{"id":223277,"date":"2018-11-19T13:23:45","date_gmt":"2018-11-19T03:23:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=223277"},"modified":"2020-07-26T14:59:42","modified_gmt":"2020-07-26T04:59:42","slug":"horses-name-revives-anzac-memories","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2018\/11\/19\/horses-name-revives-anzac-memories\/","title":{"rendered":"Horse’s Name Revives Anzac Memories"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cooee March (Robert Faehr), the 2018 Wondai Cup runner-up, strides back into the mounting yard after his run on October 20 (Photo: Ross Stanley)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\"Gunsynd's<\/a>November 19, 2018<\/strong><\/p>\n

The bond between man and horse has found various expressions through the ages.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The centenary of the armistice that ended The Great War has recently been marked with wide-ranging ceremonies around the globe.<\/p>\n

Many folk during this period no doubt reflected on the pivotal role played by Australian warhorses, notably the Walers.<\/p>\n

Whilst Cooee March, the runner-up in last month\u2019s Wondai Cup, is not connected to front line action, the source of its name is worth exploring.<\/p>\n

It refers to a recruitment procession that grew as it trekked from Gilgandra to Sydney in 1915.<\/p>\n

As the group passed through townships, the call of \u201cCoo-ee\u201d was made to encourage others to join the journey to the capital\u2019s enlistment office.<\/p>\n

That venture, which reportedly built to around 300 participants from 20 or so at barrier rise, inspired a Queensland version with the Dungarees walking from Warwick to Brisbane.<\/p>\n

Cooee March (the thoroughbred) is certainly a type of wayfarer.<\/p>\n

The Dane Shadow gelding, having competed at Corfield and Mount Isa in August, returned to its Griffith base. After three outings in the home district, the five-year-old headed north again.<\/p>\n

A Sunshine Coast appearance preceded his second placing in the Burnett, with a victory and a third at Gladstone.<\/p>\n

The bay holds a nomination for Gatton\u2019s meeting on Thursday.<\/p>\n

Cooee March\u2019s owner-trainer Russell Hogan has fun with equine hand-me-downs from Geoff Grimish, his Vietnam war comrade-in-arms.<\/p>\n

The Order of Australia Medal recipient has bred and raced horses with military-themed monickers.<\/p>\n

The multi-faceted benefactor\u2019s black livery with grey diagonal stripes has been carried by Shellscrape, Counterattack and Red Tracer, the stakes-winners produced by his Snippets mare Kisma.<\/p>\n

Grimish also owns a number of performers with the word Invictus in their names.<\/p>\n

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Orleans, a Coolabunia storm survivor, patiently waits for freedom. (Photo: Hannah Phillips)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Different Cooee<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Meanwhile, Coolabunia trainer Barry Phillips and his jockey-daughter Hannah certainly faced an anxious stretch during last month\u2019s tempest. <\/strong><\/p>\n

“The storm was insane. Hail smashed out the house windows and then dented the fridges on the opposite side of the room,” Hannah said.<\/p>\n

“I found roof tin hundreds of metres away from the buildings they\u2019d been on.<\/p>\n

“Dad and I went out to check all the horses immediately after the storm.<\/p>\n

“Orleans and Kartanup had been in the stables which were blown apart. They had galloped ahead of the wind and ended up in a scrubby area with all the trees collapsed around them. Neither could move at all.<\/p>\n

“We couldn\u2019t find them originally and it was only when I started calling them and they neighed back that we could locate them.<\/p>\n

“Both were very calm while we broke through and rescued them.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe were extremely lucky – onnly one of our nine horses was hurt.<\/p>\n

“Sadly, other horse owners nearby were in the awful position of having to shoot badly injured horses who couldn\u2019t be euthanised as vets couldn\u2019t access the area.”<\/p>\n

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Some of the hail that fell on Phillips’ farm during the October storm (Photo: Hannah Phillips)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Bits And Bridles<\/strong><\/h2>\n