... without a sleep in, your first cup of tea brought to you and a lazy breakfast out on the back verandah! Buggar the morning newspaper.... I dont want to hear the headlines, I dont want to see any politicians trying to win popularity points on the TV and I definitely dont want my mobile phone playing it's "Bewitched" theme (I must change that too).
Surely there can be one day in the week that I dont have to suffer any of the above? I sit down and join Evan outside and we both start munching into our vegemite toast - I have my cup of coffee at the ready.... and then Evan's phone rings.............
"I want to buy a racehorse... it must be in full work....... it must have the champion ability of Sunline, the looks of Lonhro and I will only pay $2000!" He continues.... "It musnt do anything silly like windsuck or weave or roar, it must have perfect legs and feet, and (wait for it....) it must only have had a few starts - I dont want any of those rejects who have had 20 starts..."
"Oh and I dont want it vet checked!"
By this stage, Evan has gone into his Gallopers routine.... and has started to pace up and down the lounge room as he speaks. The faster he paces the harder this conversation is getting.
Even when you buy a horse that has been vet checked, there are no guarantees... take for example Cheeky Chops, he was poked, prodded and scoped by a leading vet... but he still bowed his tendon in his second start.
The conversation continues on (its been 45minutes) and I can see Evan's ear starting to radiate green from the mobile phone. Evan has gone through every horse on the list $2,000 and under but still no excitement from the other party as none of them are Sunline or Lonhro.
Perhaps an unraced / untried horse might be the go? Perhaps Sunline II is hiding in there?
No, nothing there...
What about a Yearling? No, too expensive to break in and train up.
The conversation continues on and its now been 56 minutes. I can see that Evan has gone into diplomatic mode and has suggested that the prospective buyer try the Magic Millions site.
Whoever said that there is glamour in the Bloodstock industry must have been off their trolley at the time. From what we have found its an industry of fashion (likes and dislikes), people not returning phone calls and people who bypass the Bloodstock Agent and go straight to the trainer and forget about the person who is trying to make a living selling thoroughbreds!
Where is the glamour? With Gallopers we deal with every day people who have a dream to race a thoroughbred and why shouldn't they? This sport is for everyone!
Finally the conversation winds up (after 1hr and 15mins) and the intended buyer decides to watch the site and wait for Sunline II at $2,000 (with all the conditions of course!) to appear on the site.
Evan turns off his phone and comes back outside, shakes his head and grumbles at me. I laugh because I know as much as he grumbles about it, that this business is under his skin and in his blood and he couldnt leave it even if he wanted to.
We are joined on the verandah by all of the canines with Bessie Merle looking for a special cuddle from her dad. I look up to see Queenie coming into the house paddock and notice that Caramel is flying round her yard like a mad thing. Our resident family of Magpies have decided to see whats on offer and are sitting on the house paddock fence.
Its gotta be damn close to heaven? You think?
Helen.
Surely there can be one day in the week that I dont have to suffer any of the above? I sit down and join Evan outside and we both start munching into our vegemite toast - I have my cup of coffee at the ready.... and then Evan's phone rings.............
"I want to buy a racehorse... it must be in full work....... it must have the champion ability of Sunline, the looks of Lonhro and I will only pay $2000!" He continues.... "It musnt do anything silly like windsuck or weave or roar, it must have perfect legs and feet, and (wait for it....) it must only have had a few starts - I dont want any of those rejects who have had 20 starts..."
"Oh and I dont want it vet checked!"
By this stage, Evan has gone into his Gallopers routine.... and has started to pace up and down the lounge room as he speaks. The faster he paces the harder this conversation is getting.
Even when you buy a horse that has been vet checked, there are no guarantees... take for example Cheeky Chops, he was poked, prodded and scoped by a leading vet... but he still bowed his tendon in his second start.
The conversation continues on (its been 45minutes) and I can see Evan's ear starting to radiate green from the mobile phone. Evan has gone through every horse on the list $2,000 and under but still no excitement from the other party as none of them are Sunline or Lonhro.
Perhaps an unraced / untried horse might be the go? Perhaps Sunline II is hiding in there?
No, nothing there...
What about a Yearling? No, too expensive to break in and train up.
The conversation continues on and its now been 56 minutes. I can see that Evan has gone into diplomatic mode and has suggested that the prospective buyer try the Magic Millions site.
Whoever said that there is glamour in the Bloodstock industry must have been off their trolley at the time. From what we have found its an industry of fashion (likes and dislikes), people not returning phone calls and people who bypass the Bloodstock Agent and go straight to the trainer and forget about the person who is trying to make a living selling thoroughbreds!
Where is the glamour? With Gallopers we deal with every day people who have a dream to race a thoroughbred and why shouldn't they? This sport is for everyone!
Finally the conversation winds up (after 1hr and 15mins) and the intended buyer decides to watch the site and wait for Sunline II at $2,000 (with all the conditions of course!) to appear on the site.
Evan turns off his phone and comes back outside, shakes his head and grumbles at me. I laugh because I know as much as he grumbles about it, that this business is under his skin and in his blood and he couldnt leave it even if he wanted to.
We are joined on the verandah by all of the canines with Bessie Merle looking for a special cuddle from her dad. I look up to see Queenie coming into the house paddock and notice that Caramel is flying round her yard like a mad thing. Our resident family of Magpies have decided to see whats on offer and are sitting on the house paddock fence.
Its gotta be damn close to heaven? You think?
Helen.
1 comment:
LOL, just be thankful that you weren't paying for the phone call, the one saving grace. Yes, some people are very hard to please and want a return for their money yesterday.
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