Winners are Grinners........ Jimbo Does It Again!

Wooohoooooooo! What can I say? Jimbo has done it again, this time at Mareeba where he won a Class B over 1200m. He certainly is doing us proud up north. After speaking with Trainer, Brad Furber (pictured above with Mareeba Committee members and other Jimbo owner, Mark Fuccilli), he is planning to give Jimbo one more run before giving him a spell - and a well deserved spell at that!

Hopefully both Evan and I will be able to travel once all mares have had their foals and we will be able to go and see Jimbo race in person. Its been a long time since I have given him a cuddle!

Many thanks to the Koch's for the photos, the Maltam's for the texts and of course congratulations also to the Koch's for the win by Lightning Blue in the first!

Spring is Here!

Not Long Now Nippa!

Lovely Tessa Rossa mare, The Nip (fondly known as Nippa), is next up to have her foal. Not due until the middle of October, Nippa is certainly getting nice and round. There is certainly plenty of bubs in there!

Miss Qld Mud - 2010

My old girl (she'll kill me for saying that!) decided that it was time to have a mud treatment this morning seeing that we had an inch of rain yesterday. Things are much calmer between her and Goss, with Goss now over the protective mum bit. Both ladies are back in the paddock together, happy to be in each other's company.

Gossy and Herman

People who know me know that I cant help myself when it comes to animals. If there is a stray looking for a home or a kitten or cat that needs feeding, Im usually the one who will start buying cat food so that the cat will not go without.

We have some cats at work and naturally I have taken it upon myself to be their guardian and when the latest batch of kittens lost their mum at a wee age, naturally I couldnt let them go without milk and feed. So, Whiskas jumped onto the shopping list every week (much to Evan's amusement) and I would sneek out during different parts of the day and feed the little ones - and their siblings as well.

I certainly dont do myself any favours though. Last Friday, little Pumpkin (pictured on the left above) didnt show up for a few days and when I found her on Friday morning, her back legs had been mauled by a dog and were rife with infection.

So it was down to the vet with her (while going out to collect the mail) and I said out loud to the nice receptionist at Greg Harris's that I would take responsibility for the little one.

After leaving the kitten to go and get the mail, I got a call from the vet telling me that the prognosis was not very good for the little one and that putting her to sleep would be the kindest thing.

So, with my new responsibility I agreed with the vet and the poor little pumpkin was put to sleep.

I get so attached...

I see Fields of Green ...

After 3 inches of rain over the past few weeks, Massie Lodge has turned from tradition brown and dusty at this time of the year, to green and lush. All the dams are full and the paddocks have full contours. Matilda was feeling pretty good this morning and decided to take a dip in the bottom dam and check out the ducks. LOL

We took the dogs for a walk around the property this morning to check them out and the paddocks were still squishy ... things are looking pretty good this summer.

Hanging Out with Harry, Buster and Maz

Sometimes your just lucky to hang out with the boys and see what they get up to when they all meet up. I dont know who enjoyed it the most - the boys or me being able to watch them!

Gossy and Herman

Jacky Lee .... Winner at Cairns Today

Jacky Lee (pictured above with his mum, Gossips) has done it again and has won the Cairns Airport Handicap at the Cairns Amateurs today. Over 1250m, Jacky paid a cool $17 for the win and we hope that his owners, The Koch's had $5 each way!

It always give me a sense of pride to know that both Evan and I played just a small part to getting him on his way. Go get 'em kiddo!

Remind me to tell Gossy when I get home that her boy has done good!

Welcome to the World ....

Local News (Gossy) had her foal - finally - last night... a little (hah, not that little!) colt who I have nicknamed Herman. Evan continually asks me why I choose these names and I tell him that the names just seem to arrive with the foals...

Good friend Heather has said that he should be named "National Enquirer" as his father's name is Publishing and his mum's is Local News!

Im surprised that Pip hasnt been on twitter to comment, guess that will come soon enough!

Congratulations to the Koch's on their new arrival!

Dirty's Got a Half Sister

Congratulations to the Koch's on their latest addition. Polly (Pollution) gave birth to a filly the other morning.

We're still waiting for Gossy..... *yawn*

Thursday afternoon...

Sometimes there are not enough words in the English language to describe such a show that Mother Nature puts on. I think it's best to let the pictures do the talking.... :)

Jimbo Update ....

After a run that we would all like to forget, Jimbo is being backed up at Atherton this weekend in a Class 3 over 1400m - the distance that he won his maiden over.

Sometimes the horses can only do with what the Jockey's give them. Sometimes it isnt very much!

Fortunately, we have Mark Elliot to steer this time in.

GO JIMBO!

Waiting, Waiting.....Waiting....

The heavily humungous Gossy ... keeping us all waiting....

A Day in the Life

Massie Lodge resident, Nippa (aka The Nip) had a great day yesterday. The sun was out, there wasnt a cloud in the sky, there was green pick on the ground and there was water in the contours...

What better way to end off the perfect day than to have a wade in the contour, followed by an extended roll in their very own sandroll?

* sigh *

A Man and His Dog

.... should never be parted. Evan & Ruby

Oh No, Its Mare Watch Time Again....

Yep, we're back to Mare Watching again here at Massie Lodge.

Gossips, aka Local News, is definitely humungous and is ready to drop her bundle any minute... and is sick of being woken at night by the torch and no hay.

Pip (Epiphany) can't wait to be "Aunty Pip" and has already started whingeing on her Twitter - Broodmare Inc.

So, its back to very strange bed times for both Evan and I for the short term until Gossy decides its time. Nippa (The Nip) isnt due until Mid October.

*YAWN* I get tired just thinking about it.

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!