Jimbo - Racing at Innisfail

Massie Lodge born and bred, Jimmy (aka Private James) gets a start this weekend at Innisfail with jockey Jason Stopps aboard for the ride.

Over 1200m and drawn out to the carpark, young Jimbo will hopefully do us all proud once again. I am hoping so as I have a few dollars to put on him!

I did ask his trainer, Brad Furber what is happening with the barrier draws... he just laughed!

He says that Jimbo is jumping out of his skin and when he takes him for work, can hardly keep him quiet. "He just wants to get going" - Brad commented this morning on the phone. I had to laugh.

Other owners, Mark & Karen Fuccilli will be there to see him tomorrow.

Oh well, we'll keep our fingers crossed for tomorrow!

With all the excitement of Jimmy and his success, all the young ones at Massie Lodge are just quietly in the paddock growing up - and part of growing up is the education process that they have to go through to learn the day-to-day things that a horse has to learn before going out into the big wide world.

Just one of the many jobs that Evan handles is the education of the youngsters which involves walking and leading and one of the ways that Evan gets the youngsters used to different things is to bring them out of their paddock and walk them around the many obstacles that are around the property.

Both Northie and Buck Rogers have certainly turned the corner with their education and are becoming old hands with their learning.

Part of their education process is teaching them to pick up their feet in preparation for the farrier. They have in fact had their feet done and both boys behaved admirably.

Jimbo - Crossing our Fingers for a Start

Massie Lodge born and bred Jimbo (aka Private James) is first emergency for his 15th start tomorrow over 1250m during the Cairns Cup carnival. Mark Elliott will ride him again.

We received a copy of his last race win (oh how fantastic to be able to say that!) last week and we have been watching it now and again over the last 5 days beaming each time we see it.

Cross your fingers that he gets a start!

JIMBO IS BACK!!

Massie Lodge born and bred Private James (aka Jimbo - pictured above coming back to the mounting enclosure - Mark Elliott Jockey) went out and proved everybody wrong today by winning a Class 2 race at Cairns today. While the race was only over 960m - a pipe opener trainer Brad Furber said on the phone during the week - Jimmy came from the outside barrier and breezed home to win by over 2 lengths.

Our other owners in Jimmy, Mark and Karen Fuccilli were there to watch our boy and were very excited when they called straight after the race - it seems every body had a bit of the 15/1 odds that were on the offering!

Next stop is Cairns Cup day where hopefully we can find a 1200m race for Jimbo!

Wooooohoooo! Go Jimbo!!!!!!

Puuuur Puddy Cats ...

Continuing on with gathering photos for the OVH website, here are some pics I took at work (during my lunch hour of course!) of the cats that live in the shed. Yeah, of course they have befriended me and of course I feed them. lol

-5 and counting

What can I say when you wake up on Friday and its -5 degrees?

BBBbbbrrrrrrrrrrrr

.... and you know what the funny thing is? All the stores are throwing out their winter clothes and are now displaying what's new for spring!!!!!

Welcome to Massie Lodge

Welcome to new Massie Lodge resident, The Nip (Nippa)!

Nippa is in foal to Warhead and is due in October. She's a lovely gal, very sweet and pleasant and is very easy to handle. At the moment she is up in the house yards, however, she will be the new friend for Dirty (Dirtiere) who is also due to foal down late in the year.

Not long till we start mare watch (Im really looking forward to that!) as Gossy (Local News) is due to have her Publishing foal in the first few weeks of August.

My Saturday

So how did I spend my Saturday?

I had to get some photos for the Small Animal section of the OVH web Site and I asked friends, Rowena and Rougan Gerraghty if I could come and take some photos of their menagerie.

Once I got into the groove of finding what I wanted from the photos, I had a good time amongst all the goats and alpacas and the goats were really quite sweet!

Here are some of the photos...

Enjoy!

My Saturday..Cont

Jimbo's Back!

After some very undesirable behavior Jimbo is back on track and is ready to race!

With a new trainer who has gotten into his head, a new stable environment and a brand new attitude Jimbo went to Cairns where he had to trial to the satisfaction of the stewards.

He not only showed a different attitude in his behaviour, he showed us all just how much he still has to give as a racehorse - and won the trial in fine style.

Now its back to business and finding some races for him.

Woohooo - Go Jimbo!

Some Photos From Over The Weekend

I have been very busy trying to get some photos for the new website of Massie Lodge - its been very difficult being winter as we are light on the ground for grass - now if I had been doing this project about 6 months ago, it would be a very different story as there would be green grass everywhere. Still the drought is part of Massie Lodge - roll on summer.

Up On The Hill

Its been a great weekend - just hanging out with Evanski and the dogs - one of the things that I made Evan do is walk up the hill at the back of our property so that I could get a different perspective on some photographs for the brand new Massie Lodge site.

I have to say that we both sat there for a little while just taking in the picture. These photos dont do the view any justice of course. Amazing.

Last Saturday was spent at the Warwick Races trying out my new toy. And while it proved a real challenge for me and my new camera, it made me realise that the races isnt just about the horses.

Its about the energy of the people who make the races happen. The Trainers, the jockeys, the handlers, the people who run the events. Its about the bookmakers and their clerks that sit around all day trying to take your money; its about the racecaller up in his tiny box trying to pick out the colours.

I guess because I had a camera in my hand it gave me the opportunity to see it very differently.

I will try and post some more photos in the days to come. Enjoy.

Massie Lodge Website ....

One of the nice things about redoing a website is that you get to revisit all your photos to see exactly what you have and what you dont. I spent a great deal of the long weekend doing just that and it certainly brought back a lot of memories for me - some good and of course the not so good. But still they all come together to make who we are.

The beautiful filly, Oriana (By Canadian Silver out of Ophira) who was a very beautiful and loving filly whose life was tradgically cut short by an accident at track work. She certainly was one of the highlights.

One of the things about her that I remember fondest was her beautiful personality and temperament. Rest in Peace little one. I know that she is now with my mum and dad.

So the search for material for the new website continues - there's just not enough hours in the day!

WooHoo...

Congratulations to Massie Lodge born Jackie Lee (aka Rattus Conatus) who won his maiden at Cairns yesterday.

Out of super mum, Local News (aka Gossy) Jackie won over 900m. It always gives both Evan and I a big warm and fuzzy feeling to know that the work and love we put into our horses when they are young seems to stand them in good stead out there in the big wide world!

Congratulations also to Jackie's owners Rob and Jane Koch on their win.

Go get 'em Jacko!

There is A Reason to Get Up Early.....

(and it isnt work....)

(Just breath taking... )

Go Jimbo!

Jimbo has moved to a new trainer, Brad Furber up north. Word is that he has settled in after a few arguments - Brad wont put up with any nonesense from him - he is starting to eat up big and is settling down to work.

The future is looking bright.

And Sunday ...

is play day! Finally today I had some time to spend out and about with my new camera just taking in the scenery - even though there was a howling westerly wind blowing.

Of course the perfect start to the day was being able to sleep in until Pikey woke me up (around 7am) following by the arrival of my cup of tea from Evanski, which let me lie in for a bit and read the rest of my book (Jillaroo by Rachel Treasre).

There are always plenty of things to be done around Massie Lodge - worm the residents, clean out water troughs, fix up fences, wash Pip's leg (which is finally on the road to mending). Sit down for 5 minutes and have morning tea with Evan, back outside to meander around the place with my camera and take some photos for the new Massie Lodge website etc etc etc.

I have to say that it took all week to get here, but today was the best of the week - it could have something to do with the sleep in I think!

All the residents are very well ... Harry and Buster (the Connie boys) are as fat as and ready for some learning with Buster a new edition to our family.

The little girls, Pixie Lix and Molly Rocks are the sweetest kids - Pix is a work in progress and not the beauty queen that Molly is, but thats ok - we love her just the same.

And while it was certainly the highlight of my weekend being able to be with the horses and dogs - Evan putting the fire on in the afternoon and both of us hoping up on the lounge was certainly a great way to spend a cold winter afternoon.

So, back to the week that is coming... and of course the long weekend that is next weekend!

Bring it on.

Northie and Buck Rogers

The little boys, Northie (pictured above) and Buck Rogers have grown very thick woolly coats to keep them warm against the Warwick cold weather that seems to have enveloped us this year.

Surprisingly, Buck Rogers is the sweetheart and little Northie is a rogue who seems to be the boss in this paddock!

Little Girls Start to Grow Up

Pixie Lix (Conatus / Epiphany - pictured above) and her close mate, Molly (Over / Dirtierre) have been quietly living over in their own paddock, growing up.

Nicely woolly for the upcoming winter, both girls have been having fun in the mud from the recent rain.

Pix is nowhere as flashy as her full brother, Harry, but she possesses all the right genes from her mum Pip and of course, Conatus - whose dam - Light up the World - is from the Group winning Denise's Joy family. I keep telling Evan that she is a "work in progress". Lol