b4breeding

Today is the second anniversary of my mum’s death. Averil Marjorie Pears (nee Shakes). She lived to “a ripe old age” mainly keeping active and interested in things, although the last year of her life was particularly difficult as she became more confused and anxious.

She was a huge supporter of my interest in racing and breeding, and loved to keep up with the latest news of mares, foals and anything that went on to race. I still have her phone message from 5 June 2010 reporting she had watched on TV the horse I bred, Tintin In America, winning the 4yo Emerald Jewels held here in Cambridge: “Tintin’s legs just went like lightening. His feet hardly touched the ground! We’re thrilled!” I can’t share the strength and excitement in her voice, but you can imagine it.

She lived in Wellington and I live in Cambridge, and she had almost no direct contact with the horses. But through my regular visits and many photos I could share the development of foals into yearling, then racehorses or broodmares with their own foals. She took a share in Kym’s mare Sun Isa as a racehorse, and loved following the progress of Kym’s trotters as much as my pacers. And naturally the other horse she liked to see doing well was Rod McKenzie’s Averil’s Quest, the lovely 9-win Badlands Hanover mare.

The last foal she was really aware of was Destination Moon (whom we nicknamed Duncan), and thanks to my sister developing a scrapbook and talking to her about the horses, Mum was able to follow his progress from birth to a yearling even though her physical and mental health was deteriorating.

The last very short coherent conversation I had with Mum was a month or so before her death. It is something I will always treasure as she suddenly spoke lucidly, knew who I was, and recollected a couple of things about my personal circumstances including “the horses”. It was a happy moment, however brief, for both of us.  A small calm in the storm that is dementia.

Today I am putting on Mum’s little blue parka – the one she often wore out on ‘adventures’ – and going to Breckon Farms to visit Zenterfold and her new filly foal, and Sophie’s Choice and her Tintin In America colt foal. It just feels the right thing to do today.

3.30pm – back from my visit (photos below):

With Zenterfold

With Sophie’s Choice