PG.31
Rachel Elliott and Sheza Good Design Q-73136
Photo by: Ev Lagoon Photography
Sunny, as she was lovingly known, was much
loved and brought sunshine into the lives
of all who knew her. A beautiful palomino
mare, she was sired by Good Prophecy (Imp)
out of National Champion HUS & Western
Pleasure mare, Designer Zipper Q-34584 (Zips Larry
Two Q-22080). Sunny was a granddaughter of the great
mare, Millers Cattle Queen Q-2949.
In January of 2012, Carol Elliott purchased the weanling
filly from Portia Bertram with the hope of a future
broodmare to breed a buckskin foal. Sunny would travel
to Lake Tyrell in May of 2012, after being weaned, and in
what was to become true Sunny style, she walked onto the
float with little hesitation and made the solo trip to her new
home without a fuss.
As a 21st birthday present, Rachel Elliott was given the
choice between the yearling Sunny and a chestnut gelding.
Whilst Rachel knew Sunny had the looks and movement,
she rejected her on colour – ‘too hard to keep clean when
showing’.
Sunny was a horse that wasn’t easily offended and never
understood subtlety which proved a little frustrating for Carol
when leg pressure was required. Carol was often heard to
say, ‘if it wasn’t for Rachel, you’d be in the broodmare band
already’. She was more laid back than your typical mare,
and would talk to you whenever you walked by or opened
the back door of the house. To those who didn’t know her
well, this resulted in many extra treats. You couldn’t get her
ears forward for a set photo unless a carrot was presented.
Leading her around home, you wouldn’t think she was a
showmanship horse. She knew where she wanted to go and
she was keen to show you where that was.
Broken in by Raelene Gilboy and started as a 2yo by Dawn
Holliday, Sunny would be Carol’s show horse, with the
added bonus of being smaller than Stiltz.
Beginning her show career with Carol, Sunny claimed two
Reserve titles in Halter at the 2013 Victorian State Show.
Embarking on a successful Trail career the following year,
she placed 2nd in the 2yo Trail at Q14. She liked the Trail
at AELEC, consistently placing in the Top 4 between her
Amateur & Select Amateur Trails, every year. Under the
guidance of Dawn Holliday’s philosophy of showing your
own horse, Sunny continued improving throughout 2015,
placing consistently in competition.
Rachel & 3yo Sunny’s partnership would only end on the
day the beautiful mare passed. Rachel officially received her
in January 2016, but, in reality, Sunny had chosen Rachel as
the person to listen & obey, well before then. Rachel moved
to Huntly in late 2015, taking Sunny with her. There, Sunny
formed a connection with Jag, an orphaned, 6 week old
ginger kitten.
AQHA ~ JULY/AUGUST ISSUE 2020