Red Bow Mothered By Veteran Pony

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32030, 3 July 1969, Page 4

Red Bow Mothered By Veteran Pony

"The Press" Special Sereice INVERCARGILL. A rising 33-year-old pony brood mare, Merry Miss, is well known throughout New Zealand for her numerous successes in the show ring, and the demand for her progeny. However, to the connections of Red Bow, dashing winner of her last three starts, she is much more than that. Merry Mias, which ’ has been the mainstay of the notable record achieved with show ponies by Mr and Mrs J. Tatham, of Atatara, near Invercargin, foster-mothered Red Bow almost three years ago. Red Bow is a daughter of the Sir Simper mare, Red Boa, and died at the White Robe Lodge Stud, Wingatui, two days after foaling her. Red Boa died of peritonitis and Mr B. J. Anderton, studmaster of the White Bobe Lodge stud made two attempts to acquire a foster mother for the foal, but to no avail The first. Royal Vision, dam of

Janlea, haemorrhaged and died, and the second, Tapdancer, had to be destroyed because of a broken leg. The search for a foster mother for Red Bow then shifted to Southland, after Mr Anderton and his wife had fought the problem by hand feeding. Ballyhoo, a Bellborough man, owned by Mr H. G. Palmer, was tried next, but the venture was unsuccessful. Still No Luck Red Bow was then taken to a grey hack mare, owned by Mr G. Peters, of Hedgehope, but again with no success. Mr Tatham recalled recently the nle played by his pony man, Merry Miss. "Merry Miss had lost her foal but was in such grand condition, with plenty of milk that I thought I would make a few Inquiries in case she could act as a foster mother to some motherless foal,” he said.

He approached Mr M. H. Hillis, studmaster of Chelandry Stud, to inquire if Merry Miss could be of any assistance there. There wen no motherless foals at Chelandry, and Mr Hillis spoke to Mr A. J. Lawton, studmaster of the Hampton Lodge stud, Mr Lawton, who was aware of Red Bow’s predicament, was keen to acquire a foster mother, and the foal was taken to Otatara to be tried with Merry Miss. Foal Skinned To ensure easier compatability between Merry Miss and Red Bow, Mr Tatham skinned the man’s dead foal and Mr Lawton experienced no difficulty. Mr Lawton, who undertook the care of the foal and mare,

has high praise for Merry Miss's suitability as a foster mother. “The pony piare’s milk supply waS astounding, and much better than that of a thoroughbred mare,” he said. “She has an udder on her like a cow.” After faur days in Mr Lawton's card, the mare and foal were getting along fine, and Mr N. L. white, of Winton, who owned the foal, then took her and the mare into his care. After six months she was weaned, and Merry Miss was returned to Mr and Mrs Tatham. Many Trophies Merry Miss is by Fireboy, from a Ruapuke Island mare. Her dam was bought on Ruafmke by Mr R. Russell, who ater sold her to Mr J.: Merryman, of Menzies Ferry. Mr and Mrs Tatham bought Merry Miss as a foal at foot with her dam. At one stage they they had 187 trophies won by their ponies and* horses at shows, and they proudly admit that Merry Miss was the sheet anchor during those successful years. In all, Merry Miss has had eight foals, and her progeny have been in keen demand throughout New Zealand. Some of her foals have been sold to the North Island.

Merry Miss could even be in foal at the moment, and although Mrs Tatham claims she Is not in the pink of condition the mare reflects great credit on her owners. "I’d love to see Red Bow now," Mr Tatham said, "because I haven't seen her since the day she was taken away with Merry Miss.” Mr White leased Red Bow and her sister, Red Scarf, to former Southlanders. Mr and Mrs w. F. Forde, of Timaru. and the pair are prepared at Washdyke by E. P. Corboy. Both Red Bow and Red Scarf were successful at the South Canterbury jockey Club's meeting on Saturday. Their dam, Red Boa, along with some of her close relattlves. has had an amazing affinity with Bellborough. In all. the Str Simper mare left five winners to Bellborough—Red Moss. Red Sash, Red Copy, Red Scarf, and Red Bow.

In addition. Red Boa's close relations, Calyxes and Golden Boa, have left Stamen and My Boa. respectively, to Bellborough. Red Boa’s Bellborough progeny have won 17 races this season, and Stamen and My Boa have added four successes. Another Reason

My Boa was also hand reared when only six weeks old, but for a much different reason. Golden Boa had been mated with Bellborough to settle her down and My Boa was the result of that meting. Golden Boa was put beck into training in January—six' weeks after producing My Boa. Two months later she won,a race at Cromwell and carried on to win a double at Riverton at Easter and went within an ace of completing a treble when Sailor’s Flight ran a Southland mile record of imin 37sec to beat her on the third day. In her 10 starts as a seven-year-old after producing My Boa, Golden Boa won" three races and was six times placed.

Outstanding Filly

A half-sister to the young Canterbury-based stallion, Greek God, is now being rated as the best filly in Europe at one mile. This is Lucyrowe, which won the Coronation Stakes at Royal Ascot last month’ by no less than 12 lengths. Behind ,her was (he winner of the One Thousand Guineas, Full Dress 11. The Ascot race proved that Lucyrowe was -herself unlucky not to win the One Thousand Guineas. The triumph of Lucyrowe- in the Coronation . Stakes was described by "Audax” in “Horse and Hounds” as "as sensational as any comparable race I ever watched.” “Audax" added: “To say that Lucyrowe went clear two furlongs out and won by 12 lengths is a pale pathetic statement of the facts. In half a dozen strides she left her rivals as if they were caught it) quicksand and with every yard she went thereafter the Impression of effortless superiority was heightened.”