When a lifelong dream becomes a reality – thoroughbred ownership at 85 years of age.
When Kerri and her husband became owners in Shezawitness with miRunners earlier this year an idea was hatched to make her Dad’s long time dream a reality. Your Song X Sheeznodoubt (nicknamed Sheena) is the miRunners filly being trained by Tony Gollan in Queensland. Kerri’s Dad lives in Queensland. It was time to give her Dad a unit in this filly and make Clarry a thoroughbred owner at 85.
Clarry is a horseman through and through. He would never admit to having 75 years experience with horses but he started earning pocket money as a kid mucking out stables and he never really stopped.
When he was old enough he started breaking in the horses of local families and then as a teen he followed the Queensland show circuit as a buckjump rider. That involvement was not enough for the young man; he got into harness racing and quickly became the youngest licensed trotter trainer in Australia.
As Clarry matured he joined the Mounted Police. And although he was building his long term career for his family it was clear the main reason he chose the Mounted Police is because their horses were all ex-race horses! Clarry will happily tell you that one of his favourite duties was providing a mounted escort for the Queen during her cavalcade in Brisbane in 1963. But you have to wait to the end to hear why – that day his horse was spooked by the phenomenal noise from the crowd on such an occasion and was ready clearly ready to race again. So much so that the Queen’s equerry approached Clarry directly with the message “the Queen prefers her escorts delivered at a stately trot rather than a gallop.”
Gallery: Your Song X Sheeznodoubt meet and greet photos
Pursuing advancement in his career Clarry moved from the Mounties to become a detective. He was able to eventually get back into a saddle when he moved to the Police’s Central Queensland Stock Squad and made many friendships in the industry but he could never become an owner of one of these mighty thoroughbreds as ownership was forbidden for coppers and upon retirement it was just too expensive.
So after meeting Sheena at the ownership day in May this year Kerri and her husband bought Clarry a unit in the Queensland based horse. They were no longer bound by duty to Clarry’s occupation and at $275 + $15 a month it was affordable.
Kerri made her Dad’s dream come true – Clarry was now an owner in a quality thoroughbred with a five times QLD Championship Trainer.
And Kerri is quite serious when she says “it’s the best thing I have ever done. I have literally made my Dad’s dream come true”. When Kerri and her husband took Clarry to meet Sheena and Tony Gollan at the miRunners Open Day it was obvious to anyone who saw Clarry he was over the moon. Kerri even thinks her Dad forgot his age when Sheena was playing up and didn’t want to get back into the stalls. She had to put a hand out to stop Clarry from going in to help out!
The miRunners Ownership experience is about being able to be involved with premium thoroughbreds and the best trainers in the industry at an affordable price. It is about accessibility to these incredible animals and being able to share this experience with other owners. We’re delighted that Clarry and his family are a part of the miRunners family.
You can join the miRunners family with a unit in Your Song X Sheeznodoubt and experience thoroughbred ownership at the highest level for just $275 per unit plus $15 per month fees for the first unit and $5 for any additional unit in the same horse.
