SPRINT HORSESWhat's News
with Allan Sullivan
Sprint bloodlines have once
again proven their worth in the
performance arena, with Special
Savannah and Kate Benedict taking
out the 2015 Australian Barrel Horse
Association Finals Patsy Holder
Memorial Classic, at the ABHA Finals
in Tamworth.
Special Savannah, who was bred by
former sprint horse trainers Greg
and Janelle Allen of Gatton, carries
some of the oldest sprint lines in
Australia.
The rising seven year old mare is by
the Allen's resident stallion the AJC
registered Let's Fly Savannah (dec)
who is by The Ambassador and out of
Bird Again.
would miss the Futurities and also
the first of the Makin' It Mega Series.
At this point Kate decided she would
aim to take her to Tamworth for the
ABHA Finals to give the mare the
opportunity to run against the best
Futurity horses in the country.
Special Savannah is out of Lodge
Lady (Q-26910) who is out of the
King Ranch Doctor mare Valley Isis.
Lodge Lady's sire is 1983 sprint colt
of the year Valley Ipswich who is by
The Ambassador.
To qualify the mare had to attend the
second Makin' It Mega event in June.
She had one week's work after her
three month spell and came away
with a win and second place in the
futurity event over the two rounds.
Interestingly Kate was given Special
Savannah as a university graduation
present by well known South East
Queensland picnic race caller Len
Jansan.
According to Kate the mare wasn't
easy to handle on the ground, but
was always quiet to ride.
She was then spelled again and
brought back in for an eight week
preparation prior to the ABHA
Finals.
She was broken in as a three year
old and taken steady for quite some
time before commencing training for
Barrel Racing at the end of 2013.
Kate said although the mare lacked
some training and seasoning due
to injury what she didn't lack was
toughness and speed, which held her
in good stead to take out fastest time
of the Classic with a 17.4 second run
in the first round, which she backed
up with a 17.8 second run in the
second round to win the average.
In 2014 she achieved some good
results at the Makin' It Mega events
in Gympie, at which point Kate
decided to focus on taking her to all
of the 2015 Barrel Racing Futurities
as this would be her last year as a
Futurity/Classic Horse.
Special Savannah
Worth noting is that Let's Fly
Savannah is also the sire of two time
Mailman Express runner up Bob
owned by Maree Prow.
Farewell Brian Fulton
Placings in the Patsy Holder
Memorial were - Wendy Caban on
Buddy, Adele Edwards on Roc N
Shakira, Tamlin Osborne on Elvis,
Sharni Webb on Bluestone Berry
Special and Cheri O'Donoghue on Roc
N Sting respectively.
Unfortunately in March 2015, just
before the first Makin' It Mega event
the mare sustained a fracture to a
bone in her knee, which required
surgery and three months rest.
This meant that Special Savannah
It is with sadness that we report the
passing of long time rancher, rodeo
contestant and noted horse breeder,
Brian Fulton on 28th August 2015.
Brian established the Fulton
Performance Horses breeding
programme on their ranch at
Valentine in Nebraska.
Brian’s professional rodeo career
as a Tie Down Roper and Steer
Wrestler saw him take out 12 All
Round Cowboy Titles, in addition
to numerous trips to the Wrangler
National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
In 1995, together with wife Lisa,
Their outstanding success in
this venture saw Fulton Ranch
achieve the AQHA Ranching
Heritage Breeder award.
Bria
n Fu
Fulton Ranch’s great sire, A Streak
of Fling AAA, was made available in
lton
Australia through
AI and discerning
breeders seeking
to infuse speed into
their performance
horses were quick to
take advantage of this.
Brian, who had been
battling cancer since
2006, was aged 53.
Caroline Pearce
In a world where winning is
everything and the horse so often
is merely a tool to get there, it is a
refreshing change to encounter a
horse and its owner who share a
special bond.
Caroline Pearce and her wonderful
grey mare Molly have had their
share of setbacks, the most recent
being a serious health scare for
Caroline only days before the ABHA
Finals in Tamworth,
where Molly was to make
her debut in her Barrel
Racing career. Molly is a
daughter of All American
Futurity winner, Eyesa
Special, and out of
Scootnfly(imp) by
Strawfly Special.
Only days after Caroline's return
from hospital, she and Molly
Page 34 • The Australian Quarter Horse Magazine • November • December 2015
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34 •• The
The Australian
Australian Quarter
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returned to light riding and
are planning the mare's debut
for a later date.
Special mention should be
given to leading rodeo caller
Charlie Clancy who, as well
as having a soft spot for Molly,
looked after Caroline so well
when she was ill. We wish Caroline
a speedy recovery.