Tribute to Ink: A Show Horse Legend's Story

A good-looking horse that is not winning races soon appears on the show horse radar. When Occy’s Gold (Octagonal/Belvic mare) appeared at Geelong in April 2016, well-known showing identity, Lee Purchase, was quickly on the phone to Greg Mickan. “Lee rang and said there was a nice black horse racing,” says Greg. “I watched the race, and he came fourth. Lee got some photos and sent them through. He was trained by Wayne Nichols and Julie Schmidt near Benalla, and through them, we got in touch with the owner and breeder, Terena Trimboli, in South Australia. It all fell into place quickly, and we picked him up at a truck stop on the side of the Hume Freeway on his way home from Geelong. Checking out a black horse in the dark is risky, but he had four good legs, and we took him home to Romsey Park.” Ink became an outstanding show horse, and his list of achievements would be even longer had COVID not intervened; this is his Tribute.

“He was four years old, and we turned him out for a spell, and when he came back in to work, we found that he was a kind, obliging horse, one that might suit our client and friend, Christine Frost,” continues Greg. “And he certainly did; she just fell in love with him. Christine particularly liked Sydney Royal, where she could hack him out in Bi-Centennial Park. I called him Ink, because he was as black as ink. He had his first show at Albury in October 2017, where he was declared Supreme Led Exhibit and Champion Hack. It didn’t matter what show it was, Royal, anything; we could always send Christine out and know that she would return in one piece.”

“I have had some lovely horses,” says Christine, “but I have to say that Occy is my favourite. I used to look at him when he was the new boy in the stables at Terry and Greg’s. I’d look at his beautiful face and think he was just so pretty. The first time I saw Greg ride him, I knew that I wanted him. Then, one day, Greg said, ‘I think Christine can ride this horse’. When I rode him and realised that I could actually ride him, it was a match made in heaven, and I adore that horse. To this day, I look at those cute little black ears and can’t believe he’s mine.

“Greg educated him, of course, but I am really pleased and proud that I could help prepare him and ride him at a show for Greg to take him out into the ring. I love riding Occy because he is so even and feels so secure, and he just lifts, and sometimes it feels as if he is just floating along; it’s really gorgeous. My favourite and probably best win I had riding him was the SHCV Gilt Edge Cup (for horses showing Thoroughbred qualities) in 2018. It was especially pleasing as I had a horse with Terry and Pauline when Gilt Edge was alive, and I remember thinking how stunning he was. That win was very special because of the connection with Terry and his late wife, Pauline. At Adelaide Royal in 2018, nobody could have been happier than me on the showgrounds. Occy and I won the Hack Premier Award for Horses Showing Thoroughbred Qualities, the Owner/Rider Hack, Reserve Champion Racehorse to Showhorse, and we were second in the Lightweight and third in the Ladies, both times called in first.

“He won so much with Greg, but my favourite win with him was the 2019 Grand Nationals Champion Large Hack. Another memorable win was when Blaine Perkins led him to be Champion Thoroughbred and Supreme Led Exhibit at Barastoc in 2022. I now call Blaine my supreme leader!

I retired him at the end of 2023 after such a good year. He was EV and Hack Council Horse of the Year, Champion Led Thoroughbred at Barastoc and Champion Ridden OTT at Canberra. He won his Open Hack class, 16-16.2hh at Canberra, Sydney and Melbourne and was runner-up in the Pope at Sydney and Melbourne. He is rising fourteen now and still looking and going as well as ever, but I don’t want him to go out and get beaten. He had a great year, and everywhere he went, he just rose to the occasion. He had a lot of success with Stephanie Barrington and a number of Child’s riders, Charlotte Clegg, Georgia Walsh and Emily Murray etc.

“I brought him home to Elmdale Park about three months ago. He is retired from showing, but I would like him to be my trail horse, a horse for me to ride around the farm. I have ridden him a few times, and he has issues with sheep, if they move, and other scary things about the place. He is perfectly fine in the arena, of course. But he will get used to his new environment, and we are taking small steps. We are not cantering out in the fields yet. He plays in the paddock with his witches hat like a puppy and loves having a friend, as he is out, but certainly not roughing it with my small hack, Top End. Occy is a lovely person, and except for ripping his rugs, he is just a really good guy.

“He is enjoying life at the farm, but I think he likes the Romsey Park schedule better than mine, as breakfast doesn’t come quite so early here. I just adore him and have from the first time I saw him; he is the ideal horse”.

Article: Anna Sharpley.

Some of Ink’s Wins

2017 Nov - SHCV Show Horse Extravaganza
• 1st Debutante Hack
• Runner Up Large Saddle Hack

2018 Jan – EV Summer Show
• Champion Newcomer Hack
• Supreme Ridden Open Newcomer & Grand Champion Newcomer

2018 Jan - SHCV Masters HOTY
• 1st Graduate Hack
• 1st Gilt Edge Cup

2018 Mar – ENSW Southern Cross Show Horse Spectacular
• Champion Newcomer Hack Over 16hh

2018 Sep – Adelaide Royal
• 1st Novice Hack 16-16.2hhs
• 1st Racing SA Hack Premier Award T’Bred Qualities

2018 Nov - SHCV Southern Stars
• Champion Large Hack

2018 Nov – SHCV Show Horse Extravaganza
• Champion Large Hack

2019 Mar – SHCA Grand Nationals
• Champion Large Hack

2021 Feb – EV Barastoc HOTY
• Champion Childs Large Hack

2021 Mar – ENSW Southern Cross Championships
• Champion Childs Large Hack

2021 Mar – Sydney Royal
• 1st Ida Buring Turnout

2021 Dec – SHCV Southern Stars Royal Gala
• Champion Large Hack

2022 Feb – EV Barastoc HOTY
• 3rd Large Hack

2022 Mar - ENSW Southern Cross Championships
• Runner Up OTT All Stars Thoroughbred

2022 Sep – ACT & Southern NSW Championships
• Champion Large Hack

2022 Sep – Melbourne Royal
• 1st Ladies Hack

2022 Dec – EA National Show Horse & Rider Championships
• Runner Up Childs Large Hack
• Runner Up Large Hack

2023 Jan – SHCV HOTY
• Champion Large Hack

2023 Feb – EV Barastoc HOTY
• Runner Up Childs Large Hack
• Champion Large Hack

2023 Feb – Canberra Royal
• Champion OTT Ridden TB Gelding
• 1st Open Hack 16-16.2hhs

2023 Apr – Sydney Royal
• 1st Open Hack 16-16.2hhs
• Runner Up Pope Cup

2023 Sep – Melbourne Royal
• 1st Open Hack 16-16.2hhs
• Runner Up Pope Cup

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