Swimming, ice cream key to horse’s holiday

Riding Micah in Lake Dunstan is Jess Murphy, of Waikouaiti.PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
Riding Micah in Lake Dunstan is Jess Murphy, of Waikouaiti.PHOTO: STEPHEN JAQUIERY
Micah is just like any 15-year-old — she loves going on holiday. The only difference is she is a four-legged visitor to Central Otago.

With owner Jess Murphy, the mare has been making the trip to Cromwell for 12 years — and Ms Murphy for 27 years.

The pair and about 30 other families spend the holiday period following the Christmas racing circuit, which started in Hawea on December 28.

Yesterday, they headed home to Waikouaiti after what she described as a "great" holiday camping at the Cromwell Racecourse.

"It is the location and this is country racing at its best. You really cannot get better than being on holiday with the horses," she said.

However, Micah was not a racehorse; she simply came along for the fun of it.

While other horses were being trained, her only daily tasks were to take a dip in Lake Dunstan and eat ice cream supplied by her many fans.

Ms Murphy said her spotty horse stood out, and many of those attending the race meetings looked out for her or asked where she was grazing.

Ms Murphy has had success this year with her standardbred race horses; Mach O’Melley won the Hawea Cup and the Cromwell Supporters Cup, and she drove Santeria to second place at Hawea. Santeria was also second at Cromwell.

It was the first time someone had won both titles and she was pleased with the "unexpected" outcome.

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