Susan, Morgan mares in NZ are inclined to be light in the leg bone and could probabaly do with having a better britchin end. The other big ask out of our horses is that they withstand the calmness under pressure when working in public. Quietude Goldrush seems to thrive under pressure and loves the public attention. He has become the mainstay for leading the whole team through some very challenging situations. His owner is probably more stressed at the end of the day than Goldrush is!!!

Peter and Jason, (our son), had a ball in Dunedin. The coach in the enclosed photo is a replica (which Peter built here at home), 1880 NZ Throughbrace stagecoach which was introduced at the time of the goldrushes in around that time. The coach weighs 960kgs empty and carries eight people including the driver. The hitch is locally known as a "pickaxe hitch," two britchin horses on the pole, three leaders hitched to an equaliser in the lead. Our best day so far was one hundred kilometres of road work.

It would be a fantastic lifestyle if one could do it fulltime but unfortunately our small population base doesn't allow that. We are lucky in the fact that we have a very good line of horses that are adaptable to not just coach work but general agricultural work as well. They can take some settling down after coach work when they go back to ploughing as they do enjoy the freedom of gait of the coachwork.
Cheers Helen and Peter Robson
NEWS FROM ARMAGH FARM, NEW ZEALAND
YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A TIME MACHINE TO SEE MORGANS PLOW TODAY.
Travel to New Zealand & you will see Quietude Goldrush and his get compete against heavy draft horses. Goldrush also was driven to the church by his owner Peter Robson with his daughter, Gina, on her wedding day.Peter Robson and his team competed in a demonstration class of the 50th Mobil Silver Plough competition held on April 30th & May 1st in North of Oamaru at Pukeuri, The Morgan team was 3rd in this class to two part Clydesdale teams & achieved higher points than the leading Vintage Tractor combination. Competitors were allowed 3 hours to plough their 100 meter x 20 meter grass and stubble plot. Any slight diversion off the intended course would have spelled disaster. Judges allocate points for the other factors including the opening spit, tightness of the furrows, how much soil was available for crop, seedbed preparation & the finish. Peter is also involved in the tourist trade as he contracts to drive a team of 5 to a stagecoach. Horses in this photo from left to right are:- Quietude Goldrush, Armagh Britney, Armagh Rebecca, obscured is the Morab Armagh Billy. Britney & Rebecca are full sisters (Quietude Goldrush x Mt Tawonga).
RETURN HOME