Sydney Parkinson (1745 – 1771)

Featured Image:

Sydney Parkinson (1745-1771), by James Newton; National Library of Australia, nla.pic-an9800893

Sydney Parkinson and the ‘Great Superintendent of the Universe’

Peter Moore writes in his excellent book ‘Endeavour’ about the journey to measure the transit of Venus in 1769: “Sydney Parkinson exists today in the shadow of Cook, Banks and Solander. In several ways his perspective is the most revealing of them all”. Parkinson was a Quaker. I attended a Quaker School. We have that much in common; albeit it’s slight. His faith was found not in church but rather by standing ‘in the light’. Belief was established in the natural world rather than the supernatural. Rounding Cape Horn in the Endeavour Parkinson was struck with foreboding:

How amazingly diversified are the works of the Deity within the narrow limit of the globe we inhabit, which compared with the vast aggregate of systems that compose the universe, appears but a dark speck in the creation! A curiosity, perhaps, equal to Solomon’s, though accompanied with less wisdom than was possessed by the Royal Astronomer, induced some of us to quit our native land, to investigate the heavenly bodies minutely in distant regions, as well as to trace the signature of the Supreme Power and Intelligence throughout several species of animals, and different genera of plants in the vegetable system, ‘from the cedar that is in Lebanon, even unto the hyssop that springeth out of the wall’; and the more we investigate, the more we ought to admire the power, wisdom, and goodness, of the Great Superintendent of the Universe; which attributes are amply displayed throughout all his works; the smallest object, seen through the microscope, declares its origin to be divine, as well as those larger ones which the unassisted eye is capable of contemplating.

Does this adumbrate elements of pantheism?

Peter Moore also speculates that the crew of the ‘Endeavour’ were in some respects even more isolated and ‘remote’ than the Apollo Astronauts on the surface of the moon almost exactly 200 years later?

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Manfred

Featured Image: Acknowledge Australian Turf Club and Bob Charley ‘Heroes and Champions’

By Valais ex Otford; Trainer H McCalman; Owner B Chaffey

Major wins: AJC Champagne Stakes, AJC Derby, VRC Victoria Derby, MVRC Cox Plate, VATC Caulfield Stakes, VATC Caulfield Cup, VRC Melbourne Stakes. 28 starts: 11wins, 5 seconds, two thirds.

Stakes: £27,828

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Flight

Featured Image: ‘Flight’ by Royal Step from Lambent (NZ) courtesy of Ian Forbes McLaren (Australian Turf Club) and Bob Charley ‘Heroes and Champions’

Acknowledge: https://www.progroupracing.com.au/horse-racing-articles/race-horses/flight

Two-time W.S. Cox Plate winner Flight was ample proof that in horse racing, unlike many human sporting endeavours that depend on size, speed and strength, gender makes very little difference.

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Positano

Featured Image: ‘Positano’ by Douglas Fry courtesy of the Australian Jockey Club (now ATC); as showcased in Bob Charley’s ‘Heroes and Champions’

My great friend Brian Russell wrote a celebrated feature article ‘A Century of Hunter Valley Thoroughbred Excellence’ which I duly purloined (and acknowledged) as the finale to my modest tome on the History of Thoroughbred Breeding in the Hunter Valley. Harley Walden did the same in his online article: http://www.scone.com.au/century-of-thoroughbred-excellence/

One might argue that this all began with the importation by the Honourable Henry Cary Dangar MLC of ‘Positano’ in 1897 to his ‘Neotsfield Stud’, Singleton? The Honourable Henry Dangar was also Chairman of the Australian Jockey Club. ‘Positano’ ran second in the Epsom Derby and Dangar had high hopes of winning the Melbourne Cup. However ‘Positano’ could only manage a modest 6^th to ‘Gaulus’ but went on to win the AJC Spring Stakes and the VRC Veteran Stakes. Admittedly the Thompson family hegemony was already underway at ‘Widden’ but the Moses Brothers had yet to launch their illustrious short but vastly successful reign at ‘Arrowfield’.

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Morvada Stud Dispersal Sale 1982

This sale marked the passing of one era and the emergence of another. For much of the 20^th century the volume of thoroughbred breeders were the genuine farmers for whom it was a passionate interest, a hobby or another commercial ‘string to the pastoral bow’. Many succeeded. Max Woods of ‘Morvada’ was one of these we now refer to as the ‘old breed’.

Max was most astute. His selection and acquisition of the untried imported ‘Palestine’ stallion ‘Epistle’ for £4500:00 from the Kia Ora dispersal (1961) must rank as one of the great coups in thoroughbred breeding history in NSW. It was a bold bid. ‘Epistle’ went on to become the leading sire of individual winners in Australia 1974 – 1975 with total winnings of $1.1 million. This was truly sterling stuff. Among Epistle’s tsunami of winners were History, Red Clinker, Red Rider, Who’s Who, Chandos, Income Tax (twice winner of Scone Cup) and Docket. In the 1980 – 1981 season ‘Epistle’ was the leading sire of dams of winners on a winner per runner ratio with 116 runners, 61 winners and $219,812 in prizemoney.

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Gainsborough Lodge Dispersal Sale 1977

Just as the Kia Ora Stud Dispersal Sale had in NSW in 1961 so must the Gainsborough Lodge Dispersal Sale in 1977 have ‘sent shivers through the thoroughbred breeding industry’; in the latter case essentially in Queensland. The sale featured 273 thoroughbreds including 161 mares, 3 yearlings, 106 weanlings and three stallions: Beau Brummel (USA), Charlton and Rock Roi.

Local, State, National and even International ‘bull market’ economic conditions spawn new breeds of entrepreneurs in any age. They are sorely needed. Alfred Grant was such a person and elected to invest some of his development and real estate fortune in his dream: a ‘state-of-the-art’ thoroughbred breeding enterprise on the Darling Downs. He called it Gainsborough Lodge. It was definitely cutting edge and top flight for the era; or whatever corny cliché you care to choose. Nonetheless the prevailing economy turned ‘vicious’ and an inevitable liquidation sale ensued.

I attended the sale; with thousands of others! I had delusions of grandeur myself. Recently married I/we owned a couple of broodmares, a small farm and a share in the recently retired stallion “Bletchingly’. There was actually a lot of confidence in the industry at the time despite the forced sale. Spouse Sarah, a much better judge than me, had picked out two lots which we thought would be the foundation of a brilliant new thoroughbred breeding venture. They were NZ bred mares ‘Agronomist’ (Lot 158) and ‘Setaria’ (Lot 86). Full sisters by Agricola ex Marib (by Sabaean) both were in foal to early services by Beau Brummel. All fired up we couldn’t fail. We did. We didn’t even raise a bid; ‘Setaria’ was knocked down to Colin McAlpine of ‘Eureka Stud’ for $21,000:00 and ‘Agronimist’ to local breeder Gordon MacNicol for $26,000:00. The opening bid in each case was too hot for us in a very hot market indeed. This is often the case with ‘real’ dispersals and was the story of the two days of fierce competition.

Years later we were able to purchase another full sister ‘Turua’ in foal for the more modest sum of $3000:00. That’s more like it! Turua was the dam of Biscay filly ‘Aquilina’ who won two races for us.

Acknowledge:

‘The British East India Company in Early Australia’ by Keith Binney

See: http://www.tbheritage.com/Breeders/AUS/AusHistBinney.html

Caution: Be careful if clicking on the link (visit) to ‘Horsemen of the First Frontier’. It takes you to a very different site!

Featured Image: Sir Francis Baring, National Portrait Gallery, London taken from Keith Binney’s book Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788-1900) and The Serpents Legacy

It was Sir Francis who said of John Macarthur: “…the serpent we are nurturing at Botany Bay”

“When one produces a broad historical work like “Horsemen of the First Frontier (1788-1900) & The Serpents Legacy”, perhaps the writer should not be surprised at any comments received. However, the number of Australian readers who have recently said things like “I didn’t know the British East India Company had anything to do with Australia” indicates a generally widespread gap in our historical knowledge of the early colonial period. This is especially so when the same people had learnt at school about the British East India Company’s major role on the Indian sub-continent, in the Opium Wars with China and with the “Boston Tea Party” of 1773, which was a precursor to the American War of Independence.

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RAS of NSW Royal Easter Show Veterinary Panel (2)

Featured Image: RAS of NSW Veterinary Panel RES 2018: “Doing the Rounds”

“All Work and No Play”

I wrote in my immediately preceding blog about the RAS of NSW Royal Easter Show Veterinary Panel (1). There is a less serious side; see featured image. The blissfully recumbent splendidly sartorial pyjama-clad male member with cap at a characteristically rakish angle is a long-term veterinary panellist; and even longer term scion family associate of the RAS of NSW.

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RAS of NSW Royal Easter Show Veterinary Panel (1)

Featured Image: RAS of NSW Veterinary Panel RES 2017. Their first names are clockwise from back left: Chuck, Anne, Kym, Edwina (‘Eddie’), Emily, Danae (RAS Staff), Mark, Al and David.

I mentioned in my tribute to Dr Anne Fawcett on this site the egress of RAS of NSW Veterinary Panel since the first Sydney Royal Easter Show (SRES) at Homebush in 1998. I made my debut as RAS Councillor at the final SRES at Moore Park in 1997. Not surprisingly many changes have taken place as inevitable components of natural ageing and gradual attrition. The Senior Veterinary Councillors in 1997 were Honorary Councillors Roy Watts, Len Pockley and Andrew Gibson plus Councillor Frank Hooke as Chairman of the VCM.

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HVBHBA First Annual Scone Sale 1979

Featured Image: Front Cover First Annual Scone Sale 1979

In the late 1970s a series of well-attended and enthusiastic meetings of thoroughbred breeders were convened in Scone. In mid-1978 the Rules of The Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association of Australia, New South Wales Division, Hunter Valley Branch were formally adopted.

See also:

https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/hunter-thoroughbred-breeders-association-scone-history/

https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/bold-scone-venture/

Rule 3 states:

The objects (sic) for which the Branch is formed are:

(a).       To promote and advance the interest of the Breeders of the Bloodhorse in the Hunter Valley district.

(b).       To regulate or assist in regulating the days of sale, order of sale and procedure in connection with the Hunter Valley Branch Yearling Sale or Hunter Valley Branch Sales.

(c).       To co-operate with and assist all other divisions and Branches of the Bloodhorse Breeders’ Association of Australia.

The inaugural committee elected in Scone to implement these objectives included the following:  Peter Hodgson (Chamorel Park), Jack Sheppard (Gyarran), John Harris (Holbrook), ‘Bim’ Thompson (Widden), John Kelso (Timor Creek), James Mitchell (Yarraman Park), David Bath (Bhima), David Casben (Yarramalong), Peter Morris (Woodlands D-KR), Hilton Cope (Kelvinside), Betty Shepherd (Trevors), John Clift (Kia Ora), Ray Gooley and Bill Howey (Veterinarians).  Their success or failure may be judged against today’s values.

Among many of the early deliberations were the promotion of racing at Muswellbrook, sales at Scone, co-operative buying groups for goods and services and a ‘black list’ of bad debtors! The legal profession under current legislation might have discovered fertile territory had some of these come to fruition?

Perhaps the major early significant achievement was the promotion of the First Annual Yearling Sale, White Park Racecourse, on Sunday 4^th March 1979 at which 204 lots were catalogued.  There was a BBQ and parade of yearlings at 6.30 p.m. on Saturday 3^rd March 1979.  This followed the Denman Race Club Meeting at Skellatar Park, which was sponsored by the HVBHBA with the Upper Hunter Breeders Improvers Handicap (fillies and Mares), 1200m., $1000 prize money with a Winners Trophy of $200 and Breeders Trophy of $100.  The programme featured six races with total prize money of $6400:00 and trophies $700:00. Woodlands Stud (1200 M Juvenile Handicap $2000:00 plus $200:00 trophy), Balfour Stud (Handicap 1400 M $1000:00 plus trophy $100:00) and Yarraman Park Stud (Improvers Handicap 1400 M $800:00) were also major sponsors on the day. First race was a Maiden Handicap of 1000 M for $800:00.

The sale was officially opened by media personality Mike Willesee who purchased his first yearling, Lot 115, the Chestnut Colt by Coolness ex. Liquid Fire consigned by the Holbrook Partnership, Widden Valley.  The liquor licensing laws of the period demanded that on Sunday, alcoholic beverages and refreshment could only be provided by ‘committee’ from the minute bar at the Scone Race Club.  There were some very interesting accounts and ‘shouts’ from that arrangement which the combined tyrannies of time and distance fortuitously prevent accurate recall and/or redress!?! It was measure of the calibre of the man that ‘Bim’ Thompson voluntarily elected to vacate some of his ‘choice’ boxes on course to accommodate well-presented yearlings consigned by Sledmere Stud who had been allocated the less favourable tie-up stalls. Would this be likely to happen today?