AQHA Magazine January / February 2019 AQHA March / April 2019 | Page 10

Q-19715
Today we said farewell to
Isle O Lena, aka Blackie. Thank
you to the most wonderful horse
we could ever wish for, and a
member of our family for 31
years.
He won so many awards
across Cutting, Western
Pleasure and then at Pony
Club. He raised generations of
our young horses, taught our
kids to ride, and never failed
to be a perfect gentleman right
until the end. Blackie, you had
the biggest heart and we will be
forever grateful to have had you
as part of our family. 
Isle O Lena was born in 1987 at
Ellerston QH Stud in the Hunter
Valley. By Isle B San Q-2840 out
of Sugar Lena Q-1694, Blackie
was purchased as a yearling by
Jim Coen of Erin Park Stud in
Whittlesea.
Blackie’s career began in the
cutting pen, where he took Jim’s
son, Tom, to many wins in Novice,
Open and Non Pro. He spent a year with Roger Wagner,
where he placed in the Gold Cup Open and was a top 10
Novice Horse of the Year.
Tom’s wife, Julie, had admired Blackie’s movement for
years and as a 10 year old he was re-trained for West-
ern Pleasure by David Norbury.
David showed him for many wins and earned a Special
Recognition Award at The Australian Halter Showcase,
for winning the Senior Horse Western Pleasure and
Open Pleasure Stakes for three years in a row (Julie
won the Senior Amateur Pleasure in 2000). He was
Runner Up Western Pleasure Horse of Australia two
years running. In 1999 he also won the Senior Horse
Stakes at NPHA, AQHA Nationals and Victorian Cham-
pionships.
Blackie sired Cutting winners, I’m A Cowboy Q-29415
and Erin Opal Isle Q-31451, as well as top performance
horses Annlee He’s Jimdandy Q-39410 and Tickawarra
Off Ya Rock Q-43418. Some of his grandchildren were
Erin Silver Oak Q-51054, RQH Isle Be Chick Q-53881
and RQH Isle Be Stylish Q-51423.
As well as his success in the show pen, Blackie taught
Kate and James to ride - as a stallion his sweet and gen-
tle nature shone through.
A decision was made to geld him at age 14 and he and
Kate began a wonderful career at Pony Club. He was
good at Cutting and Pleasure, but it was Eventing that
he loved! He and Kate won their first one day event
and were never out of the placings, qualifying for State
Dressage twice and Eventing three times. He won Even-
ter of the year at Kangaroo Ground Pony Club twice and
High Point rider out of 80 kids.
After he retired from pony club Julie trail rode him
till he was 28 and he continued to babysit the young
horses.
On March 10th 2019 Blackie rolled then did his usual sit
on his backside and walk a circle around with his front
legs but this time the old bones gave way and he broke
his hock. Both his two and four legged family were with
him until the vet arrived, and as he had done all his life,
he went quietly and without a fuss.
We are so lucky and grateful to have had Blackie as part
of our family for 31 wonderful years. Thank you Isle O
Lena - Rest In Peace our beautiful old man.
Some of his accolades included:
Cutting:
- NCHA Top 10 Cutting Horse of Australia 
- Open Gold Cup Placegetter
- Consistent winning and place-getting in
Open and Non Pro Cutting 
Western Pleasure:
- 1999: NPHA Senior Horse Pleasure Stakes,
AQHA Nationals Senior Horse Pleasure Champion,
Victorian State Senior Horse Pleasure Champion
- Australian Halter Showcase Senior Horse Western
Pleasure and Open Western Pleasure Feature winner:
1998, 1999 and 2000
- 2000: Senior Amateur Western Pleasure Champion 
- Runner up for High Point Pleasure Horse of Australia
two years running
Pony Club:
- State competitor for Dressage twice
- State Place-Getter for Eventing three times 
- Intermediate Eventer at Kangaroo Ground two
years running.
10 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • March • April
April• • 2019
2019