February 2005 Newsletter
(sorry it's a loooong one!) (photos at end!)

Welcome to my first newsletter in umm…15 months. It seems timely to review the stud's fortunes during 2004 - there was no shortage of things going on! As I look around me now, summer is fully upon us. A reasonable year's rainfall led to a good crop being harvested on Christmas Eve and the majority of my horses now graze happily on the crop stubble and the green shoots brought up by recent rain.

Foals Foals Foals

2004's foals. A relatively successful breeding season saw 8 of 9 foals survive. The tally was 5 fillies and 3 colts, with two of the colts being to outside mares. With the exception of one foal, they were all by SC Fortitude (Cudglebar Manak x Omani Stylist). The first was SC Mercedes, a leggy liver 5/8 arab chestnut filly out of Aloha Minuet (x Talquah Talik). Born at the very civilized time of 8:00am I observed at a discreet distance with my folding chair and coffee. All went to plan except later that afternoon I was still hanging around as she had retained her afterbirth. An oxytocin shot into the muscle hadn't moved it so I later went for the IV approach. Shortly after, she sat down - her eyes glazed, her lip quivered and her breathing became heavy. 'OMG' I cried 'I've killed her…' but no, I had mistaken these sinister symptoms for a simple case of one very weary mare succumbing to sleep - it was after all, a very big day for a 23 year old mare!

All was well in the end. This is my 4th foal from Minuet. When she arrived she was 19 and had her first foal, a brand new one, at foot! Not a bad effort. Although I hope I never have a similar career change so late in life…

Several days after Mercedes arrived I separated paddock buddies SC Rosie (Cudglebar Raksha x Aloha Royal Lady) and SC Vienna (Cudglebar Raksha x Aloha Minuet). Both maiden fillies in foal, Rosie wasn't due for a few weeks yet but was that just a smidge of wax on her udder…? Might separate them just in case. Rosie lived up to her reputation of being one of the quietest, most sensible young horses on the place (following the goose story), and was standing placidly nursing her new filly when I went out the next morning 20th October. 'Let you be a role model to all maiden mares' I said.

Goose Goose Goose

The goose story? Visitors to my place will be familiar with my one surviving goose. A traumatized individual who lost his siblings one night to marauding foxes in a trail of feathers and body parts…since that time he (who has remained nameless except when biting young horses that I am leading - then I have plenty of names for him), has become very tame and generally escorts me and my wheelbarrow on feeding duty. He sees his key role (especially in the spring and after heavy rain) as defending me from the horses - you know how dangerous horses can be. Most horses will run from him as soon as he chases, several will stand long enough for him to grab a beakful of skin but then they're gone. I have seen the goose grabbing pinches of skin on Rosie's front legs, working to the back legs and literally hanging off her wings flapping, while she stands quite still and watches him. Rosie has just turned 3. (Perhaps she is a good candidate to be broken to harness.) Ironic really, considering Rosie's mum has a reputation of her own - and its not for being the quietest horse on the place.

Sick babies

I digress. Rosie's new filly SC Crystal was another tall, leggy chestnut with skinny blaze and a few socks. As quiet and placid as her mother - only this morning Crystal came in for breakfast with the other mares and youngsters (minus her mother), while a group remained still grazing out the back about 1km away. She happily staked out her own feed bin (12 weeks foal) and willingly shared it with her mother when she eventually arrived, and washed the oats down with a little milk…

Within 36 hours of being born, Crystal became very sick with scours and spent a few days in the makeshift hospital ward in my machinery shed. This was my first sick scouring foal in 5 years of breeding.

Next to arrive was SC Saab on 26 October, a chestnut ¾ colt with a dishy head. His mother SC Vienna behaved more like the typical maiden mare and was so proud of him that she couldn't bear to stand still so he could have a feed. Cursing for the millionth time the demands of paid-employment I had to leave them for the day. I came home ready for anything with my beer stubby bottle, teats and molasses. No damn it, he still hasn't drunk. Very serious now. I called on Vienna's reputation as also a placid filly (typical of the Raksha stock) and she allowed me to milk her (not straight into the stubby - I'm not that good a shot!). Got him drinking through a combination of the bottle and holding Vienna strategically in a corner with Saab doing the rest.

Imagine how happy I was 36 hours later to see projectile liquid scours…(something in the air?) off they went to hospital-in-a-shed and armed with the experience (and bristling with medication) commenced treatment. I would be remiss not to mention my neighbours and friends Kay and Tania Harding of Jirrima Performance Arabians (www.users.tpg.com.au/kth). It seems they are forever 'on call' all hours, to help scruff foals, squirt stuff down throats or help with anything that I just don't have enough hands to do!

Chrome Chrome Chrome

The most spectacular foal of the season arrived on 9 November mid-afternoon. An exhausting lead-up as Jirrima Ultra Minx had been fully waxed up and showing signs of 1st stage labour for 3 days, so the late nights and early mornings were making me less than my usual congenial self! Of course, I missed her being born because I had already waited, and waited, drank coffee and waited, and couldn't put off that 'paid-employment' curse again. When I arrived home about 7pm there she was. Chestnut, white stockings with splashes above her knees and hocks, flecks of white spots throughout her coat, white blaze, very tall, built like a greyhound, athletic and 7/8 arabian. It was an exciting moment and I am barely disappointed by the fact she is going grey … well ok, a tad disappointed … I named her SC Bubblegum and she is very special.

A brief lull ensued until 2nd December when the black standardbred mare Lucy waited until I had to go to Melbourne for work and had a big strong bay filly with a pretty star. A trotter-anglo cross - looks more like a little percheron! Solid and chunky and built like the proverbial. Big solid legs and joints, big powerful trot, will be a delight for some heavyweight endurance rider one day. I called her SC Brontie.

My final foal came between Christmas and New Year, the tallest of the lot, a 5/8 arab with a dash of warmblood and TB out of Jirrima La Syn. SC La Crème inherited a name that may be known to 'Aussie Endurance' chat group members, but I know she won't be as troublesome as her namesake. A bay that will stay bay, solid but very tall and leggy, and a face and markings that would not be wasted in the show ring.

Outsiders

Owners of outside mares were happy with their two colts out of Zahara (Colin of Temora NSW) and Cathbery Abzarrah (Lorelle of Kergunya VIC) although the chrome fairy was pretty tight with the chrome. Lorelle's colt has the dubious honour of being the last ever foal of SC Fortitude aka 'Ziggy' as Ziggy has been on a special weight loss program (lost 2 stone in fact) and is currently being broken in before starting his endurance career.

As fate would have it, one foal was lost and the irony was it was my only colonial foal of the season - Hyksos Benjamin's first and a filly to boot. She was born to a maiden mare that I have on lease known as 'Yuri' (Cudglebar Manak x Cudglebar Rebbeca) and arrived about 6 weeks early It seems the odds were against her from the start - she was tiny and had trouble feeding. So it was onto the bottle then onto the mare. 'Job's right' I said as I watched her drinking enthusiastically that first night and next morning. Then the next day she started the serious scouring - 'I know what to do' I said as I drenched her with anti-diarrhea powder and injected her with some wonder drugs and antibiotics.

Then she started passing blood and that was when I invited the vet. I drove to pick up so very whiz bang mega immune plasma (all the way from America!) that the vet dripped into her, and he left me with more fluids for more drips. She was getting up and having little drinks from the mare that evening, but her hind legs were getting very uncoordinated and blind freddy could see she was going downhill fast.

Well we lost that battle and it was very hard on young Yuri (and I cried too!). Although thankfully Yuri has fully recovered now, and I learnt a lot about premature foals.

So lets talk about great things that have happened in 2004!

Two of my mares Aloha Kurils (x Talquah Talik) and Jirrima Ultra Minx (x Arundel House Zermat out of a Chip Chase Sadaqa mare) have tested positive via AI to an exciting young colt Castlebar Gulfstream. Gulfstream is a 3yo owned by Castlebar Arabians. He is by Chip Chase Sadaqa out of a Rainbow mare, and is a full brother to the very talented, internationally successful endurance mare, Crystal Flyer. Fingers crossed for big healthy foals.

Buy! Buy! Buy!

On the acquisitions side of things, there have been a number of new arrivals in the last 12 months and I don't mean by natural increase either…

The most exciting of these is Castlebar Janzen, a 6yo purebred mare, 15.1 hands who I was lucky enough to purchase as a breeding prospect due to a previous injury. She is a big athletic mare who has completed two 80k rides with good recoveries and I am fortunate to have her in my paddock.

It seems the middle of the year was the time for acquiring 'mouldy oldies', (although thankfully there was more winter fur than mould). From Carnival Arabians I purchased a 19 y.o. Tristram Selam mare, Stratfield Sadiq and 19 y.o. Wincar Nartal. Nartal was a yellow book mare in her day, campaigned by Sally Stephens from Hay. She is well bred - her father being Chip Chase Talib who is by Cherokee Mecca out of a Royal Domino mare, her mother is by Nile out of a colonial. Bit of a mixed pedigree but nice blood just the same. Nartal has been bred to my colonial stallion, Hyksos Benjamin.

Not satisfied with those I purchased another 10 y.o. mare, Aloha Fantasy by Lindall Zeke (sire of Aloha Zar). Lovely old blood and a tough old mare with attitude that has in excess of 9 lives - some good tales there but not for my newsletter … ask me over a beer sometime…

It seems that the old or the unsound just gravitate to me!…What started with a desire to send a mare to Aloha Rostrum at Aloha Stud, resulted in a 3 y.o. grey ¾ arab filly by Rostrum out of Aloha Flyte II standing in my paddock! A lovely filly that I was able to buy for breeding, again due to unsoundness from injury. I had admired a Rostrum filly called Aloha Seagull at the 2nd endurance auction in Canberra, and now I have one of my own - Aloha Silver Swift.

My latest oldie is another very special lady - Aloha Zamia, a 15yo purebred mare by Aloha Zar out of Aloha Zahra by Talquah Talik. Zamia is a full sister to the very successful mare Aloha Zariba, and two of her full brothers sold for good prices at the last two endurance auctions. Zamia is a handsome, aloof mare and I am very excited about breeding from her. She is a ¾ sister to my mare Aloha Kurils.

If happiness is acquiring horses - I must be ecstatic!!!

Sometimes I've wondered whether I've remained true to my original preservation breeding objectives in acquiring so much non-colonial stock. The answer is a definite 'yes'. Clearly 3 concurrent breeding programs have emerged and I remain comfortable and excited about each one. The three programs are: 1) The Cudglebar colonials who still remain the core of my stud, 2) the tall derivatives bred from the colonials and 3) the other 'popular' endurance bloodlines - the Taliks, Aloha Zar, the Sadaqas and the old blood from the mouldy oldies.

Did get rid of a few…

Several horses left during the year. Splitters Creek Molly left for Langwarry VIC to the home of endurance rider Sandra Patterson. She gave Sandra a beautiful ¾ arab filly 'Delta' by 16.2h anglo Jirrima Unbelievable. Delta and Molly are both winning fans with their in-your-face unflappable natures.

SC Persian Princess (Cudglebar Persian Prince x Cudglebar Mira) was sold and has found her way to Kimaleen John's Barinya Arabians. Possibly an untimely sale on my part as Persian Prince was found dead of suspected snake bite some months later, and the other Persian Prince filly has been exported to NZ. Oh well. At least I have consolation in owning two half brothers of 'Percy's', being SC Sultan and SC Centaur, both out of his dam, Cudglebar Piety.

SC Shamara (Hyksos Sabok x Cudglebar Shamira) was leased and has found her way to Karen Johansen's Kalkadoon Stud in QLD.

Did we do any endurance?

Hyksos Amber (Cudglebar Rasuli exp NZ x Cudglebar Caleb mare) was broken to saddle during 2004 and successfully completed 3 training rides in Victoria. In December we went to Darlington Point NSW and she attempted her first long ride with Debra Kuhne. She completed 80k like a trooper and passed the vet check recovering to 48bpm. At that point with 13k of the course remaining, and the weather reflecting what you'd expect at midday in the summer, we chose to withdraw her as she was becoming very fatigues mentally. But well done for her first effort - Debra gave her 'A' for attitude. After 2 months' spell she is back in work with the goal to achieve her yellow book in 2005.

Cudglebar Tarquin (Cairo imp NZ x Cudglebar Midi) also returned to work after a 2 year break completing two trainers; 80k at Silver Creek VIC and going around the 92k at Darlington Point and recovering to 41 bpm - his best recovery yet! (But unfortunately v/o with a minor rear leg lameness). Looks like training in hills and a good strong hackamore to stop him pulling Zoe's arms out is a good recipe. Also reflects on the good work Zoe had done preparing both of them for rides. Well done Zoe. 2005 will be Tarquin's 3rd season so we hope to get him out to a few rides this year.

Other highlights?

In December I had a visit from NZ colonial breeders Karen and John Harrington. They had been visiting with Les at Cudglebar and were traveling in a hire car. Imagine my delight when they brought Les with them for a visit. Being geographically so far away, Les had never been able to get away down here for a visit, so while I've been happily breeding the last 5 years from Les' stock - he has never actually seen any of them! It was a very special day. Les loved them all especially the colonials of course, the foals and the young stallions SC Centaur and SC Sultan. He made several offers of which he should take him in the car with him…

During the year I froze semen off Hyksos Benjamin. I'm sure he enjoyed the holiday and I now have him in the freezer for the future. Frozen semen must be the ultimate preservation program! This is timely as both Ben's parents are now exported to NZ so there aint gunna be any more 'Bens' bred here! The first shipment of frozen semen was sold to an endurance rider in QLD so here's hoping that all goes well.

I have permission from Alison of Bradali Arabians to freeze from NSW endurance horse and colonial stallion, Hyksos Sabok this year (finances permitting…). He is by Cudglebar Nur Ed Dam out of a Konrad mare, Kontecksa. Still campaigning in endurance he is a horse renowned for his good temperament and soundness year-in, year-out. He was NSW Distance Horse of the year in 1998 and runner-up nationally. Several of his stock are competing successfully including Bradali Asefa.

Sabok will give me a good colonial cross to all my main blood groups including those with the blood of Raksha, Manak, my two Hyksos fillies by Cudglebar Rasuli (exp NZ) and stock of Ishmael's - should I ever get a purebred filly…

Well that's about all!
See you soon.
Catherine.

 

SC Juliet (Cudglebar Manak x Cudglebar Midi)	Castlebar Janzen (Kevisan Park Kentucky Blue x Castlebar Nakiska, a full sister to Castlebar Cody). * Castlebar photo	Aloha Silver Swift (Aloha Rostrum x Aloha Flyte II)
SC Brontie (SC Fortitude x SC Lucy - trotter)	SC La Creme (SC Fortitude x J La Syn)	SC Saab (SC Fortitude x SC Vienna)
Aloha Zamia (Aloha Zar x Aloha Zahra)	SC Mia (SC Sultan x Omani Stylist)	SC Bubblegum (SC Fortitude x J Ultra Minx)

 

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