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The bittersweet of breeding...

The 2008 foaling season at Rokewood has not entirely gone without a hitch unfortunately...

Our first born In Concert filly from Bimbadeen Natasha was perfect in every way, but tragically stillborn.

Natasha has been re-bred in the hope of producing a live and healthy carbon copy filly, identical to her last.

Our last foal for the season arrived safe and sound on New year's eve - a colt by Riyadh from our maiden mare, Allegria.

He was quite possibly the most beautiful and correct pure Arabian we've bred to date -  just exquisite,

with his Father's calm and Zen like ways... another "old soul in a young body".

Sadly, Dubie was not destined to remain with us for long... his story and more photos can be seen on his dedicated page.

Huge congratulations also to Emma Collins and her Shatoor gelding Shalizar, on their success at the Australian Championships - bringing home  Reserve Champion  Purebred Halter Gelding shown by an Amateur Owner handler, 

Top 10 Open Purebred Halter Gelding  and Australian Champion Bridle path Hack...

a top effort for their first season under saddle.

Well done Emma & Axel!

At the Classic, Magenta found it difficult to show at her absolute best, as the heavens well and truly opened up the moment she stepped into the ring... She's an expressive little person at the best of times, and it's hard to show like you're loving the limelight, when you're soaking wet and freezing cold!

But in glorious sunshine the following Wednesday, she exceeded all our expectations well and truly.

With the loss of our foal just 48 hours earlier, the emotional roller coaster ride that week was intense,

to have our dear little Madge earn an Australian Championship title, was far beyond what we'd ever dared to wish for... As they called out the placings, it became clear she'd either won, or not placed at all.

All our friends where shouting "you've won, you've won!" I was speechless, waiting to find out for sure.

The announcer called ..."and the 2009 Australian Champion Arabian Pony Filly is....

ROKEWOOD MAGENTA!"

The stress of the whole previous week released in that moment,

and Rod and I both burst into tears in unison...

but it was nice to at last share tears of joy, rather than sadness.

I do believe we had some divine intervention, with our brand new little guardian angel

watching over Magenta that day.

2009 Victorian Classic & Australian Championships

Our 08/09 show season was a very brief one, with Riyadh and Magenta only attending the

two back to back shows in March, the Victorian Classic and Australian Championships...

However the preparation was worthwhile with pleasing results.

At the Victorian Classic, under Jay Constanti [USA], Riyadh showed his socks off to be awarded

Reserve Champion Purebred Entire.

At the Australian Championships he did us proud, scoring consistent 19s & 19.5s for Type, Head & Neck,

body and movement, gaining a Top Ten award in the huge Senior Stallion line up -

but the icing on the cake for us was his  first placing on the European Judge's score card.

Farewells & Welcomes...

This spring '09 sees a number of comings and goings here at Rokewood...

Click on the thumbs to see a larger image

                                                                                 Fashionista                  Xquisite                      Spice                       

Our yearling Welsh B colt Rokewood Medallist is also now sold and making his way to new owner,

Chris Boyce in South Australia... wishing you all the best with him Chris!

Rokewood Fashionista is now owned by our close friend John Steele of Wolstoncroft Stud...

Some of his plans for her include using  her to breed show galloways and up to height dressage ponies.

John owns Fashionista's sire Desert Fox Van Damme in conjunction with Kath Roberts of  Illarak Anglo Arabians

and found her dam Bimbadeen Natasha and bred her for us, so she will be staying very close to family...

She may return to Rokewood at some stage to breed an In Concert foal for John.

Joining the pony broodmare band this season, is the aptly named palomino Welsh B mare Brampton Xquisite  -

kindly on lease from Donna Francis of Shalida Park. Xquisite is in foal to the Palomino Riding Pony stallion

Keira Park Cascade  for a 2010 foal and will stay on to be bred to In Concert for the following season.

The lovely old Riding Pony mare Burrendong the Rose [Carolinas Cat's Whiskers x Brandarra Rose]

has also joined our broodmare band, on lease from Sarowan Park and has been bred to In Concert.

Another exciting foal expected for 2010 will be our first from our 2009 Australian Champion Arabian Pony,

Rokewood Magenta ~ sired by Sarowan Park's new palomino Arabian Pony Stallion, Simeon Champagne.

This eagerly anticipated resulting foal will be Arabian Pony in it's truest form, with a pedigree not only boasting

some of the finest Pony bloodlines available in the country, but also the blood of the  great Arabian sires,

Hamil, Ralvon Pilgrim, Simeon Samuel and the immortal Asfour.

Champagne stands at very limited public stud, so heartfelt gratitude to Rick for the wonderful privilege of using him.

The pony population continues its rise, with the inclusion from Leo McDougall's Murraydale Park, the two year old palomino Welsh B filly Murraydale Park Spice  [Calwalla Royal Fanfare x Elvonara Sugar & Spice]

... Many thanks to Leo for the opportunity to make Spice our own.

Riyadh's first grandchild...

Exciting news from The Palms Arabians in Queensland,

home of the Riyadh son Muta'Salim...

"Did we tell you our big news that Salim is going to be a Dad at end of October? 

This will be our only foal this year and we are super super excited! 

Salim's first wife is Maa'zooz daughter The Palms Spellbound

who was actually the first Maa'zooz daughter for us, so firsts all round!"

thank you so much for the photos of Salim... the family resemblance is remarkable!

Post script: Unfortunately Spellbound's pregnancy turned out to be a phantom, so sadly no foal eventuated.

Muta'Salim's first foals are now very eagerly anticipated and due in the 2010 foaling season.

Muta'Salim

(Rokewood Riyadh x Muta'Kalima)

Latest news from Team Lemon... it's Official

Jodies latest Team Lemon report...

"I'm so  pleased with Lemon pony...

He came 2nd and 3rd yesterday in his first official novice pony dressage and has his first official PD points,

he scored 61.29 in one test and 60.45% in the second... Not bad for his first attempt at Novice,

very proud of my little man."

Well done Jodie... we're pleased as punch, and very proud of both of you.

"Rome wasn't built in a day..."

And neither was ROKEWOOD...

However each little bit of progress around the farm is exciting, and encourages us to progress a little more.

Our latest completed project is a third safe foaling yard, situated just in front of our home - 

so all our foaling areas are complete, with full visibility and immediate access from the house

and ready for use just in time for the 2009 foaling season.

Maternity ward 1... ready and waiting for the first mare & foal of the season.

2009 foaling  season is done...

With the safe arrival of our first full In Concert foal crop...

First to arrive, a chestnut colt out of the Welsh B mare Thorwood Miss Charlotte - born at the respectable hour of 7.00 pm 30/09/09.

We're delighted with this little fellow... even at this very young age, he is already showing great potential, with lovely big eyes and pretty little face and the amazing long front that In Concert appears to consistently reproduce.

He is now sold...For more info and photos,

go to our 2009 Foals orSold page.

Not to be outdone by her paddock mate...

Richdale Tiger Lily followed suit a week later on 08/10/09 -

also early evening just after dark,

delivering an exquisite, fine bay filly with no white,

in the image of her sire, In Concert.

This foal is exactly the type we had hoped to breed when purchasing her father... so we couldn't be more happy with her.

Cal's new best friend...

Congratulations to Claire Bedford of Rosedale, on her recent purchase of the purebred gelding,

Rokewood Calgary...we wish you both many years of happy trails together Claire.

We were delighted to receive this photo of Cal, taken on the day after moving in to his new home...

With his new best friend, the 20 year old imported miniature stallion Brewer's Legacy Spirit [imp USA].

Claire writes...

"Legs" the mini stallion in the paddock with him sure is the boss.

He bites Cal on the knees to keep him in line! When Cal has had enough he gently lifts his back leg up and taps him...amazing! like he knows if he gave him a good belt it would knock the old fella out cold.

"Legs" thinks he is 16hh tall. "

Thanks Claire, that's priceless!

Congratulations to Monica De Graaf

and her beautiful mare Razara Elleganza on the much awaited arrival of their beautiful Riyadh colt,  affectionately named "Teddy"

by Monica's daughter - What a great name Georgia...  It suits him!

We sincerely hope he'll fit the bill of the big saddle/show gelding

you were hoping for Monica... he looks really lovely!

photo COPYRIGHT: Amelia Martin Photography

Although due to foal around the same time as Charlotte and Tiger Lily, Catalina held off and kept us waiting another 5 weeks [that's a 377 day gestation] before finally delivering

her first foal... but she was well worth the wait!

A beautiful buckskin filly... just what we'd ordered!

Being more overdone than her siblings,

she will take a little longer to fill out,

but even at this young  age she is all type and quality...

with her Dad's "Look at Me!" attitude.

Farewell 2009 & Welcome 2010...

As we bid farewell to the year that's been, we take time to stop and reflect on the highs and the lows of 2009,

the moments of pure joy, and moments of sorrow for those we've lost along the way...

Most recently we bid a sad farewell to our beautiful Simeon Samuel daughter Aviance,

who passed  away quietly in the paddock on the 29th of December.

Avi was a glorious show filly in her day and always an absolute lady to be around,

in the pasture she was always the one that visitors singled out with admiration and pats.

We'd like to express our appreciation to our friend Darron Peel, for sharing Avi with us and allowing her to spend the best part of her life here at Rokewood ~ we loved her dearly and will miss her a great deal,

but we're ever grateful to have had her in our lives.

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