"Every Horse a Star"
are the words on the back of our trainer's card. It's true isn't it? I guess the pressure is off to enjoy those words when you haven't bought a $100,000 yearling and you aren't looking for a quick return on investment!
2 of our mare's geldings ran over the weekend and both proved that they are "stars in the making":
Splendid Feeling's (yes, my beautiful nanna!) 2yo Knowledge gelding ran a very nice 4th at Grafton over the cup carnival. He is still racing a bit greenly and needs a senior on his back, but given time this boy will find his feet. "Flying Dollar" (or Makka) is a big beautiful grey boy and is the spit of his mum when she was racing for John Hawkes down in Adelaide.
Miss Independence (our girl Libby) has one of her sons racing at the moment. Sunovamaizcay has just changed hands and ran at the weekend at Esk and ran a very credible 3rd! Well done the lad!!
Our very good friends, Rob and Jane Koch and Leo and Maria Maltam (who are Trousers' and Shorties owners) had a winner with "You're So Dane" last week at Townsville. "You're So Dane" currently has raced 3 times and is sporting results of 3:1/1/1 - very impressive to say the least!
Hong Kong based Thoroughbred Freelance Writer, Katrina Partridge, has also had some success with her Xaar filly, "Xaarbarella" who has had 7 starts for 2 wins. "Xaarbarella" is with Peter Moody in Victoria.
It doesnt matter if you win the Queensland Oaks, or a Class 1 at Dalby, the thrill of a win takes you to the highest peak on the summit, there is nothing like it. With the day after race day able to take you right down to the depths of despair when you hear the news that your horse bowed a tendon or did something else of that nature that requires 12months in the paddock, knee surgery or both!
I havent come across any industry like the thoroughbred industry. In my past I have worked at a corporate level both in the retail and the manufacturing industrys and nothing compares to the highs and lows of owning/racing/breeding a thoroughbred race horse! There actually is no industry quite like it!
So I have to ask this question. What is it that drives us everyday, that gets under our skin and takes over our senses so much that we are happy to get up to our eye teeth in debt for?
For me, and pretty much I can say for Evan as well, I would say its the horses themselves. There is nothing more spectacular than seeing a foal being born. There is no other feeling like walking into a paddock of yearlings and they all stop what they are doing and come over to you because they are so happy to see you and want to be fussed over. Nothing compares to my darling Nanna and her big tummy waddling up to me and nuzzling her head up and down the front of me (not to mention that I then have a white trail of hairs up and down my favourite jeans and jumper, lovingly left there by her ladyship). How proud am I when I see our mare's progeny racing around the provincials or in town?
Yes, every horse IS a star. They give to us everything they have got. Yet what happens when they stop winning? What happens when they start actually costing us to keep and are classed a liability? Most are treated like dog meat and are sent to the dogger or some are sent to the Monthly Sales with whatever ailment they might have gained masked with some sort of pain relief. Its one problem that is easily solved - get rid of them.
However, not this little black duck.... our retired stars are living the life of Riley down the back of our property, just being a horse. Some will go on to find lovely homes and will be ridden and cared for like one of the family, and those who are physically impaired will stay with us and be given treatment for their ailments for the rest of their life.
Perhaps, while we stand around and drink champagne and count the winnings from our favourite thoroughbred who has crossed the line first, we should spare a thought about the fella that ran last or second last and hope that their future is going to be as bright as the horse that won.
Life really is great mate! Woof!
Helen.
P.S. We are off to see DANTIBES tomorrow who is now standing at Jilba Thoroughbreds. Yes there will be photos of the great man himself. Watch this space!
are the words on the back of our trainer's card. It's true isn't it? I guess the pressure is off to enjoy those words when you haven't bought a $100,000 yearling and you aren't looking for a quick return on investment!
2 of our mare's geldings ran over the weekend and both proved that they are "stars in the making":
Splendid Feeling's (yes, my beautiful nanna!) 2yo Knowledge gelding ran a very nice 4th at Grafton over the cup carnival. He is still racing a bit greenly and needs a senior on his back, but given time this boy will find his feet. "Flying Dollar" (or Makka) is a big beautiful grey boy and is the spit of his mum when she was racing for John Hawkes down in Adelaide.
Miss Independence (our girl Libby) has one of her sons racing at the moment. Sunovamaizcay has just changed hands and ran at the weekend at Esk and ran a very credible 3rd! Well done the lad!!
Our very good friends, Rob and Jane Koch and Leo and Maria Maltam (who are Trousers' and Shorties owners) had a winner with "You're So Dane" last week at Townsville. "You're So Dane" currently has raced 3 times and is sporting results of 3:1/1/1 - very impressive to say the least!
Hong Kong based Thoroughbred Freelance Writer, Katrina Partridge, has also had some success with her Xaar filly, "Xaarbarella" who has had 7 starts for 2 wins. "Xaarbarella" is with Peter Moody in Victoria.
It doesnt matter if you win the Queensland Oaks, or a Class 1 at Dalby, the thrill of a win takes you to the highest peak on the summit, there is nothing like it. With the day after race day able to take you right down to the depths of despair when you hear the news that your horse bowed a tendon or did something else of that nature that requires 12months in the paddock, knee surgery or both!
I havent come across any industry like the thoroughbred industry. In my past I have worked at a corporate level both in the retail and the manufacturing industrys and nothing compares to the highs and lows of owning/racing/breeding a thoroughbred race horse! There actually is no industry quite like it!
So I have to ask this question. What is it that drives us everyday, that gets under our skin and takes over our senses so much that we are happy to get up to our eye teeth in debt for?
For me, and pretty much I can say for Evan as well, I would say its the horses themselves. There is nothing more spectacular than seeing a foal being born. There is no other feeling like walking into a paddock of yearlings and they all stop what they are doing and come over to you because they are so happy to see you and want to be fussed over. Nothing compares to my darling Nanna and her big tummy waddling up to me and nuzzling her head up and down the front of me (not to mention that I then have a white trail of hairs up and down my favourite jeans and jumper, lovingly left there by her ladyship). How proud am I when I see our mare's progeny racing around the provincials or in town?
Yes, every horse IS a star. They give to us everything they have got. Yet what happens when they stop winning? What happens when they start actually costing us to keep and are classed a liability? Most are treated like dog meat and are sent to the dogger or some are sent to the Monthly Sales with whatever ailment they might have gained masked with some sort of pain relief. Its one problem that is easily solved - get rid of them.
However, not this little black duck.... our retired stars are living the life of Riley down the back of our property, just being a horse. Some will go on to find lovely homes and will be ridden and cared for like one of the family, and those who are physically impaired will stay with us and be given treatment for their ailments for the rest of their life.
Perhaps, while we stand around and drink champagne and count the winnings from our favourite thoroughbred who has crossed the line first, we should spare a thought about the fella that ran last or second last and hope that their future is going to be as bright as the horse that won.
Life really is great mate! Woof!
Helen.
P.S. We are off to see DANTIBES tomorrow who is now standing at Jilba Thoroughbreds. Yes there will be photos of the great man himself. Watch this space!
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