Outback Racing

Outback Racing

See: https://www.queensland.com/au/en/things-to-do/events/sports-events/must-see-horse-racing-events-in-queensland?redirect=blog.queensland.com/2017/11/07/must-see-horse-racing-events-in-queensland/

Featured Image: Artesian Express Race Day at Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Festival. Photo by Jo Thieme

Royal Ascot it’s not! I love the featured image! There’s really nothing else like it; other than similar ‘escapism events’ in the vast and remote sparsely populated vast open stretches of the NT, SA and WA. Say no more! You don’t need a dense population. You only need a mesmeric attraction. The entrenched ‘locals’ do the rest! Mythical ‘outback’ is the alluring canvas. I think it’s more than adequately portrayed in the irresistible ‘promo’ compiled by Queensland Racing! How about the Betoota, Bedourie and Birdsville SW Queensland trifecta? If you don’t dig horses maybe camels are your thing? Julia Creek caters for all tastes!

And I thought now defunct ‘Wallabadah’ was unique?

Dr David Barton Warden OAM M.B., B.S., F.R.A.C.G.P., Dip. R.C.O.G.

Featured Image: Dr David Warden @ at ‘Tinagroo’ 26/04/1975

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/erudite-medical-trifecta/’

Email from Joanne Shipway/Warden 04/03/2024:

Dear Bill,
Not sure how quickly the bush telegraph is but dad passed away peacefully yesterday morning (Sunday 3rd. March 2024). He was in hospital for 2 weeks….in for an X-ray and then the slippery slope of hospitals but he was ready to go for a long time now. Mike was with him when he died and we had all been there nearly every waking over the two weeks.
A legend lost and 3 weeks behind the other legend GP of Scone. An end of an era.
There isn’t going to be funeral as per dad’s wishes.
Hope you’re keeping well.
Much love until we catch up again.
Jo xx

David Warden served in the Royal Australian Navy after leaving Shore School, Sydney in 1944. He became a leading Radar Mechanic before going to sea on HMAS HOBART and was sent to Japan with the Allied Occupational Forces. After demobilisation David Warden entered Sydney University in 1947. He graduated in Medicine (M.B., B.S.,) in 1953 after representing St. Paul’s College in Rowing, Athletics and Rugby Football gaining a Sydney University Blue in Rugby Football. He then went to Scone for 20 years as a GP, Consultant Physician and visiting Hospital Medical Officer with a special interest in obstetrics and surgery.  He obtained a Fellowship in the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (FRACGP) and Diploma in the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (Dip.RCOG) the latter necessitating a period of specialist training in the UK.  Dr David Warden introduced the administration of Epidural Anaesthetics in the Scott Memorial Hospital in Scone the same year the procedure was started at St. George V Hospital, Sydney. He also pioneered laparoscopy surgery in the Upper Hunter. The grandmothers of Scone still consider Dr David Warden to be the pre-eminent obstetrician and gynaecologist! He is widely revered as a legend in Scone to this day. Dr David Warden was the inaugural President of Scone Rugby Union Club (1966 – 1969). He was also extremely active in the community and served on myriad local committees.

It was during his time in Scone he travelled to Ethiopia enabling Dr Reg Hamlin and Dr Catherine Hamlin to take leave from their frantically busy Fistula Hospital (‘Hospital by the River’) in Addis Ababa.  He went as a volunteer and took time off with leave-without-pay from Scone Medical Practice to visit and work there on four separate occasions. He was spiritually enriched by the experience and developed a profound love of Ethiopia, its people, religion and culture. Having visited the Hospital in 2012 I can personally confirm Dr Catherine Hamlin’s deep appreciation of the outstanding work performed by Dr David Warden. He also volunteered to go to Cambodian Refugee Camps after the Khmer Rouge (Pol Pot) campaigns.

There he performed field surgery amputations of legs and hands from land mine injuries. There were no X-rays, pathology or blood transfusions available. This experience also left an indelible mark upon him.

David Warden also received a letter from the Surf Life Saving Association of Australia in 1959 saying they had referred him to the Meritorious Awards Committee of the Association for David’s bravery during a beach drowning at Bilgola that same year and thanked him for his selfless action and disregard of personal safety in effecting what has been described as a very hazardous rescue under adverse conditions.  They apologised for not being able to give him an award due to lack of evidence and accounts but recommended him for his bravery.  They said it took great courage to do what he did during the rescue.

Dr David Warden also spent a sabbatical period in Saudi Arabia (Riyadh) to absorb and learn the medical practices of differing cultures and religions

In recent years Dr David Warden has selflessly devoted most of his professional time to work as a locum throughout NSW and Australia. He does this to enable his colleagues in Regional, Rural and Remote locations (perhaps single person practices) to take leave and enjoy a holiday. These include:

Wellington (NSW)

Christchurch (NZ)

Gulgong (NSW)

Quirindi (NSW)

Kangaroo Island (SA)

Dunedoo (NSW

Coolah (NSW)

Coonamble (NSW)

Warren (NSW)

Coober Pedy (SA)

Nyngan (NSW)

Norfolk Island

Dubbo (NSW)

Barraba (NSW)

Baradine (NSW)

Nambucca Heads (NSW)

Broken Hill (NSW) Royal Flying Doctor Service

He has volunteered for service many times in some of these locations. Now well advanced into his 87th year Dr David Warden is still as determined as ever to provide this invaluable service despite having contracted medical conditions inimical to himself while ‘on active duty’. He has doggedly pursued this pathway with almost flamboyant disregard for his own personal wellbeing and general good health?

I wish to respectfully and unreservedly recommend Dr David Warden for an Order of Australia Award based on his altruism, selfless compassion and magnanimous lifelong devotion to his family, profession and community as physician, counsellor, consultant, volunteer, mentor, advocate, surgeon and true friend. This dedicated service far exceeding the conventionally accepted call of duty has extended well over 60 years embracing local, regional, State, National and International communities and humanity. As far as I am aware Dr David Warden has yet to receive official recognition having been somewhat peripatetic during his working life. He typically generously nominated ex-Scone medical colleague Dr David ‘Toby’ Barton for an OAM in 2001. There existed a possibly media generated myth that Toby’s grandfather Sir Edmund Barton, the first Prime Minister of Australia and Banjo Paterson were related? It is even recorded in Wikipedia for Banjo. According to Dr David Barton Warden this is indubitably not the case. There were at least two notable Barton immigrants in the mid-nineteenth century: one branch from Scotland and the other from Ireland. The former established the political dynasty while the latter were antecedents of Banjo. Dr David Barton Warden is a product of the latter. Scone’s eminent physicians Toby and David were not in fact familiar relations.

Dr William JOHN Paradice M.B., B.S., F.R.A.C.G.P.

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/erudite-medical-trifecta/

Dr John Paradice served with great distinction in the Royal Australian Navy after leaving The Kings School, Sydney following WWII. After demobilisation John Paradice entered Sydney University and graduated in Medicine (M.B., B.S.,) in the early 1950’s. He then came to Scone where he has diligently served for over 60 years as a GP, Consultant Physician and visiting Scott Memorial Hospital Medical Officer with a special interest in general practice.  He has obtained other specialist medical qualifications as a result of further concentrated study and dedicated medical practice.

I wish to respectfully and unreservedly recommend Dr John Paradice for the 2016 Upper Hunter Shire Council Citizen of the Year Award based on his altruism, selfless compassion and magnanimous lifelong devotion to his family, profession and community as physician, counsellor, consultant, volunteer, mentor, advocate, surgeon and true friend. In addition to his medical duties Dr John Paradice has served on the Board of the Upper Hunter Village Association (now Strathearn Village Association). While the Scone Scots existed Dr John Paradice was perhaps its most diligent supporter at the annual celebration dinner and St Andrews Day Races at White Park. Immensely proud of his rich Scots heritage John has also enthusiastically embraced such celebrations as Burns Suppers. Dr Paradice is a fixture at every ANZAC day and dutifully marches with his fellow veterans while very proudly supported by his fully extended family. This dedicated service far exceeding the conventionally accepted call of duty has extended well over 60 years embracing local, regional, State, National and International communities and humanity. As far as I am aware Dr John Paradice has yet to receive official recognition. He typically generously supported the nomination of ex-Scone medical colleague Dr David ‘Toby’ Barton for an OAM in 2001 and wrote his very sensitive obituary.

The corollary to this nomination is that it would recognise not only the achievements of Dr John Paradice but also that of his large and burgeoning family including devoted spouse Bobbie. I think it might be valid to claim that no other single cadre and its many members have made a greater contribution to the wellbeing of the whole community in the Upper Hunter over the past half century.

I am very proud to claim that I have known Dr John Paradice for 48* years (1967 – 2015). [*Now 57 years – 1967 – 2024]

Footnote: This nomination ‘morphed’ into the richly deserved National Award (OAM) depicted here. The UHSC created a  rather subdued ‘special award’ for Dr Paradice which I think he received twice? Much to my chagrin he did not receive the Hunter McLaughlin Citizen’s Award.

Dr W J H Paradice

Devoted country doctor

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/erudite-medical-trifecta/

By Caitlin Andrews

Jan. 22, 2015, 10:49 a.m.

Communities can’t function without dedicated people and it takes all kinds to build an efficient society, but one of the most important people in a rural town is the local doctor.

Dr William Paradice at home at ‘Yarramoor’, just out of Scone – the town he has served with his professional medical skills for many decades.

Attending call outs at 2am in the morning, working every second night and weekend for two years, delivering babies and treating emergencies are just some of the key roles the local doc experiences, but to one of Scone’s greats, Dr William John Paradice, this was all just part of him doing the job he loves.

Dr Paradice is a well-known general practitioner who served the Scone and Upper Hunter community for many decades and although he has now officially retired as a doctor, he is still a part of the local community.

The grandfather of 17 believes that the fact that three of his six grown children have moved back with their children and made their home in the district, is true testament of such a wonderful community.

An interesting man with a passion and pride that stems right from his childhood, Dr Paradice has worked hard his entire life to provide the rural community of Scone with a full provision of medical services.

He has seen a lot of changes – from technological and organisational structures to changes in Medicare and training, however Dr Paradice still believes the older style of medicine has much value that cannot be underestimated.

From starting off life experiencing what was shaping up to be a little unfortunate beginnings, Dr Paradice was fortunate to have many opportunities.

It all started like this:

The 88-year-old gentleman’s mother was a Scot who migrated to Australia in 1920 with her family.

Five years later she married  William (Jack) Paradice who was a surgeon in the Royal Australian Navy and a year later, in 1926, they had their first of two children – a son – William John.

In 1927 when Dr Paradice was just 17-months-old and his mother was pregnant with his sister, his father was killed in a collision at sea.

Thank goodness Mrs Paradice’s Scottish family adopted them and they lived together for the next 26 years during which time both children were raised and educated well while living at Bellevue Hill in Sydney.

Dr Paradice said what looked like an unfortunate start turned out to be excellent and he feels he owes everything to his Scottish grandparents.

As a young boy, Dr Paradice was educated at Cranbrook School and then The Kings School, starting a family tradition as three generations of the Paradice family have now been educated at Kings.

In 1944, Dr Paradice and some of his peers quickly finished their Leaving Certificate, just in time to enlist in the Navy, as the young 18-year-old had a dream to follow in his father and uncle’s footsteps and serve in the Navy before beginning his own medical studies.

Dressed in his Navy uniform and fresh as a button, the sub lieutenant’s first role was on the HMAS Warnbool, a mine sweeper sweeping the east coast of Australia, New Guinea, New Britain and the Solomon Islands.

Later the ship was the only vessel to hit a mine and sink, however luckily this was after Dr Paradice disembarked.

After some time on the mine sweeper he was transferred as an executive officer to a smaller ship which carried out mine destruction on the coast of Bougainville in the Solomon Islands, which he said was a more dangerous role.

In 1947, the young man was discharged from the Navy and was able to start his medical studies straight away at Sydney University, continuing on the Naval Reserve for several years.

Reflecting on his Navy days, Dr Paradice said he believes it is the best thing a boy can do.

“Put them in the Navy for three or four years – it’s a good way to turn a boy into a man,” he said.

“I enjoyed my time in the Navy and I was offered a permanent appointment, but I wanted to pursue other endeavours.

“It was a wonderful experience, the most interesting part was in my last year when we were destroying the mines and we had to almost live off the land and sea by eating fish, chickens from the villages and trading chewing tobacco for fresh fruit and vegetables.

“This was caused by the industrial issues and troubles loading the supply ships back in Sydney.”

Dr Paradice was 21-years-old when he started his six year medical studies and in his final year he married his beautiful wife Bobbie – a woman from Young.

The year after, 1953, the couple started their young family when their first son was born.

This was the same year the doctor graduated, but he decided to spend the next three years continuing his education in order to provide all the services necessary as a rural general practitioner, such as obstetrics, paediatrics, pathology and anaesthesia.

Dr Paradice said he thought this was the best way to prepare to practice in a rural community.

“One of the reasons I wanted to practice in a rural community was because I had completed a series of medical locums in Sydney during my studies and didn’t find life satisfactory.

“When you got a patient into the hospital in Sydney you lost contact with that patient and I wanted continuous contact with my patients and their families, which is more available in the country,” he said.

The pathway to Scone was actually established when Dr Paradice was sitting paediatric and obstetric examinations in England in 1956, and he met Dr David Warden who had been the assistant at a practice in Scone.

“Dr Warden advised me to contact the practice, so when I flew back into Sydney at the start of 1957, I made contact and was very happy to join Dr Pye, Dr Barton and Dr Warden in Scone in a most successful partnership that lasted for about 30 years,” Dr Paradice said.

“I am very proud of the fact that our partnership was one of the longest lasting partnerships in the country,” he said.

In those days the doctors had many more duties, which Dr Paradice cherished, as they operated a blood donor service where they carried out the whole process from bleeding the donors to cross matching with the donor and transfusing the blood.

Another favourite was the incredible visits to Belltrees, Ellerston and Timor Station to provide their medical services.

Dr Paradice was appointed as the Government Medical Officer which unfortunately required him to carry out the unpleasant jobs such as post mortems.

He said he still remembers his worst experience in medicine when he had to carry out a post mortem on an old ‘rabbitah’ who had died in a hut in the bush after poisoning himself, and wasn’t found for several days.

Dr Paradice had a close working relationship with the nurses at the time and was involved in nurses training when it was available at the hospital.

Before the maternity unit was established he and the other doctors would work with Sister Tuite and Sister McClintoch at Brancaster Hospital, which was the maternity and nursing home.

“One of the most notable memories is when Glenbawn Dam was being constructed, the three of us doctors delivered 24 babies in one 24 hour period.

“They were mainly Italians who were associated with the workers at the dam,” Dr Paradice said.

“We had a wonderful service, the nurses were wonderful and the women on the phone exchange knew the doctor on duty and where they were at all times.

“I’d also like to acknowledge the wonderful ambulance service at the time, which was staffed by all local drivers.

“When I first moved to Scone I shared a room with Dr Warden at the Belmore Hotel and we had a special phone line set up directly to us,” he said.

Not long after, Dr Paradice started renting his home – ‘Yarramoor’ – off Sir Alistair McMullin and moved the family here, buying it two years later and they have lived there ever since.

Dr Paradice was on the Local Hospital Board and then the Local Area Board in Muswellbrook, as well as being an honorary life time member of the Australian Medical Association.

In 2004, Dr Paradice retired from seeing patients at the surgery, but he only gave up his registration for prescribing medications and ordering x-rays, pathology and specialist referral in September last year at the age of 87.

Dr Paradice said he couldn’t have found a better community, better practice or better nursing staff to work with.

“I’ve really enjoyed my career as a doctor.

“I went and did the job I liked to do, I didn’t do it for any reward,” Dr Paradice said.

“I have so many terrific memories, too many to fit in one article.”

Throughout the years, Dr Paradice was involved as an actor in the Scone Community Amateur Dramatics Society for many years and he is now a keen member of the Scone Australian Decorative and Fine Arts Society, and the Scone Bridge Club.

Always an active and healthy man, he enjoyed tennis and golf, but his big passion was sailing and during his busy practice life he owned a couple of sailing boats and sailed when possible.

Heirloom

Heirloom

Featured Image: Acknowledge ‘The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg ISBN 0 17 005860 3 Page 26

Owned and raced by Mr Peter (‘Grif’) and Mrs Daisy Tait ‘Dark Jewel’ established arguably the greatest thoroughbred racing and breeding dynasty in the long history of the sport in Australia. Outstanding thoroughbreds, both equine and human, were dynastic. Dark Jewel’s legacy included Baguette, Cabochon, Heirloom (see next page), Birthright and Betelgeuse. The Tait family is still indelibly entrenched with Sandy & Kathy Tait (‘Tie the Knot’), son Ollie Tait (‘Twin Hills Stud, Cootamundra), Jill Tait/Nivison (‘Inspired’) and grandson Jim Nivison now President of Walcha Jockey Club, all continuing to ‘fly the flag’ with the famous red and white colours.

See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/inspired/

See: Red And White – The Tait Success | Aushorse – The Power of Passion

Dark Jewel and her legend

Dark Jewel and her legendary dynasty

Featured Image: Acknowledge ‘The Australian and New Zealand Thoroughbred’ by Ross du Bourg ISBN 0 17 005860 3 Page 25

Owned and raced by Mr Peter (‘Grif’) and Mrs Daisy Tait ‘Dark Jewel’ established arguably the greatest thoroughbred racing and breeding dynasty in the long history of the sport in Australia. Outstanding thoroughbreds, both equine and human, were dynastic. Dark Jewel’s legacy included Baguette, Cabochon, Heirloom (see next page), Birthright and Betelgeuse. The Tait family is still indelibly entrenched with Sandy & Kathy Tait (‘Tie the Knot’), son Ollie Tait (‘Twin Hills Stud, Cootamundra), Jill Tait/Nivison (‘Inspired’) and grandson Jim Nivison now President of Walcha Jockey Club, all continuing to ‘fly the flag’ with the famous red and white colours.

See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/inspired/

See: Red And White – The Tait Success | Aushorse – The Power of Passion

Maybe Mahal

‘Maybe Mahal’ was one of the first representatives of a daughter of ‘Todman’ (‘Faithfully Yours’) to grace the racetrack. She was fundamental in establishing Todman’s credentials as a broodmare sire.

In recent days (01/03/2024) there has been unprecedented interest in the ‘Todman’ Conformation Blog on this website with c. 350 ‘clicks’. This might be some sort of record. With the Golden Slipper 2024 Race rapidly approaching (3 weeks) generally there is increased activity in relation to the very first winner of the race in 1957. Certainly ‘Todman’ has very firmly stamped his legacy on the great race. George Ryder will be looking on favourably from some vantage point which I cannot define!

See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/todman-conformation/

John Reginald George Morgan

John Reginald George Morgan MRCVS

Think ‘Siegfried Farnon’ in ‘All Creatures Great and Small’. That’s JRGM!

See: All Creatures Great and Small (2020 TV series) – Wikipedia

Tristan Farnon? Who? Me?

Just remember Bill: “You win more with honey than with vinegar”. Maybe I should have ‘listened up’?

Featured Image: JRGM MFH of the Scone Hunt. This was John’s dreamworld scenario and one from which he never resiled. He liked the idea of MFH (Master of Foxhounds) rather than the more prosaic, and No. 2 in the pecking-order hierarchy, ‘Whipper-In’. His close friend David Smith (UK) astounded and astonished a group of Scone trainers at White Park one morning  when he turned up with John dispensing a loud rendition of ‘D’Ye Ken John Peel’ on the hunting horn!

Retrospective ‘Rumination’ Perspectives

“From where did you acquire this taste for luxury that life should be fair”?

“Life is a risk. If you do nothing, it’s a risk. If you do anything it’s a risk.

Life is a risk”. (Sir Humphrey Appleby ‘Yes Minister’)

There is little doubt that following Murray Bain the most influential veterinarian to practice in Scone has been John Reginald George Morgan (JRGM). Not a great deal has been written about him, but John offers the following pearls of wisdom laced with “just a little bit of (characteristic) latitude”. This is the quintessential Morgan rather than the ‘mad dog’ variety! Bill Stewart, Sue McCubbery and Jamie Barnes did concoct an aphorism relating to ‘Morganization’ and being ‘Morganized’. I have always speculated cognitively on the real meaning of this epithet. John explains it as the result of failing to follow detailed instructions and experiencing difficulties as a result!

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Jane Axon

Jane Axon

Featured Image: Jane Axon at work in Scone. Courtesy of Scone Equine Group.

Author’s Note: Dr Karon Hoffmann convinced us at Scone we must have a Foal Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. “You need me to run it” she instructed. Professor Anne Koterba of Florida USA had spread the gospel @ Bain-Fallon. We established the Unit and called it ‘Clovelly Stables’. Karon was outstanding and was replaced by Jane in 1999. Jane was exceptional and set the standard for what followed.

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/clovelly-stables-scone-equine-hospital-dr-karon-hoffmann/

Read on.

Jeffrey Wilkinson (EVA Jeffrey Wilkinson, BSc (Oen) MBA SSc | National Manager – Special Interest Groups) writes Saturday 24th. February 2024:

Dear EVA Executive and EVA Past Presidents,

It is with enormous sadness that I inform you that our dearly loved friend and colleague, Dr Jane Axon passed away last night.

The Scone Equine Hospital has written the following tribute and I share it with you. I also add that in 2020, Jane was the recipient of AVA’s highest recognition, The Gilruth Prize. This is the highest honour awarded each year by the AVA and represents peer recognition for many years – often a lifetime – of dedication and service of the highest degree. We have lost one of the greats. Just so sad.

With love and best wishes,

Jeffrey

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