Ridecamp: [RC] Bowman (and other Australian horses)

Jo just sent me this note and asked me to forward it
to RC. - she couldn't post directly:



Jo Hamilton-Branigan <kholonial@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

Dear US friends,

The UAE has been buying from Australia as long as from
the USA - they also buy many of our best horses.

The horse that was first was "Bowman" - a simply
brilliant, capable, tough little Australian-bred
horse.  Of all the horses I know exported from
Australia to the UAE - his connections and former
riders have all described him as the absolute toughest
thing they'd ever ridden.  The only horse for the
course.  Mostly Arabian (mostly Crabbet Arabian)- by a
Arabian stallion - Umtali - out of Anglo mare by Rajah
Sahib (Arabian).  

I believe the second UAE rider - Saeed - fifth - was
riding Crystal Fire - another exported Australian-bred
horse.  She is a champion mare - who on her day is
simply unbeatable.  She has won the Tom Quilty Gold
Cup with Meg Wade aboard (Meg has trained her prior to
going o/s) - which is our most prestigious ride - and
performed admirably o/s.  She is by Australia's
premier endurance sire : Chip Chase Sadaqa out of a
stunning mare Franklin Rajul - all good old style
English/Australian Colonial breeding.

Of course Meg's horse Castlebar Treaty was home-bred
by none other than Meg herself - similar style of
lines to the two above.  Absolutely no Egyptian or
exotic lines and there is no Polish/European blood to
speak either.  Treaty is by the stallion Tribal out of
the mare Lynbrook Tamsin.  His breeding is chock full
of well performed endurance lines - Glenallan Nomad,
Aethon, and one of Meg's premier broodmare lines in
Wagga Belmay.

The other UAE horse to finish - with Saif aboard is
another impressive Australian bred mare - Kelkette
Park Fyre.  Also of a very well performed family, from
a well credientialled endurance stud.  She has won two
divisions in successive years at the Tom Quilty Gold
Cup (National Championship 160km Ride in Oz - 2000 &
2001).  She was also Top 10 at the last WEC for the
UAE.  Also has been trained by Meg Wade.  Fyre - does
have some Polish blood as she is by Devil-A-Bit (imp
UK) who traces to Witraz and Trypolis. Her dam Fyrene
is Australian through and through - mostly Australian
Crabbet lines, with some Colonial.

I think that the Australian bred horses did pretty
well - considering of the Top 5 - there were three
from down-under.  Don't underestimate the
calibre of horses sourced from other places -
particularly Australia. 

And you're quite wrong about these horse being flat
running horses.  In Australia we have some of the
toughest tracks in the world.  I didn't think Meg was
training Bowman, but she may well have been involved. 
She has had Crystal Flyer and KP Fyre in her care for
several years prior to their travels earlier this year
- and they both return to Oz to rest, recuperate and
train.  It would also be probable that they were
trained in Europe, probably France, not in the UAE for
this event.

Our friends the Shks have learnt very quickly and are
playing the game hard.  They are much more savy than
you give them credit for....

Rgds Jo from Down Under



=====
Jo Hamilton-Branigan BVSc
"Yarramalong"
M.S. 517, Kholo Rd
KHOLO, Q, 4306

(07) 3201 2103

http://mobile.yahoo.com.au - Yahoo! Messenger for SMS
- Always be connected to your Messenger Friends

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