Featured Image: Wooloomooloo, Sydney, New South Wales, 1803

Residence of first Commissary-General, John Palmer

A naive early watercolour attributed to convict artist John Bolger.

Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Reprinted in ‘Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788 – 1900) and The Serpents Legacy’ by Keith R Binney. Publisher: Volcanic Productions

It’s interesting to contemplate just how difficult and ‘primitive’ facilities were for the very first serious importations of horses into the emerging colony of New South Wales?

We know from the records when ‘Rockingham’ (1790s), ‘Northumberland’ (1801) and ‘Washington USA’ (1802) had arrived. The featured image gives an idea of the ‘welcoming party premises’ that would have been extant at that time?

Emu Hall, Penrith, NSW, 1866

Residence of James Tobias Ryan. The mounted figures closely resemble Fowles painting of Robert Marsden Ftzgerald and his sister Lucy.

Note not only the modes of transport but also the style and quality

Oil painting by Joseph Fowles

Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales

Reprinted in ‘Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788 – 1900) and The Serpents Legacy’ by Keith R Binney. Publisher: Volcanic Productions

Camden Park House NSW 1843

Residence of James Macarthur

The painting depicts a horseman mounted of a very fine looking grey horse in the foreground.

Watercolour by Conrad Martens

Dixon Galleries, State Library of New South Wales

Reprinted in ‘Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788 – 1900) and The Serpents Legacy’ by Keith R Binney. Publisher: Volcanic Productions

Elizabeth Farm near Parramatta NSW 1825

This might have been the ultimate destination of many early importations. Although the Macarthurs bred mainly Merino Sheep they still needed superior fast transport; just like all squatters seeking primacy.

Elizabeth Farm near Parramatta was the home of John and Elizabeth Macarthur.

Copy of lithograph published in London by Joseph Lycett

Government Printing Office Collection, State Library of New South Wales

Reprinted in ‘Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788 – 1900) and The Serpents Legacy’ by Keith R Binney. Publisher: Volcanic Productions

Bijou was another quality broodmare imported to NSW when importation was both expensive and precarious.

Comparatively speaking mares were more expensive (and a greater risk) when compared to stallions because they were relatively less productive in terms of number of offspring. It may be however they could be purchased for capital sums much less than a successful entire male racehorse.

Skeletine

Featured Image: ‘Skeletine’ ‘Manto’ (Imp 1825); first named mare tracing taproot back to General Stud Book

Mares tend to be neglected when considering early influence in horse breeding and thoroughbred breeding in particular. This is partly because they leave fewer offspring then any successful stallion. However their influence should never be underestimated nor neglected. I have been guilty of both. In recent times no less a high profile breeder than John Kelly of Newhaven Park, Boorowa volunteered the opinion that stud masters had paid too much attention to stallions when they should have been actively seeking superior broodmares. This wisdom came from the enlightened breeder who imported champion sire ‘Wilkes’ (Fr) by Court Martial.

‘Skeletine’ undoubtedly shows the superior conformation and quality of a well-bred thoroughbred even allowing for artistic licence. She was a daughter of ‘Skeleton’ (IRE) featured earlier in the montage.

Heritage Horse Ride Olympics 2000

Featured Image: The northern team of the 6000km Heritage Horse Ride from Broome WA to Sydney arrive in Scone on Friday 4th August 2000.

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/spring-valley-heritage-horse-ride-2000/

It was a phenomenal concept of Olympian proportions. Australian Stock Horses and a proud Upper Hunter Valley personnel connection were up front and central. Touted as the ride of a lifetime the idea of a Heritage Horse Ride was conceived on the steps of the Sydney Opera House (where else) in December 1998. Two branches (‘Teams’) for the mammoth ride would leave Broome in West Australia mounted on trusty Australian Stock Horses. The date set for departure was April 14^th 2000 when the two select squads set off in different directions. The southern group were to be led by Neville Holz from Ravensworth near Singleton. Neville was Chairman of Unique Australian Horse Sports and a former Chairman of the Australian Stock Horse Society founded ‘in a shed’ at Scone in 1971. This team were headed for Canberra. Unique Australian Horse Sports was a composite of the Australian Stock Horse Society and the Polocrosse Association of Australia. The mammoth ride intended to reach out to all Australians in celebrating our rich horse heritage and build up relations between the city and the bush. It was a most noble cause.

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Sydney Olympic Torch Relay Welcome to Scone 2000

Featured Image: Landscape Aerial Portrait of 796 Horses and Horsemen & Horsewomen aligned along the New England Highway South of Scone for the Official Olympic Torch Relay Welcome @ 10:00am on Thursday 31^st August 2000

Scone wanted the biggest and the best. We might very well have pulled it off? The occasion was the official ‘Sydney 2000 Olympic Torch Relay Welcome-to-Scone’.

Peter White from ‘Belltrees’ was the driver with the wholehearted support of the Scone Shire Council. Like most successful events it’s all in the planning. There was certainly a lot of it. Originally organisers hoped for 1000 horses and riders. The eventual tally of 796 was nonetheless an extremely majestic achievement. It surpassed by some margin the unofficial 750 claimed for the Calgary Stampede in Alberta, Canada. Hopefully the Guinness Book of Records was suitably impressed and would agree to a fresh claim?

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Olympia Theatre @ Scone

Featured Image: Masonic Ball on “The Rink”, Olympia Theatre, Scone NSW in 1928

The four people standing in the forefront are Dr Oswald Barton, Miss Madge Doyle, Arthur ‘Advocate’ Smith and W McCartney Abbott MHR (Photo courtesy of State Library of NSW)

Scone once boasted an Olympia Theatre. It was a grand totem to the arts. This was in the first half of the 20^th century. The site is now a franchise for a major international car distributorship. It may say something about our modern society?

Scone’s Olympia Theatre began life in 1911 as a Roller Skating Rink. They were all the rage. Muswellbrook had three and Aberdeen one; similarly Murrurundi. Scone was late on the scene. The six pioneering Johnston Brothers later reduced to four were the original entrepreneurs. The open-air rink was first opened on Monday 16^th October 1911 to much fanfare. The site was ‘near Dr Scott’s residence’; now known as the Airlie House Motel. The rink enjoyed instant inquisitive ‘novelty’ patronage. A fancy dress skating carnival in October 1911 attracted ‘500 – 600 skaters and onlookers’.

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St Aubins Arms

Featured Image: St Aubins Arms 1872 Note: shingle roof and inn sign with light attached.                             Photograph by Beaufoy Merlin

Arguably the most interesting house in Scone is also the oldest. In 1836 the Dangar Brothers Thomas and Henry leased 6 acres of land at St Aubins Village from Captain William Dumaresq. By then the Great North Road commissioned by Dumaresq’s brother-in-law Governor Darling was in constant use and became a busy thoroughfare between the Hunter Valley (Patrick Plains = Singleton) and New England (= Liverpool Plains).

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