Pampering over for stud donkey — no TV

Press, 16 August 1978, Page 3

Pampering over for stud donkey — no TV

A little Australian donkey, Shamrock Quilty, is in for a rough three years. Just a year old, the donkey has left colour television and crystal chandeliers behind in his Australian stable to stand at stud in the stables ot Mrs Anne Mulligan, of Kaiapoi. Although Mrs Mulligan has had a new stable built for his arrival, there is no comparison with his Australian home. "We don’t even have a colour television ourselves,” said Mulligan. Shamrock Quilty still has class, though. He is costing Mrs Mulligan $5OOO rent for his three years in residence at Kaiapoi. Perhaps it is appropriate that he is worth so much. Although bred in Australia, Shamrock Quilty is a purebred Irish donkey. His parents came from Lady Swinfen’s famous Spanish Point Donkey Stud in Ireland. Shamrock Quilty’s offspring will be pets tor Christchurch children. There is a big demand for them. At present there are six donkey breeders in Canterbury. “Donkeys make wonderful pels for children. There is no breaking in, you can just sit on them. It’s a good way to get children used to riding,” Mrs Mulligan said. 3

Most New Zealand donkeys are bred from wild Australian donkeys. Kimba, Shamrock Quilty’s companion on the Tasman trip, is also purebred. Kimba has been bought, rather than leased, by Mrs Mulligan and will be used for breeding and shows. Both Kimba and Shamrock Quilty have settled down in their new home, and show no signs of missing their luxurious Australian stables. Shamrock Quilty has a lot to miss. He shared Leprechaun Lodge with ( four other purebred Irish donkeys at Mrs Justin Finnigan’s Finnigan Irish I Donkey Stud in Ocean I Grove, Victoria. Apart from colour tele® vision and crystal chandeliers, Leprechaun Lodge had piped-in stereo music to soothe the donkeys’ nerves. For all the luxury of their surroundings, donkeys have simple tastes in food. They are satisfied by some rough pasture, hay or chaff. The easy way that Shamrock Quilty has settled into his new home perhaps that means he did not appreciate colour television much anyway. As Mrs Mulligan said, “Mrs Finnigan has perfected the art of publicity.”