cells.
It’s much like a garden hose full of marbles.
There is a finite quantity of water to carry the marbles (red cells) to
where they are needed. Increase the marbles and there is less water
(plasma) to carry them. The marbles will eventually clog and come to a
stop. So will the animal.
A cheetah can go fast but only for a
very short distance, and that’s why a horse (a predated animal) will
also sprint, but only for a short distance.
This process
strengthens the species of both predatory and predated animals. The one
that gets caught doesn’t get to breed the one that catches does.
When a jockey has timed his run correctly, he urges the horse forward
at a certain point in the race, the adrenal gland triggers the splenic
release and affords the horse a huge boost in oxygenated red cells, but
only for a short distance. Maybe as short as 200m.
If the jockey has timed his run well, the horse’s blood will turn to a thick useless gunk right on the winning post.
This is why it is essential a horse relaxes in the initial part of a
race. Even a short race. Badly trained horses that jump out of the
barriers and take off like cut snakes stop just as quickly, and for good
reason.
A stayer is not disadvantaged by distance as posters
say here. A horse has either slow- or fast-twitch muscles and a biopsy
will determine which.
Much like one athlete will excel at 100m
another at middle distance and another will excel at the marathon. A
stayer is bred to relax and a sprinter is bred to explode.
Now
for those who think by not going into a barrier stall a horse is showing
an aversion to race. Not true! Horses get claustrophobic like humans do
and they don’t like being touched on the flanks.
My horses
never played up at the start because I regularly put their feed bins in
the barrier stalls at home. Then they had no problem going in.
The racing game is a wonderful game but it does have its darker side.
The side the AJC and the VRC are desperate not to be known.
I
once set a horse for a race in Sydney and, when I legged the jockey up, I
told him that the horse could not be beaten. He looked at me in the eye
and said, “Not today Larry.”
I knew exactly what he meant,
thank Christ. He had saved me and the owners a fortune in bets. The race
was what is commonly known as a “boat race”.
Okay I was a bit
hard on the vegetarians. I apologise, but it is my reaction to someone I
know who is a vegan and won’t allow her dog to eat meat. She may have a
choice herself, but her poor dog is genetically carnivorous and it’s
damned cruel to refuse a dog its natural diet. But I have an aversion to
vegans anyway.
I agree on one point, The Golden Slipper has
broken down more potentially good horses than any other feature race and
Tommy Smith was a master at it.
He would break down 100 horses to get 6 tough ones. I disagree that a 2yo race should ever be a feature event.
But honestly, most of what the complainants say here is just plain
nonsense and shows an ignorance of what exactly a horse is all about.
If they want to see real cruelty to animals just watch the halal
slaughter of a steer. And it happens right here in our suburbs.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2014 at 9:06am
Oh goodness, Larry ! That last sentence will see you hung drawn and quartered by the great mob of ignorants .
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 11 Nov 2014 at 9:31am
LOL
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 12 Nov 2014 at 10:02am
Not exactly OTT but a story worth telling thanks to Kristen Manning writing for Isyndicate:
https://www.facebook.com/DeKabatRacingResearch?fref=nf" rel="nofollow - De Kabat Racing Research
https://www.facebook.com/DeKabatRacingResearch/posts/650858105011442" rel="nofollow - - 36 mins ·
I
have been tracking the Echuca sales for the Australian Racing Board,
and collating the numbers of thoroughbreds offered compared to other
breeds. I have also collected the results, to see whether horses are
sold to private buyers or not. Over six weeks, there have been 616
horses of all breeds auctioned, including 83 Thoroughbreds of all ages.
Only 14% of horses auctioned are bought by the local knackery, and this
story is about one of the 86% that are sold to private homes.
Note: If a knackery has humane practices, then they fulfill a practical
(although sad) necessary service. Not every horse owner has the ability
to bury a large animal. Not every horse is suitable for re-homing, due
to temperament or injury. The figures show that those that are
suitable are finding homes via these auctions.
From broken spirit to a winner
There were just two bidders vying for the well related Tycoon Georgia at an Echuca horse sale two years ago.
Had Meagan Abaloz not won – though there was never a chance she would
not – the daughter of Written Tycoon would no longer be with us.
It did not take a huge amount of money, a mere $280, for Meagan to
secure Tycoon Georgia and she considers that sum the best money she has
ever spent.
Fortunately for Tycoon Georgia a caring friend of Meagan’s spied her
in a pen at the Echuca sale and posted a photo of the bay on Facebook.
And she immediately caught Meagan’s attention.
“I just saw the sadness in her eyes.”
“She pulled at the heartstrings.”
“That was late the night before the sale and first thing the next morning I rang my friend who was going.”
With three simple words – “I want her.”
And so Tycoon Georgia had a new, loving home.
And she needed that love – arriving at Meagan’s in poor condition.
“She was under-fed, her legs were swollen, she was not a happy horse.”
Plenty of TLC ensued – good feed, plenty of time in the paddock, a nice thick rug.
The months passed and the mare nicknamed “Spirit” thrived. So much so
that she was ready to enter the next phase of her life – the one she
was actually bred for.
Asking her parents Margaret and Richard if they’d be interested in racing Tycoon Georgia, Meagan was thrilled when they agreed.
And so Spirit joined the Pakenham stables of Dianne Clover, for whom Megan has worked for the last twelve years.
The plan was for the filly to have one educational start and then head out again, and that is what happened.
Six months out in the paddock after an unplaced debut and Tycoon
Georgia was all the more mature and ready for another crack at racing.
Resuming at the Woolamai picnic meeting in February, Tycoon Georgia
misbehaved at the barriers (“she got a fright when they shut the gate
behind her”), throwing her rider.
She ran third but was ordered to trial. The following month she
returned to Woolamai and had her proud owners cheering as she approached
the turn several lengths in front.
But she was still green and again she had to trial after running out
so badly at the turn that she “ended up on the outside rail!”
She still managed second but the picnic season was coming to a close
by then so Tycoon Georgia had a couple of starts at TAB level before
another break.
It was last Saturday at Balnarring that she resumed.
Everyone who loves her was there – Meagan, Margaret, Richard, the
mare’s track-rider Paul Kramer (who Meagan thanks for his guiding hand
teaching Tycoon Georgia how to be a race horse) and his wife Heidi,
Dianne Clover.
Friends, family, supporters. All holding their breath as Tycoon Georgia showed her usual pace to take an early lead.
Ridden by Michael Kent Jnr, Tycoon Georgia gave a kick at the turn –
and away she went. Her jockey had the time to take a cheeky look behind
to see where her rivals were.
Not that Meagan noticed that at the time. All she saw was her pride and joy a length in front at the line.
Pausing when asked to explain that feeling, Meagan understandably found it hard to put it into words.
“To see her go from a filly with a broken spirit, from the horse
nobody wanted – to a winner… well it was one of the best moments of my
life.”
Tycoon Georgia didn’t need to be a winner for Meagan to love the
horse she describes as “an absolute sweetheart who you can do anything
with” – but the victory is a reward for all the pair have been through
together.
And this is just the start of the story with Tycoon Georgia to be a part of Meagan’s life forever.
Tycoon Georgia, whose dam is a half-sister to last week’s Flemington
Group Three winner Vain Queen, is well bred enough to be a broodmare but
a life of leisure is on the cards.
“When she finishes racing she will spend the rest of her life with me,” Meagan said, “there is no money that could buy her.”
Meagan is not sure where her love of horses came from, but it has always been with her.
“When I was ten I asked my parents for a horse – Dad said if I was
still passionate about it at Christmas time when I was 12 they’d
consider it.”
“Three weeks before that Christmas I asked again – Dad thought I would’ve forgotten by then!”
And so “Polly,” an Arab quarter-horse cross became Meagan’s first
equine pet, much loved for eight years before passing away aged 30 –
buried at home.
Meagan’s second horse “Dusty,” a thoroughbred son of Plush, is still
going strongly aged 23 and there are several other retired racehorses –
and a Standardbred – in her care.
Lucky horses indeed!
HOOFNOTE: Tycoon Georgia was bred by a trainer who took the time to
find her a good home. Sadly the people she was passed onto did the wrong
thing. She was fortunately saved but others are not. There are several
Facebook pages devoted to finding homes for such horses (though
thankfully the minority are thoroughbreds)… please have a look and help
if you can!
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Munga Rangi
Date Posted: 12 Nov 2014 at 8:17pm
There are a lot of good souls giving their time and expertise to help rehome as many of the lots at the Echuca saleyards as possible. There have been some wonderful stories out of there. Facebook Page HAAP Horses at Auction Preview
------------- Caveat emptor
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 27 Dec 2014 at 11:49am
Retiring racehorses leave the track to take on second career in the equestrian world
By http://www.abc.net.au/news/linda-skates/5684052" rel="nofollow - Linda Skates
Updated
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-22/sharon-joyce-rides-scenic-blast-one-month-into-his-retrainingj/5984400" rel="nofollow">
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-22/sharon-joyce-rides-scenic-blast-one-month-into-his-retrainingj/5984400" rel="nofollow -
Photo:
Sharon Joyce says Scenic Blast will start competing in his second career next year. - (Eric Lloyd)
After winning more than $2 million in his career,
racing overseas in Japan, France, the US and winning the King's Stand
Stakes in front of the Queen, there was little that thoroughbred Scenic
Blast had left to achieve.
He won three group one races in 2009 and was named Australian Horse of the Year.
But, like others, an injury put paid to any further racing and he had to be retired from the track.
Hundreds
of other horses leave the racecourse behind each year, and while some
are put out to pasture, others are either rehomed or find a second
career in the equestrian industry.
A small number may have to be euthanased if they have been injured.
But
Judith Medd, the racing industry veterinarian for Racing and Wagering
WA (RWWA), said claims by animal activists that racehorses were
routinely euthanased were simply not true.
"The claims they were
making is that there were a significant number of allegedly healthy, fit
horses that were being discarded as a result of finishing from racing
and we just knew that wasn't the case," she said.
Their agility, their speed, their courage, their bravery,
they're willing to please, they're the sort of attributes that...makes
them very good all rounders for...eventing and show jumping.
Sharon Joyce
"Euthanasia is usually a last resort and even for racing trainers, it's always in my experience been a last resort.
"Obviously
some horses have injuries and like any animal, if it's got an injury
that isn't able to be treated, then euthanasia may be the most
appropriate course and that would be the same for a racehorse or a dog
or a cat."
Scenic Blast fractured his near side hind leg in a trackwork gallop.
He
spent 18 months in recovery and is now in the care of Sharon Joyce who
runs RWWA's Off The Track program which supports the transition of
racehorses into new careers.
Equestrian riders value 'willing to please' racehorses
Ms
Joyce said the equestrian industry, which has disciplines including
dressage, show jumping and eventing, as well as polo, polo cross, pony
clubs, and adult riding clubs, was keen to have retired thoroughbreds.
"Their
agility, their speed, their courage, their bravery, they're willing to
please, they're the sort of attributes that owners and riders like when
they looking for a horse so that makes them very good all rounders for
things like eventing and show jumping," she said.
"The
standardbreds [trotters] are known to have a bit of a more warm
temperament, they're not such hot-blooded animals, so they're good for
pony club riders or adult riding club riders, so those maybe starting
out in the equestrian world."
Ms Medd said for many years equestrian riders would buy European sports horses known as warmbloods but these were expensive.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-22/kate-ingham-rides-retired-thoroughbred-tullius-over-the-off-the/5984398" rel="nofollow">
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-22/kate-ingham-rides-retired-thoroughbred-tullius-over-the-off-the/5984398" rel="nofollow -
Photo:
Kate Ingham rides retired thoroughbred Tullius over a jump at eventing in Perth. - (RedFoto)
"Warmbloods can be very, very suitable for
disciplines like show jumping and dressage but the thoroughbred, because
they have a lot of speed, endurance and stamina, they can also be very
suitable for these disciplines," she said.
"What we're now
starting to find is that a good thoroughbred will actually be much
better than an average European warmblood, particularly for eventing -
where they go over jumps and cross country.
"They have to go
over those jumps in a certain time so they do have a time limit and if
you get a clear round, and you don't knock any of the jumps, then it's
obviously awarded to the person who's gone round the fastest time.
"Thoroughbreds
are very, very good at that; the warmbloods have a good jump but
they're not often that fast so a lot of people use thoroughbreds for
eventing."
They have also found retired horses for Riding for the Disabled.
Ms Joyce estimates she has found new homes for about 60 horses.
'Rehome a Racehorse' on Facebook
Early
last year, Linda Brenzi and Jade Proctor, who work as clerks of course
at Perth Racing, decided there was a need to do something for horses
once they finished at the track.
The pair set up "Rehome a Racehorse" on Facebook.
"What I like to do is turn thoroughbreds into show horses once they finish racing," Ms Brenzi said.
"So
quite often I'd be getting asked by trainers or strappers, would I like
to take on a horse once it had finished, and obviously I can't take
everything because I don't have the money or the property or the time.
That's the link that has been missing so people who do show
jumping and eventing and pony clubs are now able to find horses that are
straight off the track.
Linda Brenzi
"We created this site so basically the trainers, owners
or strappers could come to us with the racing name, all the details of
the horse, photos, and what we do is we put it on our page.
"What it's doing is linking the outside equestrian community to the racing industry.
"I
think that's the link that has been missing so people who do show
jumping and eventing and pony clubs are now able to find horses that are
straight off the track.
"What was happening was people [didn't]
know how to get hold of a horse in the racing industry. If you're not
involved in the industry, you don't actually have access to these horses
so it's linking the two worlds together now."
The pair has so far rehomed 250 horses.
"At the end of the day, if we don't do anything, it's the horses that suffer," Ms Brenzi said.
Record of retiring racehorses now kept
Ms Brenzi said they also attended the sales to prevent unwanted horses going to the knackery.
"We
go to the sales and photograph the ones that are left over because
anybody that puts them in unreserved, if nobody buys, it then basically
that's where they go," she said.
We're starting to get really good figures now that the number
of horses successfully retired to breeding and the equestrian industry
is about 85 per cent.
Judith Medd
"This year, we've actually rehomed the whole lot so none have ended up there from those sales."
For many years, it was not known what happened to racehorses when they retired as records were not kept.
That changed this year with rules put in place by the Australian Racing Board, Ms Medd said.
"The
new rule is that when a thoroughbred retires from racing the owner has
to fill in a form and send it back to the registrar of racehorses,
indicating where that horse has retired to and what it's going to do,"
she said.
"A lot of horses will go into the breeding industry and a lot will go into the equestrian industry to be used as sport horses.
"We're
starting to get really good figures now that the number of horses
successfully retired to breeding and the equestrian industry is about 85
per cent."
For those racehorses taken up by the equestrian industry, there are many fans.
As a rider and horse lover, Ms Joyce is keen to see Scenic Blast back competing.
"We're doing a bit of dressage and a bit of jumping - we'll be out competing next year," she said.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Geraldo
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2014 at 4:36am
Just read the polo article. So, if a polo pony's best years is 6-8yo that means they need to be rehomed again shortly after that?
------------- TBV - where it is the Silly Season all year round.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 30 Dec 2014 at 6:57am
Quite likely go on to lower grades, polocrosse or even bred from as most seem to be mares. Some'd be used for umpiring too I guess.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 02 Jan 2015 at 7:34am
Robinson's love for her 'Cat with nine lives'
Daniel Miles
https://www.twitter.com/DanielMiles90" rel="nofollow - @DanielMiles90
30 December, 2014
He’s tall, dark and handsome, with a broad chest and intelligence to boot.
With a profile like that it’s easy to see how Kirsty McMahon fell head-over-heels in love with retired racehorse, Cats Fun.
The Warrnambool-based pre-trainer has been a constant in Cats Fun’s
life since he transferred across from Perth to trainer Jarrod McLean’s
Yangery stables in early 2009.
McMahon
had been warned of the gelding’s roguish ways, with McLean cautioning
not to put the galloper in a paddock alone as ‘he’d be impossible to
catch’.
“What did I do? I put him in a paddock on his own without thinking,” McMahon said with a laugh.
Yet
there was something about McMahon that had the normally difficult
gelding enamoured. Cats Fun trotted straight to the pre-trainer,
signalling the first moment of kindness in a friendship that would last
far beyond his racing days.
“I’ve always been
obsessed with the horse and he’s always been obsessed with me back. It
takes most people a bit of time to really win him over but we just
clicked from the start,” she said.
It should come as no surprise that Cats Fun returned to racing with
relish having undergone a period of pre-training with McMahon, with the
decision by McLean to send Cats Fun over the jumps quickly paying
dividends for the pair.
The
hulking gelding relished the change of scenery, his dominant win in the
2013 Brierly Steeplechase at Warrnambool a clear highlight of McMahon’s
time in racing.
“I was so proud of him that day, nothing will ever top that day on the racetrack for me ever,” she said.
Cats
Fun’s tenacity on the track has transferred to his life post-racing,
with McMahon affectionately re-naming her mate ‘cat with nine lives’ –
and with good reason, too.
The gelding has
faced death on three occasions with a serious bout of colic, a staph
infection and an adverse reaction to penicillin all troubling the
retired galloper.
Yet, he has always managed to pull through.
“I told him when he was sick with his colic back in 2009 that if he
pulled through he’d a have a home for life with me, and he pulled
through the cheeky bugger,” McMahon said.
Cats Fun was retired in August 2014 and has been loving life off the track with McMahon ever since.
He is regarded as the mascot of the Warrnambool Pony Club where
McMahon is an adult member. Cats Fun is no stranger to Pony Club life,
having become a regular attendee over the past five years while in
Victoria.
McMahon has plans to start eventing with Cats Fun in the future, but
for now is just happy to spend time hacking around a paddock and
showering her best bud with affection.
“We’ll get along and do more things off the track in the future, but at the moment I’m just enjoying that he’s mine,” she said.
“He’ll keep getting lots of kisses and cuddles and scratches and
we’ll head out riding whenever we can. He gets away with murder here
with me, but he’s found his home for life for sure. I don’t know what
I’d do without him.”
By Daniel Miles - @DanielMiles90
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2015 at 10:25am
Havers and Harry Go for Final Glory
James Tzaferis
https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
2 January, 2015
If bloodlines were the sole determinant of success on the
racetrack, Encosta De Lago gelding Inigomontoya would’ve been a
champion.
But unfortunately for his racing owners, the $150,000 weanling
purchase didn’t live up his pricey pedigree and was retired as a maiden
after three unplaced starts on the track for trainers John O’Shea and
Andrew Noblet.
But what he lacks in speed and an aptitude for racing, Inigomontoya
makes up for in looks and a loving temperament, much to the satisfaction
of Benalla teenager Olivia Havers.
Since first welcoming the now 11-year-old gelding into her family’s
stable two years ago, the pair have become a formidable combination in
the show ring and will look to claim their biggest success together in
the Off the Track Show Series Final at the Victorian Saddle Horse
Championships in Bendigo on 8 January.
The unique class, open exclusively to retired thoroughbred racehorses
that earned qualification via one of more than 100 Off the Track
classes at agricultural shows across the state, will see up to 40 of
Victoria’s most talented show horses take chase up to $2800 in
prizemoney (winner: $1000, runner-up: $500, finalists: $100, highest placed Off the Track (raced) in the last two years: $500).
Having ridden horses from early childhood, Havers said Inigomontoya
was her first thoroughbred and, after persisting with his initial
retraining, she has been given a lasting first impression of the breed.
“When I got him he was very nervous and really green when he went out
so we just kept working with him and he’s taken really well to it all,”
Havers said.
“He’s the first thoroughbred that I’ve really had anything to do with and my first hack that I’ve had to show.
“He is a great type and a perfect example of what a good thoroughbred is like, he’s just a gentle giant.”
Although the pair have been competing with great success this year,
including a runner-up placing in Havers’ rider class at this year’s
Royal Melbourne Show, the 15-year-old said a win at Bendigo would
provide a career highlight.
Havers rode Inigomontoya to a top 10 placing in January’s inaugural
Off the Track Show Series Final, won by Samantha McMaster and DP
Destiny, and are again set to face some challenging rivals, including
the likes of the last two Garryowen champions - Chosen One and WS Coast –
and former Bart Cummings-trained Group 1 winner Sirmione.
“I got second in my rider (class) at Melbourne with him which was
his first Royal Show and I’ve just been doing lots of little shows
around the rural areas where I live in Benalla,” Havers said.
“I’ve won a lot of Champions and Reserve Champions on him in Hack
Classes and I won the Off the Track Class with him at Yarrawonga Show.
“He’s definitely picked up in his condition and he’s really starting
to come together in his work so I think that if we keep working really
hard he could place quite high.”
Run in partnership with the Victorian Agricultural Shows (VAS) as
part of the 2015 Saddle Horse Championships, the Off the Track Show
Series Final will be held at 5pm on Thursday, 8 January at the Prince of
Wales Showgrounds in Bendigo.
And as they watch the exciting Off the Track action unfold in the
ring, spectators will enjoy a complimentary BBQ dinner, provided by
Racing Victoria.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: furious
Date Posted: 03 Jan 2015 at 10:58am
A cousin in England had a horsey girlfiend who we met when overseas and we got talking horses. It seems our thoroughbreds have alot more personality and go than some English ones. Maybe she needs to visit Red Cadeau who seemed to also be personality plus on his visit. I think that is why you find more thoroughbreds competing in the Eventing with Australian riders while overseas they rely on the warmblood crosses. It's funny though. We didn't have that type for the English Olympics and we didn't have the best games. Hopefully some thoroughbreds make the team in Rio.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 22 Feb 2015 at 1:15pm
Belltone
https://www.facebook.com/mhellyer3/posts/10152739322198295?fref=nf" rel="nofollow - Michael Hellyer
Would
like to thank everybody for their support over the past 24 hours with
getting and finding a new home for Belltone cannot thank my wife https://www.facebook.com/linda.hellyer" rel="nofollow - Linda Hellyer enough and https://www.facebook.com/maequineservices.com.au" rel="nofollow - Michelle Allen
for taking him. Would like to thank the owner for contributing and
paying for Belltone to allow us to take him and find a new home and also
Kelso Wood & https://www.facebook.com/patricia.gesler" rel="nofollow - Patricia Gesler for taking such great care of over him over the years. I'm so happy to see him retired to a lovely home its what he deserved.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 24 Feb 2015 at 4:26pm
Another lovely 'meant to be' story
Spiderman - Safe and Sound
Daniel Miles
https://www.twitter.com/DanielMiles90" rel="nofollow - @DanielMiles90
He can’t run very fast. He hasn’t got great scope, beautiful movement or marked jumping ability.
He’s not even particularly intelligent, but that hasn’t stopped
Georgina Officer falling head-over-heels for retired racehorse,
Spiderman.
A regally-bred son More Than Ready, Spiderman started his life as lot
458 at the 2010 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sales, where he was
secured for $40,000 by Cranbourne-trained Mick Kent.
The sweet natured chestnut quickly showed the team at Kent racing
that he had little interest in the racing caper, finishing no closer
than third-last in each of his six-career starts.
Having secured no career prizemoney outside starters fees, Spiderman
was quickly retired and sent to a local agistment farm having finished
some 30-lengths off the winning horse in a 1200m Kilmore maiden.
However, this is where –as Georgina Officer states – Spiderman’s story gets ‘murky’.
Somehow, between his final race start in August 2013 and early March
2014, Spiderman found his way to a New South Wales property known as
‘The Depot’.
It took just one photo to convince Officer that Spiderman was the horse for her.
“I had no idea what I was doing. I’d seen a picture of him and was
told he was a ‘nice type’, but other than that I knew nothing,” she
said.
“I remember sitting at my friends after the sale, wondering, ‘What
have I done? What was I going to do with an off the track thoroughbred
that I would always be too scared to ride?’
“I myself was just coming back from a major accident after 15 years
off, and everyone says that off the trackers are ‘fire breathing
dragons’, only to be ridden by the most experienced riders!
“But Spiderman, he came to me, and I think there was a reason for that.”
And so began the story of Georgina Officer and Spiderman, who would live out the rest of his days known as Pete.
Officer quickly got to work rehabilitating the gelding on her
property, working on his condition, his food aggression and ‘fixing the
mess that was his feet’ before sending the youngster to a breaker and
trainer.
“It didn’t take us long; I instantly fell head-over-heels in love with the big red boy,” she said.
“I made the decision that I would not sell him; he came too close to
the end of the road and I was going to make sure that when he dies it’s
from old age, fat and happy in the back paddock.”
There was just one problem that remained for Officer and Pete. Who would ride the gelding?
Officer had spent the best part of 15 years out of the saddle and
didn’t know anyone who could take her place aboard the chestnut.
Summoning all of her courage, Officer took the bold step and saddled up
her best mate.
Pete’s unreserved kindness under saddle surprised his new owner.
“He may be a bit stupid, grind his teeth and paddle; but he’s honestly the safest, kindest horse I know,” she said.
“I have seen him to refuse to move when a beginner rider becomes
unbalanced, and avoid stepping on a small girl who has decided to stop
and pick-up a rock from directly in front of his foot.
“Most impressively, he’s even learnt that when mummy says, ‘Ouch,
ouch, ouch,’ he gently comes to a complete stop and lets me ungracefully
slide off his back into a heap.”
Pete isn’t ever going to be a star of the dressage ring, or a ribbon
winning show jumper. He won’t be an award winning polo pony or a
front-line police horse.
What Pete is however, is safe.
Just like thousands of retired racehorses across the nation – Pete is
an off the track thoroughbred who will live a long, happy life with a
family who will treat him as part of the family.
And while he may not ever find a place in the spotlight, Officer says that Pete will forever remain a star in her eyes.
“He’s an example of horses who give nervous people like me confidence
and love; who touch our hearts and are a huge mistake and stuff-up of a
purchase that turn in to the best mistake we ever made. I can’t imagine
life without him now.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: reng
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 12:14pm
Another article about my ARB study: https://www.thoroughbredracing.com/articles/australian-racing-offence-about-racehorse-retirement
Australian racing on the offence about racehorse retirement
Researcher Renee Geelen in 1991 riding a retired Standardbred. Photo via Renée Geelen.
Modern
racing is finding itself more and more embattled, thanks in part to
vigorous anti-racing campaigns. However, in 2013, the Australian Racing
Board armed itself with its own facts on the retirement of racehorses.
Trent Masenhelder spoke to researcher Renée Geelen, who was commissioned
to gather accurate, representative data on the 11,000 racehorses, of
some 17,000 born annually, that are retired in Australia every year.
-----
There
has long been mystery, uncertainty, and brisk debate about what happens
to racehorses when they finish competing. During life as a competition
athlete, they are largely nurtured, groomed, fed, tended with loving
care, and prepared by their trainer as best he or she knows how, all
with the aim of bringing home a cheque, and providing owners with the
excitement that this industry promises. But what happens when a
racehorse is no longer put through its paces every morning, floated to
the races, and sent to face the starter? Does it see out its days
grazing in sunbathed paddocks with dozens other fellow racers, or, as
the animal activists will have everyone believe, are most of these
retired horses considered “wastage,” and sent off to the knackery?
Every
season in Australia, approximately 11,000 racehorses are retired for
various reasons: injury, illness, advanced age. Some are deemed not fast
enough, others not competitive enough, while many finish up because
they’ve done enough for caring owners. The Australian Stud Book
indicates that approximately 3,000 retirees go to stud, thereby
remaining in the industry as breeding mares and stallions. However, what
of the remaining 8,000? What happens to them?
In
2013, the Australian Racing Board (ARB) commissioned Thoroughbred
consultant Renée Geelen to find out. The ARB has identified the
retirement of Australia’s racehorses as its No. 1 animal-welfare issue,
and it charged Geelen with surveying the retirement issue to determine
what was really happening in the industry. Geelen is a native New
Zealander, these days based in Sydney where she runs de Kabat
Bloodstock. She has worked as a strapper, and has a Bachelor of Science
with majors in physics and mathematics.
Geelen
contacted 25 trainers across Australia with a combined total of 3,224
horses between them. This data set, she considered, was representative
of the entire industry. Trainers were both city- and country-based, and
incorporated some of the biggest names in racing, along with operations
that had only a handful of horses. Geelen quizzed trainers, recording
where their horses ended up after leaving the yard for the last time.
While she took it at face value that trainers were telling the truth,
admitting that it was not time-effective to follow-up on individual
cases, she found, with only a very small exception, that trainers were
open to her requests for information. The survey was designed in such a
way that trainers had to be specific in their answers as to where horses
had gone on retirement, and Geelen hoped that it would be harder to be
untruthful while being so specific. When she received responses citing
horses gone to stud or returned to owner, she double-checked this
against Stud Book records.
“In
general, people were quite open to the idea of the survey because
they’re trying to do the right thing [in rehoming horses], and there are
so many anti-racing people talking a whole load of... well, you know.
Trainers wanted to be part of saying ‘yeah, we’re doing the right
thing,’ and I think we got reasonably sound data. Apart from a few that
had been euthanized for various reasons, most horses had gone on and
found other jobs like pony club, polo, stock horses, and all sorts of
things.”
From
Geelen’s research, of the 1,470 horses in her survey that finished
racing, 664 (45 percent) went to stud. A further 109 (7 percent) died or
were euthanised, while just six (0.4 percent) ended up at the
abattoirs.
“There’s
a big data gap,” Geelen said. “For example, you don’t have to register a
pleasure horse, so there’s no data on them, and nobody knows how many
[ex-racehorse] pleasure horses there are in Australia, and who owns
them. It allows the anti-racing groups to make up stuff. But the whole
point of the survey was to move the debate beyond just stories, and
groups like Animals Australia have a really strong following because
they’re good at emotionalizing stories.”
Geelen
said the racing industry had a history of not having data to back up
its own claims when it came to racehorse retirement. She said the survey
was an opportunity for the industry to say it had real data, and that
it was considered, measured, and sensible – and not emotive. She added
that a scientific approach was necessary so that the data would present a
real answer, not the answer she, personally, was looking for. After
all, this is a woman passionate about horse racing.
By
the end of the survey, Geelen’s findings were reflective of a 2004
study funded by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals (RSPCA), and recently published as the “Hayek Study” by
veterinary professor Paul McGreevy of the University of Sydney (McGreevy
has a history of strong opinions on racing, including advocating for
the banning of whips). A comparative look at the results of both studies
goes as follows:
Geelen
has issues with the Hayek Study. She said that though both surveys
tended towards the same answers, the Hayek version included a higher
proportion of country trainers, while her research concentrated on a
higher proportion of metropolitan trainers. Geelen questions the
objectivity of the Hayek work, and said that it buckets all horses
having left a stable as having left the racing industry. The results
contradict that.
Geelen
insists that her survey was designed to reflect what is really
happening with racehorses, not what the racing industry hopes is
happening. She accepts that trainers may or may not have been telling
her the truth, but Geelen said that her results are comparative with
other surveys of this kind (including one conducted by Racing Victoria
recently, and due shortly for publication), and therefore this indicates
an accurate state of events.
“I
wanted to ensure that the survey couldn’t be criticized for trying to
find good news, and that it was as unbiased and scientific as a survey
can be,” she said.
In
proving this, Geelen pointed out that she came across stories of
trainers not doing the right thing, but among the 25 she contacted,
there were only two. She said from a scientific point-of-view, it was
good to find them, because it meant she was covering all ends of the
spectrum.
“It represented only six horses, so it wasn’t a widespread issue,” she said.
The
anti-racing movement has the wider public believing otherwise. There
are various claims that 18,000 Thoroughbreds are slaughtered every year
in Australia, while in 2008, http://kb.rspca.org.au/afile/235/36/" rel="nofollow - an investigation into horse slaughter by Amanda Doughty
found that of 340 horses processed at an Australian abattoir, 40
percent had Thoroughbred brands. However, there is no way of knowing how
these racehorses are ending up at slaughterhouses. Anti-racing groups
cannot say if horses are arriving straight from the racetrack (this is
their preferred point-of-marketing), or if they’ve had many years in
other careers first, having been successfully rehomed by the industry
after their racing days.
The
ARB understands the importance of being able to provide tangible
evidence concerning the retirement of racehorses, admitting it has long
relied on anecdotal information and data. It is possible that the
industry had become complacent, assuming that the general public
accepted that racing people love their horses, and that they were
answerable to the handling and treatment of the animals. This is no
longer the case.
“In
the face of the onslaught by animal rights extremists, racing must be
able to prove its case, and provide the facts and figures for public
consumption,” said Peter McGauran, CEO of the ARB. “Consequently, we
commissioned this survey, and are able to tell a good story about the
retirement of ex-racehorses.”
Furthermore, in July 2014, http://www.racingnsw.com.au/site/_content/document/00001200-source.pdf" rel="nofollow - the ARB amended the Australian Rule of Racing AR.64 ,
making it compulsory for managing owners and trainers to notify Racing
Information Services Australia (RISA) of the retirement and death of any
horse in their care. A “Retirement of Racehorses or Death Notification
Form” was created.
“To
consolidate the reliability of information going forward, we now
require owners and trainers to notify us of, firstly, the retirement of a
horse, and secondly, its destination,” McGauran said.
McGauran
believes that Geelen’s study was groundbreaking, and will enable the
community to be able to make informed decisions about its support and
understanding of racing. He insists that the industry adheres to the
highest standards when it comes to integrity and the welfare of
racehorses.
“In
today’s media climate, you have to be able to substantiate and prove
the facts,” McGauran said. “I wouldn’t expect there to be a need for a
survey ever again, because the retirement forms will tell us where
horses have gone. Previously, we haven’t had those hard facts. The
animal welfare groups are now incredibly sophisticated in media and
public relations; you have to give them credit in their ability to
simplify a message and communicate it to the widest possible audience.
But, what we now have on our side is science and fact, and we just have
to be a lot smarter in winning the public debate. We’re not up against
amateurs. Exaggeration and distortion are stock in trade [for the
anti-racing groups].”
There
are a further two sections to Geelen’s study that are currently under
discussion with the Retirement of Racehorses Committee, a subsidiary of
the ARB. One involved Geelen interviewing a further 20 trainers about
horses that were named but unraced, while the other addressed breeders
about horses from the 2009/2010 foal crop that were unnamed. The
Committee is considering presenting these results as a conference paper
in the future.
------------- The problem with Opportunity is that it wears overalls and looks like work.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2015 at 1:25pm
Backman Talks Beyond the Bid
James Tzaferis
https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
2 hours ago
White Knight in the pen at Echuca Sales
Thoroughbreds in Victoria have found an unlikely ally in David Backman.
For lack of a softer title, Backman is a self-labelled “horse
dealer”, an often misunderstood role that sees him the subject of harsh
stares and online attacks at the horse sales he attends.
A regular at Echuca (Bid 50), Pakenham (Bid 7) and other regional
Victorian sale venues, Backman purchases cheap horses, including
thoroughbreds, to on-sell for a profit under the banner of the Daville
Pastoral Company.
The fact Backman’s son owns and operates the Maffra District Knackery
doesn’t help his cause and misinformed individuals wrongly assume that a
grim fate for all his purchases is sealed with the fall of the
auctioneer’s gavel.
There exists a similarly misguided line of thinking in the community
that all horses offered in such sales are destined for an untimely
demise, save for intervention from ‘rescue’ groups that also boast
regular attendance at the sales.
Backman is no saint. Far from it, in fact. But he loves horses and is
fed up with individuals and groups that claim otherwise, giving
legitimate sales and honest dealers a terrible reputation in the
process.
“You’re damn right they (horse sales) get a bad rap and for no reason,” Backman said.
“I’ll be honest with you, if people toned it down a little bit and
opened their eyes to see where these horses actually end up, everyone
would be better off.
“You’ve got people ringing these thoroughbred trainers and owners,
accusing them of sending a horse to Maffra (Knackery) because I’ve
picked it up and telling them that they’ve saved the horse.
“How the hell are you saving a horse from me if I’m a horse dealer and I’ve got someone else buying the horse?”
Backman said the overwhelming majority of horses he purchased filled
orders from private buyers looking for horses to work stock or compete
across multiple equestrian disciplines. Others are utilised by his
family in a successful show jumping breeding program.
And he said other dealers operated in a similar manner with the bulk
of thoroughbreds finding their way to the knackery being those too sick,
injured or dangerous horses to place into post-racing careers.
“If horses I buy are booked to the Daville Pastoral Company, they’re
all sold and if they’re booked to the Maffra Knackery, 90% of those
horses I sell as well,” Backman said.
“We breed jumping horses with our warmblood stallions and nearly all
those broodmares we’ve got are thoroughbreds that I’ve bought.
“Even the place at Laverton where there was a bit of controversy and
media exposure a couple of years ago is selling horses on (via Rehoming
Horses Victoria).
“But if horses are injured and will never live comfortably or have a
bad temperament where someone could get hurt, putting them into the
trade (knackery) is the best option.
Backman confirmed that many of the horses he purchased, either from
public sales or through private dealings, were thoroughbreds, a breed
that had proven relatively simple to sell on to new homes.
Monitoring of recent sales indicates that, on average, only 12% of
the horses offered at Victorian livestock sales are thoroughbreds, the
majority of which have been rehomed more than once since retiring from
the track.
“I deal in horses and I can sell the thoroughbreds quite easily,” Backman said.
“I’ve bought a lot of racehorses and they’ve been the best cared for horses I’ve ever seen.
“I buy 80 to 90 horses a month privately and while they’re not all
thoroughbreds, the majority are, and those people are more than happy
for me to sell them because I ring them back and tell them who I’ve sold
them to.
“I don’t make a fortune on them but I make good money and the racing blokes are pleased to see me do it.
“I have the utmost respect for the racing trainers I deal with because they’ve got the utmost respect for their horses.”
This respect is reciprocated in the way Backman cares for the thoroughbreds he buys once they arrive on his property.
Some horses spend only a few days there before being dropped off to
their new owners while others, including those only recently retired
from racing, are given time to transition from their fast-paced racing
lifestyle.
“The horses I buy are unloaded into my yards later that night and as
soon as they’re unloaded they’re given water and lucerne to eat all
night and in the morning I let them out into the good irrigation
paddocks,” Backman said.
“If they’ve come in fresh out of work, all I do is put them in a
paddock for about four or five weeks on the grass, just to get the hot
feed out of them.
“As soon as they’ve got the hot feed out of them, we bring them back into work and they train up the same as any other horse.”
At last week’s Echuca Horse Sale, Backman was behind the purchase of
seven thoroughbreds, including former Chris Waller and Matthew
Williams-trained galloper White Knight.
The seven-year-old son of Ustinov, a one-time hurdler who was retired
in 2013, sold for $350 and Backman immediately lined the gelding up for
a buyer seeking a horse to work stock.
But after being contacted by Kylie Stephenson, one of the horse’s
original racing owners, prominent media personality Richard Callander,
agreed to fund the transfer of the horse into Stephenson’s care, where
he remains today.
Callander had initially been assured White Knight would be retired to
a loving equestrian home but, unbeknownst to his former trainers and
owners, the gelding was offered for sale at Echuca 18 months after his
final race start.
“I had White Knight sold when Kylie rang me and I rang the chap back
and told him I couldn’t sell it to him anymore,” Backman said.
“But he didn’t have a problem taking one of the other big
thoroughbreds I’d bought, as long as they were able to be worked on the
stock and that’s not a problem for thoroughbreds.
“He asked me what happened to White Knight and I told him that the
original owners wanted to buy it back and Kylie, who I deal with quite a
bit, had been ringing and asking me for it.
While Racing Victoria (RV) accepts Victorian livestock sales as
legitimate markets to buy and sell thoroughbreds, both in and out of
work, it strongly recommends vendors present horses in good condition,
place an auction reserve on the horse and remain at the sale throughout
the day to satisfy all enquiries about the horse from prospective
buyers, and if need be take them home.
As part of its commitment to equine welfare, RV representatives will
continue to attend the Echuca Horse Sale each fortnight to identify
thoroughbreds for sale and provide any known information to potential
buyers, as well as offering a courtesy service to alert owners, trainers
and breeders to the presence of any former horses.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 07 Apr 2015 at 7:09pm
One of our members retired this girl very quickly on discovering she was a very slow conveyance but as with all his retirees, he rehomed her to full advantage of all concerned
Retired Racehorse Success at Sydney Royal
By Cara Kavanagh
Victorian
rider Sarah Dempsey’s retired racehorse Sarven Park Tell All was judged
Best Novice Hack at last week’s Sydney Royal Show.
The
Off the Track mare, sired by the US stallion Denon from the Umatilla
mare Summatilla, had one start under the race name ‘Summaden’ and is an
example of the many racehorses, both successful and unsuccessful, that
forge a new post-racing career in another equestrian sport.
The
mare’s breeder and former trainer, popular Mt Gambier horseman Dean
Saxon, said he was rapt to have found such a good home for her.
“She
was pretty slow and only raced once, but was always a terrific
conformation type, so when (we found out) Sarah was looking for a new
horse, we sent her over,” Saxon told The Weekly Times’ Fran Cleland.
"The lovely Sarah Dempsey has done a truly outstanding job
with this mare and to win at Sydney Royal is massive for her.
“Sarah deserves all the credit. She’s done all the hard work and we are so proud.”
Retired
thoroughbred racehorses continued to impress the judges in Sydney across
the weekend, winning three of the four Open Hack classes and claiming
Champion and Reserve Champion Open Hack.
Champion Hack was
awarded to Mikimoto, winner of the Tony Haynes Memorial Perpetual Trophy
for the best Open Hack over 15.2hh and not exceeding 16hh. Mikimoto,
who raced as Lago Force during stints in the stables of Team Hawkes and
Garry White, was exhibited by Joh Bailey, Michael Christie and Sandra
McCann.
The Large Hack
class was won by imposing Zabeel gelding Xlerate for Mark Kenzig,
Victoria Gorst and Vick Berwick while Syenna Vassilopoulos’ mare High
Fashion, who raced as Rosie Glow, took out the over 16hh and not
exceeding 16.2hh class before going on to claim reserve Champion Open
Hack.
The Col. A. V.
Pope Silver Perpetual Trophy, donated by the late Col A V Pope, for the
Best Hack over 15hh which, that in the opinion of the Judge, shows
Thoroughbred qualities was won by Joann Maunder’s nomination Karado.
Karado, a son of
Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) that sold for $200,000 as a weanling, raced as
Domitian for Sydney trainer Anthony Cummings and proved to be a handy
horse on the track, winning at Canterbury and Newcastle and earning more
than $60,000 from 22 starts before being retired in February 2012.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 8:56am
Manighar, with Phillip Dutton in the saddle (Photo: www.phillipdutton.com)
He conquered the racetrack with feature wins on both sides of
the equator and now Group 1-winning grey Manighar will turn his
attention to dominating another equine discipline.
The OTI Racing-owned gelding, a winner of 10 races and nearly $4
million during a 44-start career in Europe, Australia and the United
States, has joined the stables of top US-based eventer Phillip Dutton.
A member of Australia’s Gold Medal-winning eventing team at the
Sydney Olympics in 2000, Dutton is now based in West Grove, Pennsylvania
and continues to compete at the sport’s highest level.
Retired after running his final race for trainer H. Graeme Motion at
Woodbine in December 2014, Dutton has been impressed with Manighar’s
rapid Off the Track transition.
“I couldn’t be more pleased with the progress we’ve made,” Dutton said in a video posted on his YouTube page.
“Overall, his progress has been very pleasing and he has come around
very quickly for us given he came straight from training in Florida to a
whole different career and different way of going.”
Originally prepared in France by Melbourne Cup-winning trainer Alain
de Royer Dupre, Manighar first travelled to Australia under the care of
Luca Cumani to contest the 2010 Caulfield and Melbourne Cups.
Transferred to Caulfield trainer Peter Moody after the 2011 Spring
Racing Carnival, Manighar stamped his authority on Australia’s
weight-for-age ranks with Group 1 wins in the Australian Cup (2000m),
Ranvet Stakes (2000m) and The BMW (2400m).
The decision to retire the nine-year-old came after an unsuccessful
three-start North American campaign for Motion with another of the
gelding’s owners, US businessman Earle Mack, asking Dutton to assess the
son of Linamix’s potential as an event mount.
Eventing combines three equestrian disciplines – dressage, cross
country and show jumping – and has traditionally been a popular
post-racing career for thoroughbreds whose athleticism, intelligence and
stamina has led them to success at the pinnacle of the sport.
“He’s gone from being what I call ‘real racehorsey’ which is being
inattentive and wanting to canter and go fast to understanding about
bending around your leg and being able to go in a bit of a frame,”
Dutton said.
“He picks up each canter leg well and I’m just starting to get him to
slow down the canter so that he can canter on a shorter stride.
“He jumps in good form and his technique with his front and back legs
is good but what I’ll be working on is to get him up higher in the
air.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Dizzy
Date Posted: 15 Apr 2015 at 9:12am
Thanks Gay, it is so good to hear these stories, brings back my faith in the human race.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 07 May 2015 at 7:49pm
His ability over obstacles proved a defining factor in his
successful racing career and now 2012 Warrnambool Grand Annual
Steeplechase (5500m) winner Awakening Dream is putting his impressive
leap to good use in his new equestrian career.
The former Patrick Payne-trained jumper, a winner of 11 of his 46
career starts including eight over obstacles, was retired from the track
in 2013 into the care of former handler Kate Ryan.
Ryan, who strapped the gelding when he won the Grand Annual and
continues to ride trackwork for Payne, said the 11-year-old was making
impressive progress in his new career as a show jumper and aspiring
eventer.
“When the decision was made to retire him, the owner asked Patrick to
find him a good home and he asked me if I wanted to take him,” Ryan
said.
“He finished his racing career and I sent him to the beach at
Inverloch with my brother-in-law for a bit of a holiday while I was
pregnant.
“After I had my daughter I brought him back to where I’m living which
is near Diamond Creek and we’re competing twice a month, mostly in show
jumping, but we’re getting into a bit of eventing as well.”
Eventing combines three equestrian disciplines – dressage, cross
country and show jumping – and is a domain in which thoroughbreds have
always excelled due to their intelligence, versatility and stamina.
Leading international and Australian eventers, including Olympians
Shane Rose, Sonja Johnson and Gillian Rolton, have tasted success aboard
thoroughbreds in some of the world's biggest events.
While Awakening Dream’s jumping ability ensures he is proficient in
both cross country and show jumping, Ryan said her intention was to
refine the gelding’s flat work.
“He’s a really good jumper over the show jumps so there’s no problem there,” Ryan said.
“He’ll have to improve on his dressage skills to be competitive at
the highest level but on his show jumping and cross country there won’t
be any problems because he loves it.
“We’re working on our flat work at the moment and I’m getting lessons on a weekly basis.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 18 May 2015 at 1:46pm
MI3DE Guest Blog - Kirilee Hosier
|By Kirilee Hosier
Kirilee Hosier and Regal Red Jasper
Fresh from success at the PCAV State Horse Trials, 20-year-old Kirilee
Hosier will lead a two-pronged attack on the CCI1* at the Melbourne
International 3 Day Event on retired racehorses Regal Red Jasper and
Scatterbook Divine
I’m 20 now and I got my first pony when I was three years old. My
parents both rode so I was brought up into a life of riding, starting
pony club when I was five. I was just doing general pony club stuff for a
period of time and the horse I had decided he didn’t want to jump
anymore which meant a few years of just doing dressage.
But since I’ve had my two thoroughbreds in the stable, I’ve pretty
much focussed on eventing. I haven’t competed at Melbourne before so
it’s quite exciting for me as a first time rider, especially with two
horses there and I’m hopeful that one of them can come out with a
placing.
I got my older horse Jasper in 2009 and he hadn’t done a lot because
he’d been a bit of a handful for his previous rider. He’s an 11-year-old
son of Lion Cavern that never made it to the racetrack. I started him
off at Pony Club and I’ve brought him along slowly to CCI1*. He’s a bit
behind where he could’ve been because unfortunately he had two years off
with various injuries but I’m hoping that next season he’ll be able to
get to CCI2*.
Scatterbook Divine is two years younger than Jasper and I got him two
days after his last race. He made it to the track and actually managed
to win a race at Echuca when he was known as The Divine One. My coach
had affiliations with the trainer, Lee Hope, and I was basically told
that he was mine if I wanted to take him. I picked him up from the
trainer, brought him home for two weeks before he unfortunately got
injured as well.
He’s been a progressive eventer and has continued to improve as I’ve
brought him through the grades. He started at Grade Four and won the
Pony Club State Horse Trials, then the next year he won Grade Three at
the same event. He was second at Grade Two at last year’s titles and was
obviously fourth at Grade One this year, behind Jasper who finished
second and was awarded the Best Performed Off the Track thoroughbred.
These two horses have made me a pretty big fan of thoroughbreds as a
breed. I’ve noticed that even after a few weeks off, they’re still fit
so if they have a slight setback I know I can rest them and they’ll
still have enough fitness to go to a competition. I’ve found
thoroughbreds are also pretty good at remembering what their job is
which is helpful and most of them are pretty quick and quite agile.
I’d like to complete Melbourne on both of them and of course I’d love to
get some sort of ribbon but it is a tough field and I want to be
realistic. I would expect Jasper to do slightly better than Scatterbook
Divine as he is the more experienced of the two and performed well at
the PCAV State Horse Trials last month. But in saying that, Scatterbook
Divine always seems to surprise me and can sometimes score better and
jump better than Jasper if things go right for him. Regardless, there’ll
a bit of healthy in-house competition between the two and I’m sure I’ll
have plenty of fun.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 06 Oct 2015 at 3:50pm
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1455379468096620/permalink/1502324713402095/" rel="nofollow - - - 12 mins ·
Was
just informed today that Grand Zulu - BMW stakes winner won the 1.05m
showjumping Championship at the Sydney SJ Champs today! Great to see a
well know OTT go onto being a successful Equestrian competitor
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 16 Dec 2015 at 5:24pm
OTT Hanks loving life at Violet Town Euroa Jumping Classic last weekend
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2016 at 9:56am
Double post as he has his own thread too
Sincero, pictured here after winning the Group 2 Memsie Stakes at Caulfield
He was a star on the racetrack and early indications suggest
dual Group 1 winner Sincero will be a formidable force in his new career
as a show horse.
A winner 12 races, including the Group 1 Stradbroke Handicap (1400m)
and Group 1 George Main Stakes (1600m), and more than $1.7 million in
prizemoney, Sincero made his showing debut in New South Wales last
weekend.
The son of Umatilla remains in the care of Sarah Farley, the wife of
trainer Stephen Farley, and is being shown in partnership with long-time
friend Lisa Greentree.
Greentree said that the eight-year-old coped with the foreign
atmosphere of the show ring extremely well at his first competitive
outing and is excited about the gelding’s future under saddle.
“He went to his first show last week in the led classes and he was so relaxed,” Greentree said.
“Being the first show of the season there was quite a bit going on
and a lot of horses around him were a bit fresh but when he was asked to
trot out for the judge he did it like he’s been doing it all his life.
“He wants to do it, he wants to be there and he doesn’t mind the eating part of being a show horse as well.”
Greentree, an part-owner of several Farley-trained horses over the
last decade, said the stable put an emphasis on responsible retirement
of its horses and Sincero was one of many that had transitioned into a
competitive second career.
“The owners are very passionate about rehoming all of their horses
and the majority of them agreed that this was the best thing for him
(Sincero),” Greentree said.
“Everyone just loves the horse so much and a career in the show ring just gives us an excuse to spoil him.”
Should Sincero continue his progression through the ranks, he could
qualify to represent New South Wales in this year’s Off the Track
National Show Horse Championship.
The exclusive event, held by Racing Victoria for the first time in
2015, attracts the premier thoroughbred show horses from around the
country and showcases the successful transformation racehorses can make
into a second career.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: furious
Date Posted: 01 Feb 2016 at 11:59am
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 04 Apr 2016 at 12:06pm
Another great CIC3* performance at Albury by RV Retrainer https://twitter.com/OTTEventing" rel="nofollow - @OTTEventing & her ex-racehorse La Muso
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 04 Apr 2016 at 12:08pm
Congratulations to https://twitter.com/Shane_M_Rose" rel="nofollow - @Shane_M_Rose & retired racehorse Shanghai Joe after success in the CIC3* at Albury Horse Trials
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 05 Apr 2016 at 11:24am
A contribution from 'acia alba', thanks, I'm sure the thread is read even if few comments, it's lovely to know how many are going on to fulfilling lives for both owners & horses As an aside, Damien Thornton returned to Pony Club competition over the weekend, showing he'd not forgotten how by winning his event (dressage picture) on Gosh
Damien Thornton Rides A Winner But Not On The Racetrack.
Damien Thronton was able to ride a winner on Sunday but this time it was not on a racetrack.
Damien turned back the clock and returned to his Pony Club days riding
his old mate Gosh to victory at the Lochard Pony Club at Grade 1 Level.
Gosh was a bit fresh in the dressage arena and after Round 1 was
sitting 3rd with a bit of work to do, Round 2 in the Show Jumping arena
Gosh was able to make up ground overall with a handy display only
knocking over 4 poles in what was a tight course for all the
competitors.
The 3rd Round was Cross Country and Gosh and Damien
went thru cleanly and although a tad slow from the "set time" it was
enough to secure the overall lead and the victory.
For both horse
and rider it was a very enjoyable day and both will improve from the
hitout, Damien was very quick to point out "I still have got it" a
cheeky remark but worthy one given his long break from his pony club
days.
Saturday’s opening meeting of The Championships in Sydney marks the
10-year anniversary of Headturner’s dominant win in the 2006 Group 1 AJC
Australian Derby (2400m) at Randwick.
On
that day, and for the duration of the gelding’s 23-start career, he was
a hero in the eyes of his connections, collecting more than $1.5
million in prizemoney and scoring emotional wins, not only in the Derby,
but also the Group 3 Lord Mayor’s Cup (1600m) at Doomben.
Headturner
was also placed in the 2005 Group 1 Victoria Derby (2500m) at
Flemington and contested the Caulfield and Melbourne Cup the following
Spring Racing Carnival.
Now
13-years-old, the one-time Emirates Melbourne Cup favourite continues
to live up to his name, albeit turning heads at Leongatha Adult Riding
Club rather than Flemington or Randwick.
In
the care of 71-year-old dressage rider Helen Guy, the former Team
Hawkes-trained stayer is enjoying life at a much slower pace than his
days on the track.
Although
injury and ailment – to both horse and rider – have prevented her
competing as much as she’d hoped aboard the imposing son of Anabaa,
Headturner remains the pride of Guy’s Koonwarra property.
“I still pinch myself that he’s standing out in my paddock,” Guy said.
“I
was looking for a new horse and after all the horses I had ridden, here
was a willing horse that had a lovely soft mouth, lovely movement,
could stay on a circle, had great rhythm, felt great in my hand and
didn’t seem to be fussed by anything.
“He’s such a gentle horse and I love doing anything with him.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 6:41pm
He beat the likes of Melbourne Cup hero Makybe Diva on the track, now Grand Zulu is forging an impressive reputation off it.
NATURAL: Maddison Plant and Grand Zulu make a great showjumping team. Picture: MITCH COHEN
More
than a decade after he burst onto the scene to score a memorable win in
the Group 1 The BMW, Gwenda Markwell’s former stable star has found a
career post racing in showjumping.
The now 15-year-old gelding is
now based at Simon and Olwyn Kale’s Foxground Training Stables full
time while partnering regular rider Maddison Plant in competition’s
around NSW.
He has been based at the stables since the end of 2013 after connections decided to call time on his racing career in 2008.
As
a three-year-old, he surged past Caulfield Cup king Mummify and
three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva at Rosehill Gardens to win
The BMW in a track-record time of 2 minutes 25.78 seconds
The
record for the race still stands today and remains as Markwell’s only
Group 1 victory in her extensive training career which has featured
13-straight Kembla trainers’ titles.
The memorable racing career on the track came as a surprise to Plant.
Gwenda Markwell.
I didn’t know anything about him,” the Vet Science student Sydney University said.
“He was kind of a surprise.
“[Trainer] Simon and Olwyn Kale found him because he had another horse coming from the place he was at.
“And
then he said, I might have this really good horse for you and we might
have something you can ride in the bigger classes with. We will just see
how it goes.
“A couple of weeks later, the other horse arrived and we got Zulu off the truck too.
“I had him on a two week trial basis and I loved him.”
Plant and Grand Zulu came together when the Clovelly resident graduated school.
Over the past two and a half years the pair have competed at competition’s around the state with a high degree of success.
The
pairing won the high point score at the Canberra Cup event and the
Grand Prix at the Camden Winter Showjumping Festival in the past 12
months.
“There is rarely a show that he comes away without some sort of ribbon,” Plant said.
“He is pretty consistent and cruisy.
“He is just a really good horse.”
Plant, who has had several horses during her young career, rates Grand Zulu at the top.
“He is easy to travel and for a horse who is such a good race horse, he is such a chilled out, easy-going guy,” she said.
“He is the most chilled out horse I’ve ever known.
“He has got the best nature.
“He is the easiest horse and is so good to everybody.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: niki
Date Posted: 06 Apr 2016 at 8:58pm
Very nice to read, thank you
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 29 Apr 2016 at 1:03pm
Steady Eddie and Boyd Martin
Retired Aussie racehorse set for Rolex Kentucky
28 April, 2016
|James Tzaferis
There will be a Victorian connection at this weekend’s Rolex
Kentucky Three Day Event, the first international CCI4* of the year.
Australian expatriate Boyd Martin, who now resides in and represents
the United States at the elite level of eventing, will partner
progressive 12-year-old thoroughbred Steady Eddie.
Bred in New Zealand and sold to Australia, the son of Jetball began
his racing career at Flemington under the care of trainer Tommy Hughes
where he raced as Big Jet.
Unplaced in two maidens at Werribee and Geelong, Big Jet was
transferred into the care of Cranbourne horseman and former Olympic show
jumper Greg Eurell where he was again unplaced in a Geelong maiden.
The three Victorian performances prompted the sale of the gelding to
Queensland where he continued his racing career for four different
trainers - John Manzelmann, Todd Austin, Michael Courtney and Robert
Kirkwood - before eventually retiring in October 2009 with a career
record of six wins from 36 starts and earnings in excess of $30,000.
Enter Martin who, during a visit to Queensland in the summer of
2009-2010, spotted Big Jet in a paddock and was immediately impressed
with what he saw, despite the gelding lacking some condition at the
height of oppressive drought.
Big Jet was subsequently shipped to the United States where, under
Martin’s care and renamed Steady Eddie, he has continued to progress
through the eventing ranks. This weekend’s event marks his CCI4* debut.
One-third of the 90 riders contesting Rolex Kentucky will partner
full thoroughbreds this weekend with the majority of those being former
racehorses, including another former Australian galloper Kalinga Damo, a
10-start maiden for Caloundra trainer Carmel Richardson, who is now
ridden by US eventer Elisa Wallace.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 29 Apr 2016 at 6:26pm
One third will be OTTTBs . I can think of a few warmblood breeders who would never accept that as being correct
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: jayzaa
Date Posted: 30 Apr 2016 at 3:01pm
Geraldo wrote:
Just read the polo article. So, if a polo pony's best years is 6-8yo that means they need to be rehomed again shortly after that?
No, you misunderstood. It takes till then to fully educate them for polo. Many I know were still playing well into their teens, and early twenties. I had one that retired and came to my horse at stud, she was 22 and went in foal for her first foal.
------------- www.keffelstein.com
gotta live the dream
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 07 May 2016 at 10:08am
Retired racehorse Carnero will contest the EvA80 class at the Ballarat International Horse Trials
Big bounty for thoroughbreds at Ballarat
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
5 May, 2016
It may not quite rival the prizemoney they once chased on the
racetrack but the retired thoroughbred racehorses contesting this
weekend's Marcus Oldham Ballarat International Horse Trials will be in
line for a lucrative payday.
As part of its sponsorship of the three-day event, beginning at
Ballarat's Victoria Park tomorrow, Racing Victoria will offer $200
prizemoney and embroidered rugs to the riders of the Best Performed
Retired Racehorse in each of the premier FEI classes, the CIC3*, CIC2*
and CIC1*. Additionally, an embroidered
rug will be provided to the highest placed Off the Track horse in the EA
classes, EvA105, EvA95 and EvA80.
In total, a massive 155 retired thoroughbred racehorses are entered to contest the event.
The feature class, the Ballarat Business CIC3*, is highlighted by the
appearance of Will Enzinger's Wenlock Aquifer, a former David
Hayes-trained gelding that was a last start winner of the CIC2* at
Camperdown Horse Trials.
In the Racing Victoria Off the Track CIC2* class, 16 retired
racehorses will do battle, including Sarah Klas' former Stakes-performed
two-year-old The Prankster, Sophie Fox's Practice Makes Perfect and
talented gelding Gosh for Racing Victoria apprentice jockey Stephanie
Thornton.
And in the divided CIC1* classes, a bumper 34 of the 62 entries are
Off the Track thoroughbreds, including 2014 Mornington Triequithon
champion Ripley Lodge Gator, Tayla Childs' Kiwi import Langarra and
Ruadhan, formerly trained by locally-based Melbourne Cup-winning
horseman Darren Weir.
Retired Group 1 hero Blutigeroo (EvA105), Cranbourne Cup winner
Majestical (EvA105) and gifted two and three-year-old Carnero (EvA80)
are among some of the well-performed racehorses contesting the lower EA
classes of the event as they continue to progress in their second
career.
The full list of entries for this weekend's Marcus Oldham Ballarat International Horse Trials is http://bspscoring.com/BallaratHT/2016/Ballarat%20IHT_2016.html" rel="nofollow - available here.
Racing Victoria's sponsorship of the event, via its Off the Track
program, is part of the wider strategy to drive the demand for Off the
Track horses in equestrian and pleasure disciplines by providing
incentives that reward riders that invest in their re-education.
More information about Racing Victoria's Off the Track program is https://rv.racing.com/the-horse/off-the-track" rel="nofollow - available here.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 07 May 2016 at 10:42am
With many programmes like this happening , no excuse for sending them from track to doggers sales with shoes still on . In other words no even giving them a chance. just MHO tho.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 10 May 2016 at 10:54am
Sonja Johnson won the postponed Sydney ODE*3 at the weekend , which is a selection trial for the Olympics, riding Parkiarrup Illicit Liason. He is a TB , but not sure what his race name was, as these eventers tend to change race names to show names sometimes.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 11 May 2016 at 11:45am
His Race name was Bullionaire, by Made Of Gold from Gourmet Star by Luskin Star.
Raced once or twice in W.A. and did nothing.
( Sonja is from WA )
Red might know more ??
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 11 May 2016 at 6:24pm
TS Jamaimo and Chris Burton at the 2013 Australian International Three Day Event (Image courtesy of Julie Wilson)
Jamaimo jumping for Rio selection
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
Retired Victorian racehorse TS Jamaimo can firm up his place
on the Australian eventing team for the Rio Olympics with a strong
showing at this weekend’s http://www.chatsworth.org/attractions-and-events/events/dodson-horrell-chatsworth-international-horse-trials" rel="nofollow - Chatsworth International Horse Trials .
The gelding will make a return to CIC3* competition for premier
Australian eventer Chris Burton, having placed third at his seasonal
debut in the CIC2* at Belton last month.
Burton and TS Jamaimo are arguably Australia’s best-performed
eventing combination over the past two seasons, continuing to impress at
the sport’s elite level since first pairing to win the 2013 Australian
International Three Day Event at CCI4* level in Adelaide.
Last season, TS Jamaimo showed all his thoroughbred qualities to land
the British Eventing Championship at Gatcombe Park before a podium
finish in the CCI4* at Burghley in September.
While he is noted for his exceptional movement in the dressage arena
and calculated show jumping performances, the hallmark of both of TS
Jamaimo’s 2015 wins were blistering displays on gruelling cross country
courses.
An Olympic berth would be a fairy tale result for the 16-year-old son
of Urgent Request, who was tried unsuccessfully by two Victorian
racehorse trainers before being retired into equestrian.
Bred by Emirates Park and given the racing name Hurried Plea, the
gelding spent time in the Flemington stables of Russell Cameron and the
Cranbourne yard of John Griffiths, the legacy of which was an official
trial in 2002 in which he failed to beat a rival home.
And TS Jamaimo might not be the only retired racehorse on the
Australian eventing team with Sonja Johnson’s Off the Track gelding
Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison (pictured above) placing pressure on
selectors with a dominant victory in last weekend’s CCI3* at the Sydney
International Horse Trials.
Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison, a 15-year-old son of Made Of Gold, raced
as Bullionaire and was beaten by 25 lengths in his only start on the
racetrack, a two-year-old handicap in Belmont.
Are you considering a thoroughbred for your next competition horse?
More information of Racing Victoria's Off the Track program is https://rv.racing.com/the-horse/off-the-track" rel="nofollow - available here.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 17 May 2016 at 2:49pm
Em O'Connell and Off the Track gelding Moonlight Park Foxtrot
Foxtrotting to Dressage success Off the Track
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
Em O’Connell has heard it all about thoroughbreds. That they
are hot and crazy. That they are tense and lack presence in the arena.
That she’s wasting her time riding one if she wants to make it as an
elite dressage rider.
So why, as one of the state’s most exciting young talents, is she
persisting with a retired racehorse in an equestrian discipline that, at
the higher levels, is almost exclusively the domain of the purpose-bred
warmblood?
The first reason is that she was too intelligent to buy into the
typical stereotype of the thoroughbred. The second is much simpler and
something that most horse owners can relate to.
“I really fell for him,” O’Connell said of her 14-year-old thoroughbred Moonlight Park Foxtrot.
“As much as it’s easy to fall into the mindset of not giving horse a
chance based on the reputation of the breed, a lot depends on the rider
and how far they are willing to push the boundaries.
“He’s a got a great temperament and he really tries to please so when
you get him to understand what you want he’ll give you 100%.
“He is very quick to learn and you only have to teach him something
once for him to understand and try it the next time he’s asked to do
it.”
A son of American stallion El Moxie, Moonlight Park Foxtrot raced as
Sir Moxie and had a nine-start career for Ballarat trainer Greg Mance.
While he retired from the track a maiden in 2005, connections had
seen enough talent in the galloper to warrant a start in the Group 3
Debonair Stakes (1400m) at Flemington, albeit a race he jumped at odds
of $101 and was well-beaten by top-line performers including Lieutenant
and Barely A Moment.
Upon retirement, he was taken through the grades by another rider,
Caitlin Scott, before O’Connell purchased Moonlight Park Foxtrot just
over two years ago.
“My previous horse was a thoroughbred and when I came back from
riding overseas I told myself that I wasn’t going to get a
thoroughbred,” she said.
“I fell into that generalised headspace thinking that thoroughbreds aren’t made for the dressage ring.
“Caitlin Scott owned him at that stage but she didn’t have a lot of
time so she said I could take him on loan and I thought it was a great
opportunity because I knew the horse and I liked his temperament.
“A lot of the credit had to go with Caitlin because she took him from Pony Club all the way to the FEI levels.”
There are four standardised FEI levels in dressage, of which Prix St
George is the introductory international level that O’Connell and
Moonlight Park Foxtrot are currently contesting.
With aspirations to compete at the sport’s highest level, many are
surprised that Moonlight Park Foxtrot has got this far and have
questioned whether he is the horse to carry O’Connell to glory.
While she admits there are elements of the FEI tests that the gelding
finds challenging, the Macedon-based rider credits the imposing Off the
Track horse with her own progression in the saddle.
“If I’m honest, as we get into these higher levels there are some movements that he struggles with,” she said.
“But with him, I’ve got a horse with a really good temperament, a
really trainable brain and I can trust him when I’m out because he’s got
no dirt and a really lovable personality.
“For me, at my stage of my riding career, that’s really important because he’s teaching me a lot at these higher levels.”
“I’ve had many people question what stallion he is by and when I tell
them he is a thoroughbred by El Moxie they are often quite surprised.
And while there are challenges there is also a great deal of pride
and, with several solid seasons under their belt, a sense of optimism
that Moonlight Park Foxtrot can continue to silence the doubters.
“I’ve been told by so many high level riders that sometimes there are
horses that get to the top of the sport and you wouldn’t have picked
it,” O’Connell said.
“Maybe he is one of those horses.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 26 May 2016 at 8:29pm
I remember this guy, Fran Houlahan trained him
Marwood and Tarawera, pictured at an event in 2015 (Image: Tazzie Eggins)
Marwood turns attention to Tarawera at Melbourne
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
10:25am
His mount might lack the experience of many of its CCI1*
rivals but Seumas Marwood is adamant he’s not heading to Werribee to
make up the numbers at next month’s Saddleworld Melbourne International 3
Day Event (MI3DE).
Marwood will partner former topline racehorse Tarawera in what will
only be the gelding’s third career start at 1* level, having qualified
for the MI3DE via performances at Heytesbury and Woady Yaloak in recent
weeks.
Such is the regard in which he holds the 10-year-old son of Giant’s
Causeway that Marwood is quietly confident he can figure in the finish
of Australia’s premier 1* class at Werribee Park over the Queen’s
Birthday long weekend.
“He only just completed his second one-star event last weekend to
qualify for a start at Melbourne but I’m really happy with him,” Marwood
said.
“I don’t do a three day event just to give them a run and I wouldn’t
be taking this guy to Werribee if I didn’t think we could win.
“If this horse performs at his best, nothing will touch him.”
Tarawera’s transition into eventing, an equestrian discipline in
which riders rely heavily on their horse’s jumping ability during cross
country and show jumping, will not come as a surprise to punters that
followed the gelding’s racing career.
Initially trained by Paul Messara before being transferred to the
Mornington yard of Fran Houlahan and Brian Jonhston, the gelding was a
revelation as a jumper, particularly over the larger steeplechase
obstacles.
As a four-year-old, Tarawera broke his jumping maiden at Warrnambool,
before going on to claim the $100,000 Australian Steeplechase (3900m)
and $100,000 Crisp Steeplechase (3800m) in an all-conquering 2010
season.
Retired in 2012 into the care of Racing Victoria Acknowledged
Retrainer Katie Ramsay, who initially tried the gelding as a show horse
(pictured below), Tarawera’s superior jumping skills were the catalyst
for his sale to Marwood in mid-2014.
“He’s been a very long-term project to get to where he is today
because when we first got him he was very spooky but to be honest it’s
something about him that I like,” he said.
“He is such a lovely horse and with confidence and trust I think he’ll go a long way.
“He is a very physically sound horse and, even though he is 10 and
we’ll keep him at this level for the rest of the season, I’m confident
that he can get to three star pretty quickly.”
The rise of Tarawera comes only weeks after Marwood’s star Warmblood
mare Wild Oats, a horse that took him to Europe in 2015, sustained a
career-ending injury at the Sydney International Horse Trials.
But the opportunity to focus on the development of Tarawera as his
next elite eventer over the coming months and years will be a welcome
return to the thoroughbred, a breed on which Marwood has built his
reputation over several decades.
“I held an owner-trainer license for a short time and funnily enough
the horse I won a race with went on to be a three star eventer,” Marwood
said.
“Another one of my previous four star horses was one of David Hayes’
former horses that was repatriated here after a racing career in Hong
Kong.
“He’s 30-odd now and he’s still living a happy and healthy life at home with us, looking after our weanlings.
“It’s just nice to be on a thoroughbred that you can put your foot down and really ask to go.
“This guy (Tarawera) has a huge stride and he just covers the ground so easily out on a cross country course.”
Tarawera, who competes as Kaptivation, is among more than 70 retired
thoroughbred racehorses that will compete across the five elite classes
at the Saddleword Melbourne International 3 Day Event.
As a major sponsor of the event, Racing Victoria’s Off the Track
program, with support from the Victoria Racing Club, will provide awards
for the best performed retired racehorses in each class of competition.
More information about the MI3DE is http://m3de.com.au/" rel="nofollow - available here.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 06 Jun 2016 at 1:47pm
Ruadhan and Jessica Forth
Retired Ruadhan ready to impress
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf 1:08pm
On weight of numbers and wins, Ballarat-based horseman Darren
Weir is the state’s biggest racehorse trainer with thousands of
starters and hundreds of winners each season.
But for every Group 1 champion, there are hundreds of horses that,
for reasons often relating to loss of form or injury, don’t make it on
the track and are retired into equestrian and pleasure careers every
year.
It’s no surprise then that three of the 72 retired racehorses
contesting this weekend’s Saddleworld Melbourne International 3 Day
Event (MI3DE) are Weir stable graduates, including Testa Rossa gelding
Ruadhan who will tackle the Junior CCI1* class for Pentland Hills teen
Jessica Forth.
Like hundreds of other horses that she has placed into a second
career, Weir stable employee Lee Purchase orchestrated Ruadhan’s sale to
Forth, who was in the market for a larger horse to take her through the
eventing grades.
“I was ready to move off ponies and ride at a higher grade so we were looking for something a bit bigger,” Forth said.
“I was told he was a quiet thoroughbred and that I could go and have a look if I was interested.
“It was daunting at first because I was coming off a 13hh pony so it
was quite a jump to begin riding a 16hh thoroughbred but I haven’t
looked back.”
Ruadhan retired from racing in 2011 following a moderately successful 22-start career for Weir.
A five-time winner with the likes of Damien Oliver and Craig Williams
in the saddle, Ruadhan became known for his amenable temperament and
laid-back nature both on the ground and under saddle.
Those traits were the motivation for the gelding’s sale into the
young yet capable hands of Forth who said both she and Ruadhan had been
able to develop and learn together as their partnership had
strengthened.
“We’ve both been able to grow together and as much as I’ve educated
him in his new career, he has taught me a lot about riding as well,” she
said.
“He is very trusting and very brave and whatever I ask, he’s willing to give it a go.
“The way he has been going lately, our chances at Melbourne are looking good and he is peaking at the right time.”
The MI3DE begins this Friday with the opening phase of competition,
dressage, at the Werribee National Equestrian Centre before continuing
on Saturday (dressage), Sunday (cross country) and Monday (show
jumping).
In an effort to continue to drive demand for thoroughbreds in
equestrian, Racing Victoria, via its Off the Track program, will provide
lucrative awards for the Best Performed Retired Racehorse in each of
the five classes of competition.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 6:32pm
Gotta Take Care and Kirsty McMahon
Taking Care of Off the Track career
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
4:21pm
He was a much-loved superstar on the racetrack and early
indications suggest Gotta Take Care’s post-racing career will be
similarly spectacular.
The former Darren Weir-trained hurdler, who retired last year after a
successful 79-start racing career that netted more than $1 million in
prizemoney for connections, has been transitioned into an equestrian
career by Weir stable employee Kirsty McMahon.
Despite a slow start to his re-education, McMahon has been thrilled
with the gelding’s positive attitude that has laid the foundations for a
seamless progression into several riding disciplines.
“He hasn’t done a lot since he retired because I broke my leg and was out of action for a few months,” McMahon said.
“I didn’t get on him until December so it’s been a slow start but I’m really happy with how he’s coming along.
“He’s probably the most level headed horse you could find.”
A son of Rubiton that broke his maiden over 1800m at Mildura in 2009,
Gotta Take Care assumed the title of Australia’s premier hurdler for
several seasons courtesy of three consecutive victories in the $100,000
Brendan Dreschler Hurdle (3200m) at Bendigo (pictured below).
He also posted wins in the Australian Hurdle (3400m) at Sandown, the
Yalumba Hurdle (3800m) at Oakbank, the Kevin Lafferty Hurdle (3600m) and
Galleywood Hurdle (3200m), both at Warrnambool.
McMahon said that jumping ability has already translated into a
talent at pony club, where he delicately accounts for the more technical
show jumping and cross country obstacles placed in front of him.
“He’s started hunting and he’s an absolute gem, he has hounds running
around and other horses galloping past and nothing phases him,” she
said.
“He’s also been to a few pony club rallies where he’s done novelties,
show jumping and cross country and he really does show that jumping
ability he had on the track.
“He’s very sensible in everything he does and he feels like he’s been doing it forever.”
When Gotta Take Care retired into McMahon’s care, he joined another
well-known jumps horse in retirement, Group 2 Perth Cup (3200m) and
Brierly Steeplechase (3450m) champion Cats Fun (pictured below right,
next to Gotta Take Care).
Now 13, the former Jarrod McLean-trained gelding is also getting a
taste for multiple equestrian disciplines and was successful at only his
second horse trials start in Warrnambool earlier this year.
“Cats had his first Horse Trials start earlier this year and then won his class at his next event in Warrnambool,” McMahon said.
“Both he and Gotta Take Care will play around the One Day Event
circuit and do a bit of show jumping as well over the next few years
because they really do enjoy it.”
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 8:26pm
So there is a life out there for OTTTBs, after all, and it really isnt necessary to dump them at Eucha sales after all ??
Who would have thunk it
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 05 Jul 2016 at 9:21pm
Few of ours went on to become polo ponies AA,in the late fifties,but they had to be a special type,nippy and not too cumbersome and no scare tissue behind .As I lived along side W.Farm in my early years they played polo there ,used to walk them between chukkas 2 bob a horse came in handy.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2016 at 9:13pm
BIG money in polo ponies now. If you breed good ones.
My Dad worked for a big time polo player , way back , and those horses are amazing ! The weight they carry , taking in the rider plus gear, and then move and turn so fast, is amazing.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2016 at 9:17pm
Remember great polo family many years ago,think the name was Sinclair Hill ,heard of him?
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2016 at 9:34pm
Yes. My bestie, from Excelsior St Granville, was his children,s nanny.
He had a place out of Willow Tree, and played with Prince Charles.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2016 at 9:43pm
That's him,went over to Brazil, they love their polo, think he showed them a trick or two.
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2016 at 9:54pm
AA,..you put that last post in the wrong thread ( words) ,..ya making tony choke on his onions.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 06 Jul 2016 at 10:03pm
you are prolly the only one will twig .
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2016 at 4:19pm
Gay3 wrote:
Backman Talks Beyond the Bid
James Tzaferis
https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
2 hours ago
White Knight in the pen at Echuca Sales
Thoroughbreds in Victoria have found an unlikely ally in David Backman.
For lack of a softer title, Backman is a self-labelled “horse
dealer”, an often misunderstood role that sees him the subject of harsh
stares and online attacks at the horse sales he attends.
A regular at Echuca (Bid 50), Pakenham (Bid 7) and other regional
Victorian sale venues, Backman purchases cheap horses, including
thoroughbreds, to on-sell for a profit under the banner of the Daville
Pastoral Company.
The fact Backman’s son owns and operates the Maffra District Knackery
doesn’t help his cause and misinformed individuals wrongly assume that a
grim fate for all his purchases is sealed with the fall of the
auctioneer’s gavel.
There exists a similarly misguided line of thinking in the community
that all horses offered in such sales are destined for an untimely
demise, save for intervention from ‘rescue’ groups that also boast
regular attendance at the sales.
Backman is no saint. Far from it, in fact. But he loves horses and is
fed up with individuals and groups that claim otherwise, giving
legitimate sales and honest dealers a terrible reputation in the
process.
“You’re damn right they (horse sales) get a bad rap and for no reason,” Backman said.
“I’ll be honest with you, if people toned it down a little bit and
opened their eyes to see where these horses actually end up, everyone
would be better off.
“You’ve got people ringing these thoroughbred trainers and owners,
accusing them of sending a horse to Maffra (Knackery) because I’ve
picked it up and telling them that they’ve saved the horse.
“How the hell are you saving a horse from me if I’m a horse dealer and I’ve got someone else buying the horse?”
Backman said the overwhelming majority of horses he purchased filled
orders from private buyers looking for horses to work stock or compete
across multiple equestrian disciplines. Others are utilised by his
family in a successful show jumping breeding program.
And he said other dealers operated in a similar manner with the bulk
of thoroughbreds finding their way to the knackery being those too sick,
injured or dangerous horses to place into post-racing careers.
“If horses I buy are booked to the Daville Pastoral Company, they’re
all sold and if they’re booked to the Maffra Knackery, 90% of those
horses I sell as well,” Backman said.
“We breed jumping horses with our warmblood stallions and nearly all
those broodmares we’ve got are thoroughbreds that I’ve bought.
“Even the place at Laverton where there was a bit of controversy and
media exposure a couple of years ago is selling horses on (via Rehoming
Horses Victoria).
“But if horses are injured and will never live comfortably or have a
bad temperament where someone could get hurt, putting them into the
trade (knackery) is the best option.
Backman confirmed that many of the horses he purchased, either from
public sales or through private dealings, were thoroughbreds, a breed
that had proven relatively simple to sell on to new homes.
Monitoring of recent sales indicates that, on average, only 12% of
the horses offered at Victorian livestock sales are thoroughbreds, the
majority of which have been rehomed more than once since retiring from
the track.
“I deal in horses and I can sell the thoroughbreds quite easily,” Backman said.
“I’ve bought a lot of racehorses and they’ve been the best cared for horses I’ve ever seen.
“I buy 80 to 90 horses a month privately and while they’re not all
thoroughbreds, the majority are, and those people are more than happy
for me to sell them because I ring them back and tell them who I’ve sold
them to.
“I don’t make a fortune on them but I make good money and the racing blokes are pleased to see me do it.
“I have the utmost respect for the racing trainers I deal with because they’ve got the utmost respect for their horses.”
This respect is reciprocated in the way Backman cares for the thoroughbreds he buys once they arrive on his property.
Some horses spend only a few days there before being dropped off to
their new owners while others, including those only recently retired
from racing, are given time to transition from their fast-paced racing
lifestyle.
“The horses I buy are unloaded into my yards later that night and as
soon as they’re unloaded they’re given water and lucerne to eat all
night and in the morning I let them out into the good irrigation
paddocks,” Backman said.
“If they’ve come in fresh out of work, all I do is put them in a
paddock for about four or five weeks on the grass, just to get the hot
feed out of them.
“As soon as they’ve got the hot feed out of them, we bring them back into work and they train up the same as any other horse.”
At last week’s Echuca Horse Sale, Backman was behind the purchase of
seven thoroughbreds, including former Chris Waller and Matthew
Williams-trained galloper White Knight.
The seven-year-old son of Ustinov, a one-time hurdler who was retired
in 2013, sold for $350 and Backman immediately lined the gelding up for
a buyer seeking a horse to work stock.
But after being contacted by Kylie Stephenson, one of the horse’s
original racing owners, prominent media personality Richard Callander,
agreed to fund the transfer of the horse into Stephenson’s care, where
he remains today.
Callander had initially been assured White Knight would be retired to
a loving equestrian home but, unbeknownst to his former trainers and
owners, the gelding was offered for sale at Echuca 18 months after his
final race start.
“I had White Knight sold when Kylie rang me and I rang the chap back
and told him I couldn’t sell it to him anymore,” Backman said.
“But he didn’t have a problem taking one of the other big
thoroughbreds I’d bought, as long as they were able to be worked on the
stock and that’s not a problem for thoroughbreds.
“He asked me what happened to White Knight and I told him that the
original owners wanted to buy it back and Kylie, who I deal with quite a
bit, had been ringing and asking me for it.
While Racing Victoria (RV) accepts Victorian livestock sales as
legitimate markets to buy and sell thoroughbreds, both in and out of
work, it strongly recommends vendors present horses in good condition,
place an auction reserve on the horse and remain at the sale throughout
the day to satisfy all enquiries about the horse from prospective
buyers, and if need be take them home.
As part of its commitment to equine welfare, RV representatives will
continue to attend the Echuca Horse Sale each fortnight to identify
thoroughbreds for sale and provide any known information to potential
buyers, as well as offering a courtesy service to alert owners, trainers
and breeders to the presence of any former horses.
https://www.facebook.com/josie.anderson.520?fref=nf" rel="nofollow - Josie Anderson
Blackie
aka White Knight, competing at he's first ever dressage competion! Came
away with a 2nd in his first test and 3rd in his second test adding
canter into the equation. He tried his little heart out ❤️
ended up with Reserve Champion overall! Only just got pipped for
champion. Can't wait to see what the future holds for this beautiful boy
🐎
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: furious
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2016 at 5:30pm
Posted By: furious
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2016 at 5:31pm
Did any of the thoroughbred get through to the olympic team Gay. Hope so. One has Luskin Star for a grandsire.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 11 Jul 2016 at 5:59pm
Yes, a showjumper but................. I'll have a scout around.
Sonja Johnson and Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison (Image: Sharon Chapman)
Retired Aussie racehorse on Olympic cusp
James Tzaferis https://www.twitter.com/Jtzaf" rel="nofollow - @Jtzaf
7 July, 2016
Off the Track poster boy Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison is a step
closer to contesting next month’s Olympic Games after flying out of
Melbourne overnight.
The retired racehorse and his rider Sonja Johnson (pictured below at
Melbourne International Airport last night) will contest next weekend’s
FEI Nations Cup event at Aachen in Germany before attending a pre-Rio
Staging Camp in the UK, hosted by Equestrian Australia.
Following the Staging Camp, the Australian Olympic Committee will
announce the four eventing combinations that will represent the Green
and Gold across the three phases – dressage, cross country and show
jumping – in Brazil.
The full list of Australian eventing combinations invited to attend the Staging Camp in the UK can be http://www.equestrian.org.au/news/equestrian-australia-statement-eventing-staging-camp" rel="nofollow - found here .
A 15-year-old son of Made Of Gold, Parkiarrup Illicit Liaison raced
as Bullionaire and had one start – an inglorious 25 length defeat in a
Belmont maiden - for Western Australian trainer Ted Martinovich.
In Johnson’s care, the gelding has become one of the country’s
premier eventing horses, underlined by his CCI3* victory at this year’s
Sydney Horse Trials and his podium finish in last month’s CIC3* at the
Melbourne International 3 Day Event.
Australia’s previous success in Olympic equestrian has largely come on the back of Off the Track thoroughbreds, https://rv.racing.com/news/2016-06-21/from-the-racetrack-to-olympic-glory" rel="nofollow - including these five Gold-winning combinations .
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: furious
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2016 at 8:49am
I wish them all well anyway. Hard to watch this time. Its in the middle of the night when they go around.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2016 at 6:22pm
Former https://twitter.com/DKWeirRacing" rel="nofollow - DKWeirRacing galloper Ruadhan in full flight for 15YO rider Jessica Forth at last month's https://twitter.com/MI3DE_AU" rel="nofollow - MI3DE_AU
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 12 Jul 2016 at 8:17pm
Oh Gay. Stop posting this stuff. No one here will believe OTTTBs can do anything usefull !! They are all dog meat.
IF only others could see what they can do.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: furious
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2016 at 8:38am
I'd much prefer to go around those courses on a a nippy thoroughbred.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 13 Jul 2016 at 1:14pm
A TB over a WB any time. TBs think fast and take up the challenge. WBs have to be told what to do.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2016 at 6:20pm
Ex-soldiers, inmates and thoroughbreds benefit from jail horse program
A thoroughbred retraining program involving Hunter Valley prison inmates appears to be going from strength to strength.
Since
the program started five years ago, hundreds of horses have gone to
Muswellbrook's St Heliers Correctional Centre, where they have been
paired with inmates.
It is part of Racing New South Wales'
Thoroughbred Rehabilitation Program, with horses going on to have
eventing and dressage careers.
Spokesman Charles Moon said it had been a great success.
"As
an industry we are lucky to see our equine athletes every day in New
South Wales, but when they come to a decision of retirement, there is an
opportunity to say, look the horses aren't just going to go to the
paddock," he said.
"You know there is a second career, and working
with Corrective Services NSW and especially with the joint venture
program we have with them, it just provides an opportunity to work with
some good people and to work with committed horse people."
Benefits for horse and rider
The thoroughbred retraining program at the Hunter Valley jail has been lauded for helping horse and rider.
Mr Moon said there had been enormous benefits for everyone involved.
"This program allows both horse and human the benefits of a second career and a second chance," he said
"It
is amazing that each horse will have their own personality, and that is
the same with humans, and doing this retraining and career work where
they can learn some new skills, they are allowed that individual flair.
"They
are suited to particular second careers, and when there are inmates
themselves who are looking for a second chance after making a mistake in
their earlier days, horse can bring out that possibility for them."
Horses helping ex-soldiers with PTSD
The program is also playing a role in helping ex-Australian soldiers to recover from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
It involves pairing horses with emotionally-damaged ex-solders at the program's Sydney base at Canterbury Racecourse.
"It is amazing the way that an animal won't judge a human. An animal will work with any human," Mr Moon said.
"The
Australian infantry has just had decades of association with horses,
and so to work with charities, especially those with PTSD, is something
that we would really be encouraging our program to grow to."
The program comes at a time when there is http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-11/calls-for-inquiry-into-horseracing/7585590" rel="nofollow - mounting pressure to curb so-called wastage in the horse racing industry.
Wastage, involving the killing of slow dogs, was part of the reason the NSW Government http://mobile.abc.net.au/news/2016-07-07/greyhound-racing-to-be-banned-in-new-south-wales/7576816" rel="nofollow - banned greyhound racing.
It has prompted animal welfare groups to call for more strategies to cut wastage in horse racing.
Racing NSW said every effort was made to ensure horses had a future beyond their racing years.
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2016 at 7:55pm
Quote= The programme comes at a time when there is mounting pressure to curb so called wastage in the horse racing industry= end of. Another abc report, a feelgood story with a barb at the end,.i watch and listen a lot to this mob but I am seriously considering giving them away, but they have got me by the short and curlies ..how do I watch landline..( Internet maybe) ? Phone a friend? buy the DVDs ? .thoughts anyone.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2016 at 8:23pm
Landline = online definitely!!
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2016 at 8:49pm
Thank you Gay3 ,.i was hoping I would get a sensible answer, I had a feeling I was asking something stupid and I was waiting for the knockout punch!!
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2016 at 7:46pm
http://www.abc.net.au/landline/
Archives tab at the top & Iview the right
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2016 at 7:57pm
Gay3 wrote:
http://www.abc.net.au/landline/
Archives tab at the top & Iview the right
thanks
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2016 at 11:33am
https://www.facebook.com/OffTheTrackRV/?fref=nf" rel="nofollow - Off The Track
A
new international forum that will bring together the official and
national operations based around the world that facilitate and promote
the retraining of racehorses has been formally unveiled at the 'Lifetime
Care for Thoroughbreds: Godolphin Forum' in Newmarket, United Kingdom.
The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will
include representatives from Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland,
Japan and the United States.
Representatives from Racing Victoria
and Racing Australia were honoured to participate in the Forum last
month and are looking forward to working closely with https://www.facebook.com/teamgodolphin/" rel="nofollow - Godolphin and the international thoroughbred community to help take racing aftercare to a new level all around the world.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008701179092&fref=ufi" rel="nofollow - James Tzaferis Aussie reps were Elliot Forbes, Frances Nelson, Caroline Searcy & myself. As well as Godolphin's Australian-based staff
Launch Of New International Forum For The Aftercare Of Racehorses
Posted 01 August 2016, 09:25 GMT
A new international forum that will bring together
the official and national operations based around the world that
facilitate and promote the retraining of racehorses has been formally
unveiled at the 'Lifetime Care for Thoroughbreds: Godolphin Forum' in
Newmarket, United Kingdom.
The International Forum for the Aftercare of Racehorses (IFAR) will
include representatives from Australia, France, Great Britain, Ireland,
Japan and the United States.
Di Arbuthnot, Chief Executive of the leading equine charity,
Retraining of Racehorses (RoR), introduced the concept for IFAR on the
final day of a three-day conference, organised and hosted by Godolphin.
In recent years a number of initiatives in various international
regions have been successful in promoting the versatility of racehorses
and their ability to adapt to alternative careers after racing. The
establishment of an international forum will enable these experiences to
be shared, for best practices to be adopted and for advice to be given
to all racing jurisdictions regarding caring for and the retraining of
former racehorses.
IFAR will work alongside the International Federation of Horseracing
Authorities (IFHA) and act as an assembly for discussion, recognising
geographical and industry differences, to help take racing aftercare to a
new level all around the world.
Paul Roy, Chairman of Retraining of Racehorses, said: "RoR has
developed into a vehicle for the practical retraining of horses for
different disciplines and works to pursue this proactive approach with
benefit of consulting like-minded international bodies while recognising
cultural differences across the globe. IFAR is a natural next step in
our journey."
Diana Cooper, Strategic Advisor, Charities at Godolphin, said: "As
one of the largest racing stables and breeding operations in the world,
Godolphin works tirelessly to take the lead in both the lifetime care of
horses and in the professional development of people working in our
industry. The passion for the sport extends beyond the racetrack as
Godolphin aims to have a positive long-lasting impact on the industry
and racing communities worldwide."
"Godolphin organised the 'Lifetime Care for Thoroughbreds Forum' in
Newmarket to build on the progress made in Kentucky last year, when we
first brought key advocates together to discuss these important issues.
We are still very much at the start of a journey but we are greatly
encouraged by what has been achieved in the last few days and that it
has culminated in Retraining of Racehorses unveiling IFAR. We want to
continue on this journey and we look forward to supporting IFAR when it
hosts its first international conference in October 2017."
Jamie Stier, Chairman of IFHA's Horse Welfare Committee, welcomed the
launch of IFAR: "Encouragingly, there is now a better understanding and
greater recognition that our shared responsibility for the welfare of
racehorses extends beyond their career on the racetrack. With awareness
of the versatility of former racehorses increasing and more success
stories being promoted, the time is right to pool learnings from around
the world so that best practice and standards can be applied
internationally."
From the United States, Jim Gagliano, President of The Jockey Club
and Vice Chairman of IFHA, said: "Through initiatives such as the
Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance and the Thoroughbred Incentive Program,
The Jockey Club is playing an active role in promoting the retraining of
racehorses in North America and we are delighted to be one of the
founding members of IFAR."
"Promoting equine welfare both during and after a horse's racing
career is vital in ensuring the public's confidence in the sport is
maintained and is integral to the future health of horseracing. I would
also like to thank Godolphin for hosting this forum and for bringing
together like-minded parties from around the world."
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: Carioca
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2016 at 12:28pm
The last words of our once famous boxer Vic Patrick used to say to his fighters when he turned referee before the start of each bout was, protect yourself at all times,..it's an old cliche but a goodie,..perfect for what could become in the future!
Posted By: Shawy38
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2016 at 10:19pm
Former Waller horse DONE NOTHIN' WRONG who finished his racing career at Warrnambool with Matthew Williams has been retrained and is loving life in his new career. Now known as "Skipper" he is the clerk of the course at the trots. He will be on duty at Stawell next week.
Pic courtesy Matthew Williams Racing facebook page
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2016 at 11:40pm
Nice to see another one off to a god home.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 05 Aug 2016 at 11:40pm
Bugga.
Good ,,,
Good home,,,
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 23 Nov 2016 at 1:50pm
Did anyone see the OTTTBs show jumping at Equitana ? Goldtown was there with his lady, Rachelle Lovett, who said he came off the track sound and is doing a great job.
Kate beadle has Flying Maverick, from Mick Price, and he is doing well .
A short piece of vid on the equitana page.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 11 Oct 2017 at 10:15am
Remember Sirmione, who won a McKinnon, trained by Bart and ridden by Peter Mertens ? We were there that year and my OH came home with his pockets bulging with money. Sirmione competed in this years Garryowen at Royal Melbourne Show. He wasnt in the first 3 but he did alright. More than half the entrants were OTTTBs, and the first 3 were by Zabeel, Faltaat and Encosta. My "showy" friend says they all want Encostas.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 26 Feb 2018 at 8:48pm
I see Bart,s old warrior, Precedence, appeared in the led classes at the Canberra Royal Show , and looked a million dollars.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 20 Jun 2018 at 3:18pm
https://www.facebook.com/lyndal.yelavich?hc_ref=ARQo9rbNjDY-qHZRF_m-oMiHMrer8B3JEwwkQqD49dbjjE27njFUlt32pUBjRi-MhpI&hc_location=group" rel="nofollow - Lyndal Yelavich is with https://www.facebook.com/amanda.nemaric?hc_ref=ARQo9rbNjDY-qHZRF_m-oMiHMrer8B3JEwwkQqD49dbjjE27njFUlt32pUBjRi-MhpI&hc_location=group" rel="nofollow - Amanda Nemaric and https://www.facebook.com/groups/1455379468096620/#" rel="nofollow - 3 others at https://www.facebook.com/emadiloequestrian/?hc_ref=ARQo9rbNjDY-qHZRF_m-oMiHMrer8B3JEwwkQqD49dbjjE27njFUlt32pUBjRi-MhpI&hc_location=group" rel="nofollow - Emadilo Equestrian .
Sometimes special horses and people come into our lives. This is one of those times🎉
Roman Fizz has arrived from the Griffiths Training stables and we are hugely
thankful to all the connections that have entrusted us with this
special boy’s future. From the moment I said we would be delighted to
take him on board, his owners and trainer have reached out to ensure he
gets the very best of care and hopefully finds his feet as a successful
Eventing horse of the future. Proof once again that thoroughbred Racing
is filled with people that adore their horses, sometimes, well actually
in my experience, ALWAYS, above the sport itself.
We look very forward to working with this kind, handsome young
thoroughbred, with the support of this squad, he’s bound to go far! 🐎🤞💪👌
Special thanks to https://www.facebook.com/crystalmay.townsend.9?fref=mentions&hc_location=group" rel="nofollow - Crystal Conning for making sure he found his way to us 😘
Great to see Second Chance
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2018 at 3:50pm
Read an interesting little story about a horse called Caymans. He was a G2 winner of the 2008 Sandown Guineas. Goldolphin owned and Snowden trained gelding who went on to race in Britain and Dubai.
He is now pushing 13 and has only one eye, due to an infection.
Moved on as part of Godolphin,s rehoming program he went into the care of Martin Whitley at Dartmoor Hawking, which is one of Britain,s few private falconry centres, and is now a falconer,s mount.
They said his missing eye doesnt prevent him doing his job, and he is good as gold.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: PhillipC
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2018 at 5:40pm
Here is the video about him http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQMx-buVbKk" rel="nofollow - http://https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yQMx-buVbKk
Posted By: acacia alba
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2018 at 9:32am
Hmmm, that wont connect for me. Not sure why. Would be interested to watch it tho.
Thanks, Phillip.
------------- animals before people.
Posted By: Gay3
Date Posted: 03 Aug 2018 at 11:19am
------------- Wisdom has been chasing me but I've always outrun it!