EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO
( EDENHOPE SAM / VON)
Over the years there has been some outstanding horses play the Australian game of polocrosse. One of these was EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO.
Article by Joy Poole OAM
When Jeff Lowrey’ s good polocrosse mare VON was injured, he decided to retire her to the broodmare paddock. He sent her to his friend Darryl Smith’ s very well known sire, EDENHOPE SAM. When a chestnut colt was born on the 20th September, 1984, the whole family were very excited, but as time went on it occurred to Jeff that the colt may not be big enough for him to play. Jeff rang Darryl and asked him if would he like to play him.
‘ EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO was one of the neatest, nicest horses I ever trained,’ said Darryl Smith.“ Pound for pound he was a mighty little horse, not quite 15 hands. He was just so easy to train, and when he played [ polocrosse ] he was good in all areas; he didn’ t have a weakness.’
Darryl felt from Day One this horse would be special. In 1988 the National Polocrosse Titles were held in Darwin, and although EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO was only three years old, Darryl decided to take him on the truck as a spare. Before the competition even started, Darryl’ s son Simon, who was playing in the NSW Intermediate Men’ s Team, had his pony injured while exercising her. The spare EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO was soon representing New South Wales, and he acquitted himself very well.
Polocrosse National Titles are held every two years and in a different state, so in 1990 EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO found himself once more on the truck to Tasmania for the National Titles. The gelding was no spare horse this time, but Darryl Smith’ s mount in the NSW Men’ s Team. When the carnival ended not only was Darryl Smith a member of the winning men’ s National Team, but he was the rider of the Champion Horse of the Carnival, EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO.
In 1992, the National Titles were held
Daryl Smith and EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO- a formidable team
in Forbes, New South Wales. Once again, Darryl chose‘ Mickey’ as the horse to ride, and nobody was surprised when the judge named him the Best Men’ s No. 3 horse, the Champion Men’ s Horse and once again receiving The Max Walters Trophy for Champion Horse of the Carnival.
When the 1994 Nationals moved to Walkaway in Western Australia, Darryl was unable to make the trip. EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO was there playing for the NSW men’ s team, with Simon Smith in the saddle. NSW reached the final against Western Australia and going into the last chukka NSW were trailing by six goals. Remember, at the last two Nationals, Edenhope Micky Myndo played No. 3, the defense position, but at Walkaway Simon was the No. 1 or Goal Thrower. Could Simon and Mickey breach the gap?
In one of the greatest chukkas ever seen at a National Titles, a mighty player and a mighty horse pulled the goals back one by one, and when the final bell rang the score was even.
Unfortunately for NSW, Western Australia scored the first goal in extra time, and won the game. This chukka will never be forgotten by anyone who had the privilege to see it.
Mickey also during his career played in the International test series between Australia and New Zealand. Played for New Zealand by Gary Malcolm, he was named the best pony in the New Zealand team.
Darryl said that anyone that rode him always commented on what a beautiful horse he was to ride.
On the 1st of October, 1995, Darryl returned EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO home to Jeff Lowrey. By this time Jeff had become very interested in campdrafting so he decided he would try the Champion Polocrosse pony at this sport.
EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO was to have a very successful career in this new field, winning an Open, two Novices, as well as seven second places and numerous thirds and fourths. He also won the Eastern Branch Most Successful Campdrafter.
Three years after Darryl returned EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO to Jeff, Darryl came down to see him.‘ He was in the stable,’ said Jeff,‘ and he heard Darryl’ s voice as we talked on the way over. When Darryl went into the stable Mickey walked straight over to him and put his head under his arm. I’ ll never forget that.’
What a horse, and what an advertisement for adaptability. EDENHOPE MICKY MYNDO lived until 27th November, 2007.
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