AQHA MAGAZINE May / June 2020 AQHA May-June YB 2020 WEB LR | Page 30

PG.28
AQHA FEATURE
Ben Tapp and Cooldust - AQHA FM 24670
winners of the Warwick
Photo by: Sue Jones Photography
“After scoring three 89 runs in the Open at Barraba
in March, Cooldust, unfortunately, pulled up lame,
she had clipped herself and split her coronet band.
After treating her and no improvement, an x-ray
revealed, she had fractured her foot and the bone
had separated and was dying. Tests from joint
fluid came back with a nasty infection that had
travelled through the opening at the coronet, along
the fracture and into the coffin bone joint. Talks of
putting her down were a tough pill to swallow.”
Ben was raised on Killarney Station with over 300
horses on the station, and vets weren’t a luxury.
In those days injured horses were treated with
very little, slap some tar on the wound and bush
them. To hear the vets giving her a 50/50 chance
of pulling through could have knocked them over
with a feather.
Cooldust was floated straight from Tamworth to
Scone for surgery that night. A risky three-hour
operation late that night revealed a septic coffin
bone joint and implicated the navicular bone. The
serious operation involved surgery to the side of the
hoof removing the fractured section, which was the
size of a 20c piece, removed in small segments.
“We were advised her chances were slim and she
would be treated in intensive care for several days
before they would assess her chances again,” said
Ben and Kylie.
“A month and a half since the original injury, her
cast has come off on 21st April, her road to recovery
will still be intensive and long… but knowing
we will have her for retirement at the new horse
property just outside of Tamworth is very pleasing.
We would like to say a special thank you to Amy
Williamson, who conducted the Surgery from Scone
Equine Hospital.”
Over the years Cooldust has won 10 Trophy
Saddles and in excess of $120,000 in prize money
including $30,000 Warwick Gold Cup and $10,000
from Landmark. Cooldust boasts eight progeny so
far, with one selling for $80,000.
A Cool Acre
gelding by Acres Destiny owned by Joe Tapp
A Cool Player
colt by One Moore Playboy owned by Benalla Stud
A Cool Fortune
Filly by One Moore Playboy owned by Cristina Jones
Cool Dusk
Filly by Who’s Top Cat owned by Cameron Parker
Supernova
Filly by RS Chisum - a keeper,
Ben will Snaffle bit her at the futurity
Cool Chic
Filly by Millionic Chic (deceased,
unfortunately, broke her neck as 2-year-old)
Coolish - 2 year old Colt by One Stylish Pepto.
Keeping for ourselves and will be kept as a stud.
Cool Bill - Colt foal by Metallica
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION - WWW.AQHA.COM.AU