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Roblea McEnroe Trophy
Awarded to
Novice Pony 91cm & ne 121cm
Roblea McEnroe, really shouldn’t have been born!
He was out of an APSB Australian Pony mare Beecroft Panda, bred by Jack Powell from Crookwell NSW. He was by APSB Shetland Stallion Viewbank Vivid. Panda was 12hh and Vivid was 8.2hh! We backed her up to the gutter at the front of the house, only once, and that changed our lives for ever.
Months later, a little bay foal was born, the only foal Panda ever had. We called him Dusty and after breaking him in, we decided to put him in harness. He was 10.1hh and there was no way he was going in that thing!! He kept lying down in the jogger, we would get him going, but if you turned him, down he would go. I gave him a nudge in the belly and threatened him with the knackery! He literarily jumped up and trotted down the track and the rest is history.
What a pony Dusty became. Roblea McEnroe was a brat, hence the title McEnroe, quickly became well known in the show ring and at CDE’s. He received a standing ovation at Royal Melbourne Show after winning the Cones display on the main arena. He was winning everything but he was also becoming a true character in his own right.
Roblea McEnroe had the distinction of being driven by Richmond Football player Kevin Bartlett at Moonee Valley Trots, on the eve of Kevin’s four hundred games for Richmond. There was a match race between Kevin Bartlett and Jack Dyer who drove another one of our ponies Roblea Lisa. McEnroe and Kevin won the race!
He could open any stable door, whether it had a clip on the bolt or not. At Melbourne Show, I couldn’t keep him in, and had to ask for another bolt to be put on the door. The gentleman, walking towards me, with the hammer and bucket of nails, proudly told me that he had fixed the problem! I did notice that McEnroe was casually walking along behind him, minding his own business! He could also open snap clips, knots, lead ropes, anything, so he always had to be cross tied preferably with chains.
I once found Dusty in the feed shed, and chased him out. It was a sticky door, you had to kick the bottom, at the same time, pull a bit of hay band tied to the door, to open it. I later looked out to see him in there again. So off I went, dragged him out, slammed the door, slid the bolt across, AND clipped a lead rope on the bolt. A few minutes later I was on the phone to the ACDS Fed Secretary Janet Gilmore, and looked out the window. Dusty was fiddling with the bolt, next thing the lead rope flew over his shoulder, he grabbed the string, pored at the door and pulled, the door swung open and in he went.!!
We believe Roblea McEnroe earned a trophy in his name.
Many thanks to Margie Bowen and Family for this story about Roblea McEnroe.