Scone Rugby Club

Back Row L to R: Jack Holmes, Paul Chapman, Ken Bowditch, John McDonald, Ken McConville, Bill Rose, Peter MacCallum, Bruce McRae, Garry Davies, Warwick Judge, Neville Halliday (back), Ned Kater

Front Row L to R: David Bath, Ken Warner, Neil Moxham, Mick Bayes, Phil Britton, Derry McLoughlin, Rod ???? (Teacher)

Ken McConville (Captain/Coach) and Bill Rose 1967 were the ‘movers and shakers’ in the renaissance of the Club.

This year (2017) the Scone Rugby Club in the modern era celebrates its 50^th birthday. I am proud to relate that the Scone Veterinary Practice was at one time its most fecund provider of talent. Regrettably the author is placed well down the list. His one day of captaincy (1972) produced a ‘worst ever’ result against Murrurundi . The strategy of enlisting some ‘Thoroughbred’ League talent at the last moment to fill some gaps backfired badly! Two were sent off and two walked off in sympathy! The fact that the two ‘send offs’ were cajoled out of the Golden Fleece Hotel having downed 11 schooners each (and counting) did not help! Rules; what rules? Head butting in the scrum? Why not? Tragically the referee that day later took his own life! We all survived and at least we turned up and did not forfeit. That’s my only defence. It was a club nadir at the time.

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Ollie Hall

When Ben Murphy was writing for the Scone Advocate I occasionally helped him out with some ‘mini-scoops’. Thank you Ben for allowing me to share the following for a champion bloke! Multi-talented Ollie Hall is eminently worthy of every recognition in our community.

http://www.sconeadvocate.com.au/story/3990723/ollie-hall-a-man-of-many-talents/

Featured Image: Acknowledge Scone Advocate. Ollie told me very firmly this was the photograph he wanted to be remembered by. Thank you Ben Murphy!

See also: https://www.sconeadvocate.com.au/story/7015521/rugby-community-mourning-the-passing-of-former-wallaby-ollie-hall/ 

See also: https://www.classicwallabies.com.au/players/oliver-bythe-hall

See finally: https://www.todaystale.com/NorthernBeachesSportsTribune/manlymarlins-a__DBNB/valetoabushrugbylegendolliehallpassesawayaged67-s__fdPH

June 24 2016 – 4:11PM

Former Wallaby and movie actor talks about his achievements

Ben Murphy

HE’S played rugby for Australia, acted alongside movie stars like Tom Selleck, and is now working with the next generation of local sporting talent.

Ollie Hall’s achievements on and off the rugby field are the stuff of dreams.

It all kicked off in 1983 when he was part of the Alan Jones-coached Manly side that won the Sydney Premiership.

Hall then helped Sydney beat the United States and was involved in the clash between NSW and Argentina.

His impressive form that year saw him picked to tour Italy and France, where he played in five matches for his country.

Despite only just embarking on what appeared to be a promising representative career, multiple knee injuries brought it crashing down the following year.

Jones had just taken over as coach of the Wallabies at this point and, though he wanted to take the 32-year-old Hall on their Grand Slam tour, knew it was not realistic.

Life after sport can often prove to be troublesome for some, but not Hall.

He quickly turned his attention to acting and nabbed a role in Mad Max III: Beyond Thunderdome. The 1985 film starred Mel Gibson and Tina Turner.

“I worked on Mad Max III for 10 months, I was the longest employed,” Hall said.

“My role was as Tina Turner’s bodyguard, but I was also an assistant to [The Master] Angelo Rossitto and did some stunt work.

“So that was my initiation into the film industry.”

He went on to work in a TV mini-series called Fields of Fire over three years before moving to Scone in 1989.

Rugby remained a major passion, and he strapped on the boots for the Scone Brumbies, helping them win the premiership that season.

Author’s Note: I vividly recall the grand final. Ollie’s good mate Jonno Clift (ex-Joeys) was coaching the Brumbies. Scone were desperately clinging to one point advantage late in the game gallantly withstanding a rampant Singleton pack and the mercurial half back combination of the Merrick brothers Dale (5/8th) and Steve (half back). (Ollie on his knees: “Shit they’re good”!) Ollie masterfully ‘slowed the game down’ with some strategically ‘feigned’ injuries. They might have been real? Olly’s legs had seen better days. Singleton joined the Newcastle competition in 1990 (next season) and won the premiership. Bob Dwyer famously plucked Steve Merrick from the club side and he scored a memorable try for the Wallabies against the NZ All Blacks.

A year later, Hall won a role in the movie Quigley Down Under, which starred Tom Selleck and the late Alan Rickman. Not long after filming ended, he decided it was time to move on from acting.

“I just thought to myself ‘you’re not a gypsy’,” he said.

“I was living out of a suitcase all the time and never home, so it was time to give it away.”

A venture into mining in the Upper Hunter lasted more than two decades, only ending in February this year.

During his time in the region, Hall has become an invaluable resource for Scone Junior Rugby Club as a coach. He believes the next generation of country players is shaping up well.

“If Australian rugby can encourage these children to stay in the sport then we’ve got an enormous amount of talent there,” he said.

“I think Scone juniors is one of, if not the largest, club in the Central North competition.

“I’ve been coaching for about six years now, and I’ve probably gotten as much pleasure out of this as anything I’ve ever done.”

Away from the rugby field, Hall has returned to his roots.

Born and raised on land near Wellington, NSW, he grew up around cattle. Now he’s bought some of his own.

“I’m going back to where it all started,” he said.

A Race of Horses (1974)

This film is now published on Film Australia YouTube channel in HD

You can see it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OT8dLZWdOjI

 

Richard Carter Production Coordinator

Access and Commercial – Collection Reference

The reason we (NFSA) have a 4k scan of this is that when Dean Semler was shooting the 2010 Disney film, Secretariat, he wanted to use some shots from the foaling scene in that film.  The production company spent a great deal of money, on the then very new scan technology, and other technical aspects but in the end decided he could not get it to match the look of his new film.  We however were the beneficiaries of his efforts.

I have just spoken with my very good friend ex-Wallaby and TV Star Ollie Hall in Kelly Street, Scone. Ollie told me Dean Semler is a great bloke. He worked with him on ‘Fields of Fire’ and ‘Mad Max’.

This YouTube was scheduled for release on Melbourne Cup Day 2017. This clashed with my annual colonoscopy cartel. Let’s juts say I was distracted? I’m only two days late: it’s VRC Oaks Day at Flemington today (Thursday 9th November 2017). ‘One for the ladies’.

Produced by Film Australia.  © National Film and Sound Archive of Australia.  

The Logo of Film Australia should have appeared here but my ‘blog’ won’t allow it. I will make sure it appears on the front page of my website under videos; when my website manager attends to it in the near future.

I wish to gratefully acknowledge the able assistance and support of the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia for their charitable permission to link this Film to my website. We are extremely fortunate in Australia that such an excellent record is both extant and readily available. After 44 years I was able to find and track this item with the very capable service of Harry Ree, Manager, Distribution and Sales, Access and Commercial. I was genuinely afraid the special historical vignette had been lost. I also acknowledge Sean Bridgeman and Joanne Timbs.

For further information on this and other Film Australia and NFSA films, please email sales@nfsa.gov.au

 

Commentary

The film has excellent background audio but no official spoken commentary. I offer the following written narrative from the vestiges of my memory. I sincerely hope and trust this will both augment and enhance your knowledge and understanding of the content in the movie. I stress these are my recollections to the very best of my knowledge. Any errors are mine. I will deal with the contextual segments or ‘sets’ in chronological order as each arises during the filming. The original intention (Director Kit Denton) was to promote the sales of Australian thoroughbred horses into the burgeoning Asian Market. This was both prescient and pre-emptive. It has happened; although possibly delayed by approximately one generation since the making of the film?

Set 1:     Wm Inglis & Sons Yearling Sale Complex, Newmarket, Young Street, Randwick NSW

The film captures the drama and excitement of the Sydney Easter Yearling Sales held at the  historic stable complex at Newmarket Sale Ring, Randwick. Genuine industry legend John    Inglis is the auctioneer with the gavel. On his right is Ossie Roberts who later became a      Director of the Sydney Turf Club. There is a brief glimpse of ‘spotter’ Bill Inglis who was   John’s eldest son.  John Kelly of Newhaven Park, Boorowa is in the vendor’s box. A youthful  Trevor Lobb is assisting the auctioneer. The colt made $12,000:00

Set 2:     Invitation Race at an Adelaide Racetrack

The movie is built around a major Invitation Race at a metropolitan race track in Adelaide 1973 or 1974. It is probably Victoria Park but may be Morphettville; much less likely Cheltenham. Featured in the jockey’s room and clearly identifiable is hall-of-fame jockey John Letts who won two Melbourne Cups (Piping Lane 1972, trained by George Hanlon; Beldale Ball 1980, trained by Colin Hayes).  One rider appears to be pulling on pantyhose? Several fill their lightweight riding boots with baby powder to prevent pressure sores. There are brief glimpses of other jockeys at the start. The bookmakers ring, punters and crowded onlookers are scanned at regular intervals. The start and official race starter are highlighted. There are frequent ‘flashbacks’ to the race throughout the film. The race caller gives an excellent resume of progress throughout the race with jockeys occasionally appearing to ‘change their minds’? The finale to the movie is an apposite race to the finish by the head-on camera. This would have been ground-breaking in the early 1970s.

Set3:      Segenhoe Valley, Scone, NSW

There is an excellent sweeping aerial panoramic view of the Segenhoe Valley, near Scone. Included is Kia Ora Stud Farm (see below). The Segenhoe Valley is one of the major thoroughbred breeding areas on a global scale.

Set 4:     Kia Ora Stud, Scone, NSW

The action is filmed showing the rounding up of mares and foals for routine veterinary surveillance and investigation in the yards at Kia Ora Stud Farm. The horsemen shown include Jimmy Gibson (Manager), Robert ‘Blue’ Brotherton, Don Bailey and George Bowman. The author is the veterinarian seen passing a stomach tube and pregnancy testing a mare. Stallions then at Kia Ora Stud included Golden Slipper winner ‘Baguette’ and the great Goondiwindi Grey ‘Gunsynd’.

Champion stallions which previously stood at Kia Ora included ‘Magpie’ (1928, 1931), ‘Midstream’ (1948, 1951, 1952) and ‘Delville Wood’ (1953 – 1957 inclusive)

Set 5:     Foaling Supervision at Lyndsay Park, Angaston, Barossa Valley, South Australia

Dick Thornberry is the eminent equine veterinarian supervising the delivery of a live foal in a box at Lyndsay Park Stud, Angaston, Barossa Valley SA. It may be legendary stud administrator Harry Line looking over the box door?

 

Set 6:     Mares and Foals and Yearlings at Lyndsay Park, Angaston, Barossa Valley SA

There are some excellent images of mares and foals in the lush paddocks at Lyndsay Park. The yearlings are shown with the capability to demonstrate their full complement of athletic prowess in the safe and spacious paddocks at Lyndsay Park.

Set 7:     Early Education (‘Breaking In’)

This shows the skill and risk required for the early education of spirited and feisty young thoroughbreds. The round yard and sand roll depicted are excellent facilities for this purpose. One onlooker sporting a big hat appears to be bored by the whole operation yawning widely!

Set 8:     Training at Lyndsay Park

Master trainer Colin Hayes established a magnificent training complex at Lyndsay Park. It featured up-hill finishes to most gallops to achieve optimum fitness. These features are very well demonstrated.

Set 9:     Beach Training and Swimming (Possibly Glenelg Beach, Adelaide OR Botany, Sydney)

Racehorses are shown swimming and exercising in the surf attended by strappers in rowing boats and also led by hand. A specially designed swimming pool for horses is well demonstrated.

Set 10:  Stallion at Lyndsay Park

Hall of Fame Owner/Trainer Colin Hayes comments favourably from the open gate to the sand roll on the prowess and powerful presence of sire ‘Romantic’: “126 runners for 116 winners”. World breaking sire of 2 year olds Without Fear (Fr.) was also resident at Lyndsay Park at this time.

Set 11:  Training at Royal Randwick

Trainer Pat Murray is shown on his lead pony. Pat trained champion ’Tails’ for the Hon C E Barnes. There are frequent glimpses of Ernie Smith supervising the Tulloch Lodge Team for his celebrated brother T J ‘Tommy’ Smith. ‘Clarence the Clocker’ is shown timing the gallops. The movie captures the early morning crowded drama of the fast work outs. There is a brief glimpse of doyen of senior jockeys Jack Thompson.

Set 12:  Credits

Dean Semler (Camera) won an Academy Award for Best Cinematography 1991, ‘Dances with Wolves’; American Society of Cinematography Award 1991, ‘Dances with Wolves’; Kodak Award for Cinematography 1975 ‘A Steam Train Passes’; Australian Film Institute Award for Best Cinematography for a Non-Feature Film 1979, 1972 ‘The Russians’; American Society of Cinematography Life Award 2013; AACTA Award for Best Cinematography 1981, 1984, ‘Dead Calm, ‘Razorback’.

Director Kit Denton achieved National fame and International acclaim as the author of ‘Breaker Morant’ which became a feature film. His writer, journalist and broadcaster son Andrew Denton has also attained high renown.

As the fascinating but tragic tale of the fate of the Duke of Athol attests entrepreneurial bushrangers and outright scoundrels abounded throughout the Upper Hunter Valley.

Fred Ward aka “Thunderbolt” was upfront and central in most discussions until his ultimate capture and demise at Uralla; if it was him? Also prevalent throughout the area was ‘Captain Starlight’ or Harry Readford. There was even a ‘lady bushranger’ Jessie Hickman resident near Emu Vale in the Widden Valley. Earlier Edward ‘Jewboy’ Davis and his gang had been active until their capture by Edward Denny Day at the battle of Doughboy Hollow (‘Ardglen’). Ben Hall actually attended school in Murrurundi. Family members still prevail in the area.

There are many others but the key to survival was the acquisition of the best horses. It was a risky business and the penalties for capture severe!

Duke of Athol

The featured image is of a portrait by artist Montague Scott.

In the early age of fast transport during the 19^th century the best horses were the coveted prizes at the cutting edge. Every cadre wanted them from the law to squatters and bushrangers. The latter were often the most entrepreneurial and acquisitive.

Imported sire ‘Duke of Athol’ (Blair Athol GB ex Circe GB) was the star attraction and focus of attention for many. He was imported from GB by Frank Dangar and won his class at the Sydney Australian Agricultural Society Royal Easter Show. On his dam’s side he traced to legendary foundation thoroughbred mare ‘Pocohontas’. He was transferred to owner John Tindale’s property in the Bylong Valley. From there the story becomes murky. He was reputedly stolen by bushrangers; the most likely suspect being ‘Thunderbolt’ aka Fred Ward. The crucial date was 26 May 1875. John Tindale employed eighty men including black-trackers to find him. They didn’t. The hunt was called off.

Stories abound about the ultimate fate of Duke of Athol. Fantastic tales included export to Norrah, Queensland and even further afield. In the Channel Country of Queensland a few years later a number of good race-winning chestnut horses with identical markings to the stolen stallion turned up. More prosaic is the probable outcome. The bushrangers most likely destroyed the horse, burnt his carcass and tipped the remains into a deep gully to avoid detection and arrest. No evidence. The “Duke of Athol Cliff” at Square Top near Merriwa has an authentic ring to the finale? Searchers found a hoof and the remains of a burnt out carcass. His chestnut coat and four white socks were a bit of a ‘giveaway’.

A Tindale descendant still resides in the Widden Valley at  ‘Myrtle Grove’.

Heroic (1921)

Featured Image from a painting by Martin Stainforth held by the VRC.

See also: https://kingsoftheturf.com/1924-cecil-godby-jack-corteen-and-heroic/ 

Ian Ibbett has as usual related the tale superbly in his own inimitable style. (See above). My good friend Bill Moses and grandson of F A (‘Fred’) Moses, now 87, fondly recalls the good old days at ‘Combadello’ with palpable relish.

Until ‘Danehill’ (Imp.) came along the stallion to hold the record for the most times (7) as Champion Sire was ‘Heroic’. He achieved this outstanding feat in seven successive years 1932/33 – 1938/39). Bred by W & F A Moses at Arrowfield Heroic had been an outstanding race horse after fetching the top price of 1800 guineas at the Inglis’ Yearling Sales in 1923. He was by the Moses’ successful staying stallion ‘Valais’ (imp.) who topped the sires’ list on five successive occasions. His dam was Chersonese (GB). His pedigree featured a close up double cross of Cyllene.

Heroic proved to be an outstanding racehorse with 51 starts for 21 wins, 11 seconds and 4 thirds totalling £38,062 in prizemoney. In 4 racing seasons (1923/24 – 1926/27) he won 15 ‘major (group) races’ between 5 furlongs and 2 miles. ‘Heroic’ was leased by his then owner Charles Kellow to Herbert Thompson to stand at ‘Tarwyn Park’ Stud, Bylong Valley near Rylstone. Among his outstanding offspring were Ajax, Hall Mark, Hua, Heroic Prince, Nuffield and Valiant Chief. Heroic was inducted into the Australian Racing Hall of Fame in 2003.

There is little doubt the Mare & Foal Statue is firmly established for posterity as the seminal emblematic totem for Scone and the Upper Hunter.

“This sculpture identifies Scone and the Upper Hunter Valley as the Horse Breeding Centre of Australia. It commemorates the role horses have played in the development of Australia and is a tribute to one of mankind’s greatest friends”.

I include here the history of its acquisition; which was not entirely a smooth path! Are they ever? There are still some ‘hidden secrets’ and always will be.

I wrote the following when on the Upper Hunter Shire Council. I’m glad I did.

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Dr Treve Williams OAM

On Australia Day, Sunday 26 January 2020 Dr Treve Williams was awarded the Medal (OAM) of the Order of Australia in the General Division. His late father (see below) was awarded the CBE in Great Britain making two successive generations of the Williams family to be recognised in this way.

Treve Williams is a good friend and professional colleague who has both brushed and embraced the heady space of ‘stardom’. Treve lived and worked in Scone about two moves before me for both Murray Bain and the Sykes Bain partnership in the early 1960s. He had ‘seen practice’ with Murray as an undergraduate student.

His background and early life are fascinating and very accurately redolent of a certain genre of young ‘colonial’ Englishman. Treve was born in Burma. His father John Howard Williams CBE was the famous Lt Colonel ‘Elephant Bill’ Williams of the XIV^th Army commanded by Sir William Slim. Treve was educated at Blundells School in Devon, England before eventually finding his way to Australia; firstly as a jackaroo and then veterinary science at Sydney University. I believe Treve’s inaugural sponsoring family were Smiths of St Aubins Stud in Scone. W J ‘Knockout’ Smith was the leviathan patriarch. Treve played Rugby for the University 1^st XV also winning a premiership. He enjoyed a stellar veterinary career firstly in Scone and then later in Sydney and throughout the globe. His acme of achievement in racing administration came when elected as Chairman of the Australian Jockey Club in May 2003. I think he may have been the first erstwhile Scone resident to do so? (I managed plebeian President of Scone Race Club; also the Newcastle Hunter and Central Coast racing Association!).

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Dr Stewart McKay rated Martin Stainforth’s painting of the finish of the AJC Craven Plate at Randwick in 1918 as just about the apogee of his unique ability to capture racehorses in action in art. He was rightly famous for his depictions of horses and dogs in portraits.

The featured image shows the finish of the AJC Craven late at Randwick in 1918. Reading from the rails: Cetigne (A. Wood) first, Desert Gold (fourth), Wolaroi (second), Estland (third). The painting was then in the possession of Mr W. A. Crowle.

Possibly because of this painting the AJC Craven Plate in 1918 has become a tributary totem to racing in this era before the advent of photography of the finishes and certainly photo finish cameras.

The winner ‘Cetigne’ later retired to Mr T A Stirton’s Dunlop Stud at Merriwa. Mr Stirton was on the AJC Committee. The AJC Judge at this time was J A K Shaw from Scone who lived at ‘Geraldton’; now my and my  spouse Sarah’s home.

On the very morning of the 2017 Melbourne Cup (07/11/17) I post the first winner with a strong Hunter Valley connection. ‘Chester’ was owned and raced by Hon James White of the famous ‘Belltrees’ pioneer pastoral family.

Chester

Chester (1874–1888) was an Australian Thoroughbred racehorse and a leading sire. He defeated some of the best horses in training over distances ranging from five furlongs to three miles. He was the Leading sire in Australia on four occasions.

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