On a clear and sunny day in January some 12 months ago I was privileged to be a guest at Foxground Stables and Stud, in Berry, New South Wales to see some of the stock being bred by Simon and Olwyn Kale and while there I met two most wonderful horses, Baltimore and Colour Unlimited. These two "youngsters" caught my eye as they played together in their field and when I enquired as to who these two were Simon proudly informed me that the two "youngsters" I was seeing were actually a 33 year old and a 28 year old and they were very special eventers, both of whom he had competed to top level in Australia.

On closer look you could see that they were, in fact, not as young as first thought from a distance but they had lost none of their cheeky personalities and both vied for attention from everyone present, demanding scratches and affection, something they were both quite obviously used to in large doses!

I received a very sad email from Simon Kale on 19th February explaining that he had Baltimore put down as his health had deteriorated and then an even sadder email arrived just 10 short days later saying that Colour Unlimited had been so distressed without his 20 year long "room mate" that he had given up his will to live and had died.

These two horses are a testament to both Simon and Olwyn Kale's horsemanship skills as both horses evented right through the levels and had stayed sound throughout their exceptionally long lives.

Baltimore was a brown thoroughbred gelding by King Apollo and Olwyn and Simon acquired "Darkie" after a successful racing career as a 9 year old. Darkie won AUD$475,000 during his racing career and then showing how easily he changed careers he went thru the eventing ranks to Advanced in just one season. "He was always difficult in the dressage but was a machine cross country and I always felt safe" Simon told me, although looking at the picture below of Simon and Baltimore they look the

picture of harmony through this particular dressage test.

Baltimore had many credits to his name throughout his career and these included being a member of winning New South Wales 3 Day Eventing Teams on many occasions. He competed at Gawler 5 times for 4 placings - an amazing result considering many eventers you speak to count it is a CV result when they simply completed the Gawler event!

Baltimore, with Simon in the saddle also placed at Kooralbyn, Worrigee, Hawkesbury and Melbourne 3 Day events as well and all in all he competed at 14 Advanced 3 Events completing all bar one, which is an exceptional career, in a discipline which is renowned for being tough on a horses physical well being.

Baltimore was retired as a 19 year old after placing 2nd at Gawler, South Australia and then heading two weeks later to Kooralbyn in Queensland where this combination again placed 2nd in the Advanced event - quite extraordinary at 19 years of age! Baltimore was also a graded showjumper with 15 points which again was somewhat unusual in the late 70's in Australia.

When he was retired he was "really" retired as even at 19 years of age, Simon tells me, "Baltimore's recalcitrant behaviour continued and so he was not ridden from then on as he was too difficult for anyone other than experienced riders to ride"! He lived out his long retirement at Foxground Stables and Stud where he was still treated as the superstar he was until the day he died at 34 years of age!

Colour Unlimited the paint gelding by El Paso out of Roan, a paint mare holds a very special place in the hearts of both Simon and Olwyn for reasons which will be explained. Olwyn is well known for her love of a well coloured horse and the mare Roan was in fact her first horse. El Paso was Simon's first Advanced horse and he was a quarter horse stallion. Now, 30 years ago Olwyn put her mare in foal to Simon's Event stallion and the resulting foal was Colour Unlimited or "Jamie" to his friends. Olwyn sent the young coloured horse to Simon for breaking and in Simon's words "the rest is history!" as shortly afterwards Simon and Olwyn were married and Jamie was put to work in the Riding School until he was 5 years old where all who rode him were carefully supervised and so his early training was done under guidance and then Simon saw the potential in this beautifully marked horse and so he began to event him. Jamie proved he had "what it took to event" and had his first advanced win at Bowral, New South Wales at the end of his first season.

At the time that Jamie was competing, in the 1980's it was unusual to see coloured horses competing in the Olympic disciplines and Jamie won many fans all around Australia. Although he could be "a little lazy in showjumping" Simon became quite emotional when describing him to me as a "truly wonderful horse who was great in Dressage and brilliant Cross Country"!

Jamie placed 4th at the old Melbourne Oakland event and this is one event that stands out in

Simon's memory but Jamie also placed at Kooralbyn, Hawkesbury and Worrigee. Olwyn's sister, Averill also competed Colour Unlimited at Advanced level at Werribee at her first start at that level and it was after this that Simon retired from riding this horse. Averill was in the saddle as a member of the winning New South Wales team at the Bi Centennial 3 Day event and placed 2nd individually.

During his entire career Jamie was very much a "family" horse and he was used by "everyone for everything" including being broken to harness so that Simon could drive Averill to her wedding hitched behind Jamie.

Colour Unlimited's retirement was much more active than his paddock mate, Baltimore's with Olwyn using him for Carriage Endurance and Simon using him as a school master for visiting American students until only three years ago after which he was only sat on by nieces and nephews.

Simon said that he "maintained brilliant fitness and condition until his last day" and both Simon and Olwyn were very worried about him after Baltimore died and as it turned out with good reason. He died on February 29th and of this date Simon says it was typical of him as " he leapt his whole life and died on February 29th, in a Leap Year".

Averill, as a child, was the first to sit on this exceptional horse and her daughter, only last week, was the last to sit on him!

These two great Australian horses are again together playing in pastures which are forever green and I thank Simon and Olwyn Kale for sharing their memories of these two great horses with us and our readers.

Above: Colour Unlimited struts his stuff inthe dressage arenas and is bold, courageous and happy Cross Country.

Editors Note: Simon Kale has evented at top level both Nationally and Internationally and has been very involved in the National Coaching Accreditation Scheme in Australia. He has also been a keen breeder of performance horses and has an outstanding record with his home bred stock also reaching great heights in all disciplines. His management of horses is exceptional and having two such wonderful and competitive horses who have had such wonderful lives reaching such incredible ages says so much about his and wife, Olwyn's horsemanagement - many could learn a lot from these two!