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Toora Shires
"Breeding magnificence because beauty is its own reward."
Toora Shires began in 2005. Since childhood, Terry Parks has enjoyed costume dramas featuring knights and the fantasy of Camelot. Terry wanted one Shire, as she and her husband John Edwards had moved to South Gippsland in Victoria to grow lavender and breed Miniature Horses. Terry and John found two Longcopy mares for sale and didn't want to separate them, as they'd been together a long time, so the want of one Shire became two. Within two months of that first purchase, they'd bought three more magnificent mares.
Longcopy Centaur (Chloe) and Longcopy Joanna Italic (Joanna) |
Terry Parks and John Edwards starting looking for a Shire to buy in February 2005. Up until then, they had commuted to their farm on the Wilson's Promontory Coast each weekend for three years, while the house was restored and they continued their City based Corporate careers. They attended every Working Horse and Tractor Show that came to their attention to make their desire to buy a Shire known "in the circles".
Eventually, their first two purchases were located just an hour from their farm, at Warragul. Terry perceived that the two older mares that were for sale were closely bonded and so bought them both. As far as Terry was concerned, that was to be the first and only purchase; she only wanted a pet, after all.
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Muwarra Dimity Pearl and
Toora Count Strzelecki |
Anyone who's been with a Shire knows their intelligence, their beauty and the pure joy of interacting with them. So, when the Miniature Horse breeders from whom Terry and John bought their first two Miniatures delivered a third and asked had they seen the advertisement for the Shire in "Horse Deals", Terry logged onto the Horse Deals web site to check, as she couldn't believe that such a rare breed would be advertised in that way. It was true, and Terry immediately bought that mare.
Dimity, Vernice and Queenie went to Arclid Adonis for three months from November 2005. Only Dimity got pregnant; her handsome bay colt foal, Toora Count Strzelecki, was born on 2 December 2006 and has been sold to a loving home in Queensland at Malo in Theodore.
At 2:10am on Saturday 25 October 2008, Dimity delivered her second son, this time sired by Trelow Father Abraham. Dimity's colt carries on his sire's name in his own name of Toora Abraham Aster, or "Beau" to his friends. Pictures of Beau are at www.heliograph.net. |
Wyee Queen of Hearts and Toora Oberon Star |
Two UK Shire judges had visited Terry and John's farm to see Chloe and Joanna and had spread the word as they travelled to other Shire studs that those mares had gotten a very good home. As a consequence, Terry was invited to buy Wyee Queen of Hearts and, of course, did so.
Queenie delivered a handsome black pure bred colt, sired by Trelow Father Abraham, on 18 January 2008. The colt's name is Toora Oberon Star ("Star" for short). Terry and John are looking forward to watching Star become as handsome as his sire and his heritage; grandsires Nottage Trump Card and Snelson Buscot, grand dams Fennswood Lady Helen and Chatteris Blossom. |
Queenie delivered a handsome black pure bred colt, sired by Trelow Father Abraham, on 18 January 2008. The colt's name is Toora Oberon Star ("Star" for short). Terry and John are looking forward to seeing Star become as handsome as his sire and his heritage; grandsires Nottage Trump Card and Snelson Buscot, grand dams Fennswood Lady Helen and Chatteris Blossom.
Star went to his new home in Ridgeback NSW on 24 September 2008. |
Longcopy Veronese |
Within a very short time, Terry got another telephone call from a lady who needed to disperse her herd of Shires. John was with Terry when the call came and was very concerned that Terry was about to buy five more. However, Terry explained that friends' cattle were presently on their farm and that it was impracticable to have nine Shires until the cattle were removed in February 2006. Terry also explained that this was her first experience as an adult in caring for horses and that she was neither sufficiently competent nor confident at this time to have a Shire stallion. Terry and John bought Longcopy Veronese, because she's an older mare and homes aren't as readily found as they would be for the three fillies that were offered for sale. Happily for the other Shire mares, they did find homes almost immediately. |
Trelow Father Abraham |
Precious Super Premium stallion Trelow Father Abraham had still not found a home after almost a year. So, Terry and John bought him. Abraham arrived at his new home in June 2006 and was pampered as his proud breeding, demeanour and achievements deserve.
Abraham's last medical challenge was overcome after he spent the month of July 2008 in Melbourne University Equine hospital and the cause of his recurrent lameness was finally diagnosed correctly.
Abraham died very suddenly of an aortic aneurysm on the morning of 15 October 2008. His legacy will live on through his glorious sons, Wyee King Solomon, Toora Oberon Star, Deacons Gate Quantum Rebel and Toora Abraham Anser in Australia, Trelow Commodore in England and Heathfield Moses in Germany. |
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