Baramul Stud Dispersal 1958

Baramul Stud Dispersal 1958

Featured Image: Catalogue Front Cover of Baramul Stud Complete Dispersal 1958

I’ve referred earlier to ‘economic expediency’ as the driver for COMPLETE Dispersal Sales. There are also elements of ‘creative marketing strategies’. Should I define that? This must have been the ‘dispersal sale when you’re not having a dispersal sale’? Do I recall a soft drink company promoting a well branded non-alcoholic alternative which had something to do with ‘something you’re doing when you’re not doing something’?

In 1970 I actually accompanied the complete dispersal sale of Baramul Stud bloodstock to the USA when they were sold to Messrs Ellsworth, Franklin and Pessin in 1969. This was eleven years later. I wrote about it in my autobiographical ‘The Infinitive History of Veterinary Practice in Scone’. See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/the-infinitive-history-of-veterinary-practice-in-scone/ Clearly Mr A O Ellison had had a change of heart? There were very good reasons for doing so. His resident sire Star Kingdom had just emerged as the cosmic superstar of thoroughbred breeding in the Southern Hemisphere. He was to become one of the all-time ‘greats’ and five times champion sire in Australia. His legacy was to endure for perhaps fifty years? Talismanic colt ‘Todman’ had won the inaugural running of the Golden Slipper Stakes in scintillating style in 1957. In fact the first five Golden Slipper Stakes contested were won by the progeny of the new super sire. Eat your heart out supreme entrepreneur and ultimate hustler George Ryder!

I’m speaking from a knowledge base of supreme ignorance; not for the first time! I don’t even know if the sale actually took place? 42 well credentialed mares were offered for competition. It may well have been that Mr Ellison was disappointed with the performance of his foundation sires Kerry Piper (Imp.) and Osborne II (Imp.)? Mr Ellison was a distinguished barrister by profession. He was used to success. He had an enduring passion for horticulture and ‘large scale gardening’; his words. He meant farming. I don’t think he was ever greatly enamoured with the thoroughbred industry and its concomitant ‘colourful racing identities’? He vehemently eschewed the vigorous attentions of investigative racing journalists. Most of all he hated being addressed by them as ‘Alf’! He was AO to many, Mr Ellison to some and ‘Allwyn’ to his closest friends.   I think he was ultimately relieved when he finally retired to ‘Kilwinning Stud’ near Scone? In a well lubricated weak moment he told me ‘the Widden Valley was a Wombat Hole and he was glad to have climbed out of it’! His long time housekeeper and companion Mrs Connie Phillips is still with us (just) at 96. I would love to ask her a few questions; ‘but it is out of the question’. She is in another world at Strathearn House Aged Care facility in Scone. It’s out of my hands.

Mr Ellison gave a cameo even virtuoso performance in the totemic video ‘The Star Kingdom Dynasty’. See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/the-star-kingdom-dynasty/ . There are differing views of how Star Kingdom arrived at Baramul? The ‘Donald’ would describe them as alternative facts? We have Mr Ellison’s word on it. He was a lawyer after all?