Olympic Horses and a Donkey called Whisky 



When I had a photograph in my blog of the child Rodrigo Pessoa with the sapling that his Dad selected at my kennels I should have mentioned that the first time I saw the adult Rodrigo was on television in 1992.  He was competing in the Olympic games in Barcelona and I was proud to see that he was on an Irish horse called Special Envoy.  Rodrigo's Dad Nelson had purchased him in Kilkenny after Marion Hughes had schooled and ridden him with success in competitions.

"Special Envoy was a remarkable horse, the first horse I mounted in the main GPs, he launched me in the great international circuit. I did my first World Championship with him, my first Olympics. I was lucky to have had many quality horses, but should I have to choose one, it would have to be him, for launching me in the great competitions." Rodrigo Pessoa

Rodrigo & Special Envoy '94

I myself never owned a racehorse but was brought up with riding ponies and horses and with horses that worked on the farm.  I also had donkeys from the time when I was four years of age I remained fond of them throughout my life.  They were humble creatures and willing workers.  They did not always receive the appreciation and care they deserved.  On visits abroad I sometimes saw them being ridden by men who were a stone or two too heavy for them in my opinion.  Some had hooves that were in need of trimming.  Others had sores resulting from ill fitting harness and others had homemade bits that hurt their lips.  As a vet I always felt a moral obligation to help creatures suffering abuse - free of charge -  because of ignorance or poverty of the owners.

After our children were able to walk Jane and I got a donkey.  We were on holiday in Galway with friends called Cecil and Molly Colahan.  They borrowed a donkey from a neighbour so that our eldest boy Walter could learn to ride it.  On the first evening it started to rain and Walter felt sorry for 'Whisky' as he was called, standing in the field with water dripping off his whiskers.  The only empty shed had been used for poultry and the dung on the floor was three feet deep.  Next morning Walter refused to come to the seaside with us.  He wanted to stay at home and clean the shed.  When we returned in the evening we were amazed to find a big mound outside the hen house and clean bedding scattered on the floor!  Whisky became more loved as the days passed.  On our last day tears were shed at the thought of leaving him behind.  Cecil went to the owners to know what would tempt them to part with him.  He returned with the news -- the price would be £3 and 10 bob back for luck!  When Jane asked how could we get him over to Rugby Cecil said it would be no problem. He would take him to Dublin in his trailer next week and add him to polled cattle in a wagon for a £1.  Indeed if he met a trainer taking a horse for a race the donkey would be welcome as company in the wagon.  Donkeys are noted for preventing horses getting worried and becoming seasick. 

Whisky became a popular attraction to people passing our field .  His he-hawing could be heard for a mile in all directions and parents were forced to bring kids to see him.  The older ones wanted a ride and Whisky was quiet and obliging.  When alone during daylight he would at intervals stop grazing and bray for a minute before looking to the west for another minute as if he was listening for a reply from some of his mates away over in Galway.   When I mentioned this possibility to Walter he suggested we should get another donkey.  From the shape of Whisky's teeth I knew he was well into his twenties when he came into our lives in '57.  As I had known one who died at 39 I felt no urgency about replacing him.   He remained healthy and mobile for three years until he died suddenly.   Then I asked my good friend and client Dan Horgan to look for a good looking sound in -foal mare under five years of age on his travels in Cork.   I heard nothing for 3 months.  It was December 20 '63 when I got the telegram :- "Your order is at Rugby station in the morning."  We decided to ask our good neighbour and farmer Mr Cummins to collect her and hide her until early on Xmas day so that the children would get a surprise when they woke up.

We called the donkey Maeve after the great Queen Maeve of Connaught said to have fought a war against Cuchulainn and his Ulster troops.  In the photo below you can see what a noble creature she was.  She is the one on the end ridden by the proud little girl.  She was the quietest, strongest and kindest of all the donkeys we had.  Mr Horgan once sent us twelve in a big lorry for local people who fancied having one of their own.  One of them had a non-painful condition called stringhalt in a hind leg.  Our good neighbours Lord and Lady Marsh  were among those who had given us an order.  I gave them first pick from the 12.  Lady Marsh was kind and sympathetic and chose the one that I thought might be difficult to sell.  Ten years later when she had moved to Goodwood we were invited to a day at their races.  We were glad to see the one with the limp enjoying retirement with a racehorse in a comfortable stable. 

My Jane was passionate about children. I helped her organise a sports day in aid of the handicapped every summer.  We had total support from friends like Bill and Nuala Mannion,  John Black, John McConnell, Mr Cummins, Keith & Mary Judge, Bill & Jane Bagshaw, John & June Meikle,  Bill & Geoff Dickens, Ray & Shirley Wisdom, Frank Russell, Ted & Daphne Townsend, the Boxers Johnny Williams, Billy Barber and Joe Leeming and many more. 

For  Maeve's first public appearance we put her with her foal in a tent and charged adults sixpence for seeing them.  The sports programme included donkey races with a change of jockeys after each race.  Attendances increased every year until our 3-acre field could not accommodate all the vehicles.  Luckily we got permission to move it to Rugby Town's football ground.  We were supported by members of the Town Council, the Police, St Johns Ambulance, the Dental and Medical professions and the Irish Club with their pipe and drum band.  Before moving away to Goodwood Lady Marsh used to declare the shows open.    Ted Williams used to leave his horses for the day so that he could come and judge the donkeys in the show classes and act as starter for the races.  Ted was assisted by Noel Cantwell, the great full back who cost United £29,000 - what was then a record price for a defender.  A few years later after he had captained them to win the FA Cup in '63 Noel and Maggie with the  melodious voice and their three children had become welcome visitors to our home. I always looked forward to hearing Maggie singing "The Hills of Donegal."  We can never forget the cruel tragedy they suffered after moving to Peterborough -   Robert their lovely boy was killed in a car accident at the age of twenty.

Another famous footballer who later swelled the crowd and acted as a judge for us was Alex Stepney.  This great goalkeeper  was chauffeured to Rugby by a great friend I had in Manchester called Jimmy Smith.   Jimmy raced many greyhounds at Belle Vue.

15 DONKEYS OUTSIDE MY SURGERY



This is the King who sired many foals for us.  He was a stylish trotter in the trap.