We have finally made our way through all of the wood that our friend Michael has cut for us.... so it was back down to the hay shed this morning with the axe and another abled-body helper (me) to get wood for the fire. While the days are getting a bit warmer (when we dont have the pleasure of the winds), the nights are still cold and we still really need to have the log fire burning (not to mention the fact that the heater in the study still goes on when I park myself in front of the computer- obviously still a prerequisite for the dogs as they still want to get right inside it!!?).
Paul, our trainer rang this morning, for a few reasons but to tell us about what happened to him over the weekend. Paul had "After Graham" (he calls him the "big horse") in a Toowoomba and had booked a jockey to ride him. Ok, well you would think that that was fine and all was organised. Not so.
Come the day of the races (for those that dont know, Toowomba holds twilight racing with the first race starting at about 4pm), Paul heard from the Jockey that she coudnt make it (was indisposed) and then went looking for another to replace her. The next Jockey who got the ride and accepted it, then rang and said they couldnt do it (indisposed again). At the eleventh hour before the race, Paul got a replacement to ride the "big horse".
Apparently 6 Jockeys rang to say they were indisposed at Toowoomba last Saturday night and couldnt ride.
Interesting isnt it?
Ok, lets have a look at Queensland racing last Saturday.
64 races were held last Saturday in and around Queensland including all metro and provincial (also including the picnics).
683 Horses were accepted to race on Saturday, including:-
Beaudesert - 52 acceptances
Paul, our trainer rang this morning, for a few reasons but to tell us about what happened to him over the weekend. Paul had "After Graham" (he calls him the "big horse") in a Toowoomba and had booked a jockey to ride him. Ok, well you would think that that was fine and all was organised. Not so.
Come the day of the races (for those that dont know, Toowomba holds twilight racing with the first race starting at about 4pm), Paul heard from the Jockey that she coudnt make it (was indisposed) and then went looking for another to replace her. The next Jockey who got the ride and accepted it, then rang and said they couldnt do it (indisposed again). At the eleventh hour before the race, Paul got a replacement to ride the "big horse".
Apparently 6 Jockeys rang to say they were indisposed at Toowoomba last Saturday night and couldnt ride.
Interesting isnt it?
Ok, lets have a look at Queensland racing last Saturday.
64 races were held last Saturday in and around Queensland including all metro and provincial (also including the picnics).
683 Horses were accepted to race on Saturday, including:-
Beaudesert - 52 acceptances
Chinchilla - 42 acceptances
Cunnamulla - 43 acceptances
Doomben - 89 acceptances
Gold Coast - 102 acceptances
Innisfail - 64 acceptances
Mackay - 63 acceptances
Mt Isa - 34 acceptances
Muttaburra (where?) - 50 acceptances
Thangool - 27 acceptances
Toowoomba - 117 acceptances
God thats a lot of racing and a hell of a lot of horses!!! Now, where are all the jockeys coming from? Goodness knows how they managed at Toowoomba with 117 acceptances and 6 Jockeys being ill. Perhaps they all went out the night before and ate together? Hmmm.
There is an accute lack of abled-bodied, enthusiastic Jockeys in Queensland (as we have seen over the last few weeks). How can both of the Jockeys that accepted to ride the Big Horse, all of a sudden become indisposed - I mean, both of them? Why do they all have an "attitude"? I guess if you are Glenn Boss, you can do what you dam well please, but these lot that we have had contact with are no where near the same position as Bossy is in.
The "I wont ride Babies", or "I wont ride cause that horse is being sold", or "I cant be bothered to turn up" attitude sucks big time and certainly makes it difficult for new trainers to establish themselves in new areas.
I think the key words here are : Enthusiasm & Motivation (or lack-there-of).
Where is the hunger and passion to succeed with these kids? I guess its just a job to them and it shows.
The Japanese riders happy to ride for their masters (is that the right word?) and will ride whatever they are given, however, that programme seems to have fallen down by the wayside as it was found out that they were being taken advantage of and were overworked and given bad conditions to work in. This programme has now been reeled in and heavily controlled by a body located on the Gold Coast. Which is fair enough I think.
I believe that Queensland racing is in a very precarious situation with it's Jockeys. Am I the only one who is thinking this? Hmmm
On to something more light hearted.....lets forget about that for the minute!
Stallion "X"
I read today on all the favourite forums today that the search for Dubai Excellence continues and the intrigue into just who flew into Western Australia continues. Will the real Dubai Excellence please come forth? lol
Perhaps they need to call Hercule Poirot, Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon??
A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs, jolted by every pebble in the road.
--Henry Ward Beecher
Helen.
God thats a lot of racing and a hell of a lot of horses!!! Now, where are all the jockeys coming from? Goodness knows how they managed at Toowoomba with 117 acceptances and 6 Jockeys being ill. Perhaps they all went out the night before and ate together? Hmmm.
There is an accute lack of abled-bodied, enthusiastic Jockeys in Queensland (as we have seen over the last few weeks). How can both of the Jockeys that accepted to ride the Big Horse, all of a sudden become indisposed - I mean, both of them? Why do they all have an "attitude"? I guess if you are Glenn Boss, you can do what you dam well please, but these lot that we have had contact with are no where near the same position as Bossy is in.
The "I wont ride Babies", or "I wont ride cause that horse is being sold", or "I cant be bothered to turn up" attitude sucks big time and certainly makes it difficult for new trainers to establish themselves in new areas.
I think the key words here are : Enthusiasm & Motivation (or lack-there-of).
Where is the hunger and passion to succeed with these kids? I guess its just a job to them and it shows.
The Japanese riders happy to ride for their masters (is that the right word?) and will ride whatever they are given, however, that programme seems to have fallen down by the wayside as it was found out that they were being taken advantage of and were overworked and given bad conditions to work in. This programme has now been reeled in and heavily controlled by a body located on the Gold Coast. Which is fair enough I think.
I believe that Queensland racing is in a very precarious situation with it's Jockeys. Am I the only one who is thinking this? Hmmm
On to something more light hearted.....lets forget about that for the minute!
Stallion "X"
I read today on all the favourite forums today that the search for Dubai Excellence continues and the intrigue into just who flew into Western Australia continues. Will the real Dubai Excellence please come forth? lol
Perhaps they need to call Hercule Poirot, Captain Hastings and Miss Lemon??
A person without a sense of humor is like a wagon without springs, jolted by every pebble in the road.
--Henry Ward Beecher
Helen.
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