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Sunday 30th September - My first and last weekend shift in Morgan Park Town was a real eye opener! "Friday Night Games" was great fun and I got the role of "official photographer"! (thank goodness) Saturday was noisy with the State VW and Drag Racing Championships on adjacent to Morgan Park! All the horses coped remarkably well - but Milo really hates backfiring! Milo and Zac went out for a walk on the cross country course. Feeling really well and ready to start light work, they coped really well with all the kangaroos but decided after seeing the MASSIVE cross country jumps - that being a dressage horse wasn't so bad after all - and they were both relieved when we turned for home! Simon Goddard has pushed REALLY hard for a "release date", and was cautious to report at Saturday night's meeting that it looks like - "we're good to go on Tuesday!" This announcement near brought the roof down!! We should know for sure Monday morning. One thing is for sure - it is going to be a HUGE job getting hundreds of floats, goosenecks and trucks de-contaminated and out of here - and Simon is estimating it to take 7 days for us all to go! I would NOT like to be in his shoes right now.... busy as he is organising an orderly system of departure. Nicole and I have put a little pressure on being able to leave on the first day..... I even took my "Famous Chocolate-Caramel Slice" to the office in an attempt to plead my case!!! The most frustrating thing in all this, is that it looks like this whole quarantine debacle has been in vain. Back on that fateful day of August 25th, Nicole M and I were scheduled to perform our FEI Pas de Deux Freestyle demonstration at 5pm. We heard throughout that day of a possible lockdown due to an EI outbreak. Nikki Chapman and Shane Rose had very responsibly reported to the Warwick organisers that they had a sick horse, and had heard from NSW friends that there was a positive EI horse at the Maitland ODE the previous weekend, which they had competed at. People at Warwick couldn't be legally detained, but were asked to remain on site until further information came to hand. Nicole and I were at Warwick on behalf of Dressage QLD, and decided the right thing to do was stay. A few did not. I like to think that if these people had known of the severity of this outbreak on the entire equine community - they would not have left. Because now - the majority of us in Warwick who did stay are returning to infected or near-infected properties, making all our efforts, discomforts and financial hardships null and void. But in their defense, how could they have known? A word of advice from us who have lived and breathed EI; 1. As the virus gets closer, start taking temperatures twice a day and record them. 2. Anything over 38.5, call your vet for a blood test, and start treating the fever with beaut. (High temperatures are dangerous to horses and can lead to complications). 3. If the blood test is positive to EI, you should get a "case number" and your property declared quarantined. 4. Keep taking temps twice daily treating with beaut every time they go over 38.5. Watch for a dry cough, and yellow nasal discharge. This means you have "secondary complications" and the DPI is contributing $200 per horse for anti-biotics. We all need to unite to "fight the fight" with the Government in prioritising the Racing Industry over the Recreational Industry! Where does the Government think all the thoroughbreds go after a year or two of racing? To us - along with all the other magnificent breeds - and that's a hell of a lot of horses!! So come on everybody - let our voices be heard! On a much lighter note - Saturday night in Morgan Park Town saw a "Red Faces" competition with farrier Peter O'Shea as Red Symonds! They called for participants all day, and feeling like I should be able to do something - I put my name down to perform the Grand Prix (on foot of course...) I was up first and did a very grand 67% job, I thought, and my "extended trot" brought in a cheer from the crowd. Feeling very "red faced" I was glad to finish with a fine piaffe/passage tour! (even if I do say so myself!) Little did I know, that apparently Eventers are not shy in coming forward! We had a night of amazing solo singing acts, duets, dance groups, and even a news report from "Morgan Park Town!" These guys are amazing.... I was trying to imagine the dressage fraternity doing something similar - but failed..... we'll have to work on that! My little dressage performance was put to shame, but I still got an "encouragement certificate" and a family block of Cadbury chocolate - so, being a chocoholic, I was more than happy! That's all for now! Keep your fingers crossed for us Hopefully we can do our last report from home! From the 2 Nicole's in Morgan Park Town Go to the Archived reports from the 2 Nicoles stationed at Warwick.
Nicole Tough Media Release
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