On Sunday 27th the last stud farm visit for the 2017 stallion parades was Coolmore Stud at Jerry’s Plains. Located on over 8,000 acres, including 5,000 of irrigated river flats and undulating paddocks, the pastures have been shown by agronomic studies to be amongst the highest quality in Australia. No wonder horses ‘raised and grazed’ at Coolmore Stud include the likes of Fastnet Rock, Special Harmony, Sea Siren, Vancouver, Pride of Dubai and Winx.
The ever entertaining and brilliantly spoken James Bester introduced Coolmore’s 12 strong list of pure athletes to emerge from the ‘Kings of Coolmore’ barn. A highlight for many, was the love and care shown for Champion Sire Encosta Delago that had the crowd’s heart melting. Encosta paraded around, looking as shiny and dappley as ever, with James announcing that whilst he is retired, Encosta is still very much loved and cared for.
It was a spectacular parade of one after another speed machines, the crowd not being able to take their eyes off each one. Standouts of course, were Fastnet Rock, So You Think and the horse of a lifetime American Pharoah. After the parade the excitement didn’t end, with the Mayweather and McGregor fight on a big screen it was hard to leave, although after viewing the stallions, the professional fighters were looking more like toddlers.
