Photo curtesy Pechey family collection
According to Phil Fraser, who was managing the horse section of the Emerald Pastoral College in 1985, College Patience “was a second string mare that was paddock mated to Tobruk on the College property. Tobruk was a replacement colt for the previous horse that classifiers wouldn’t register. He had an injury to a front foot so was never ridden at the college.” Phil thinks Tobruk was never sold on by the College.
Bookine Patsy was bred by the Emerald Pastoral College in Queensland and foaled 25th September 1985. She was by Berrico Tobruk who was used extensively by the college from 1981 to 1984 in their ASH breeding programme. Tobruk was bred by Berrico Estates pty ltd of the Gloucester district in NSW. He was by Berrico Matruh who was bred by Bob Mackay of “Tinagroo” Scone NSW. Bob mated his noted polo sire Panzer, the sire of “The Gun”, to his very successful polo mare Mena, to produce Matruh. Tobruk combined this polo line of horses with the established campdrafting line Kenray and Old Bruce.
Wayne Cameron, who was living at “Billinbah”, Glenmorgan at the time, purchased Patsy directly from the College as a 2 to 3 year old. She was sent to Mick and Peter O’Neil of “Foxborough” near Moonie to be broken in and worked for a time. John “Bully” Wilson of “Cashmere West” near St George purchased Patsy from Wayne as a young horse. Peter and Toni O’Neil, who were located at “New Cashmere” near St George, purchased her from John.
Brett and Joy Pechey of “Bookine” St George swapped a “little yellow Suzuki roo shooting vehicle” plus $1000 for Patsy in 1993 as Brett and Joy needed a droving horse. They registered Patsy with their property name as her prefix in the ASH society stud book and so she became Bookine Patsy.
Brett described Patsy as 15.1 or 15.2 hands high. A big, powerful, strong, bay mare. She was good natured, very cowy, soft and easy to control. She worked slightly elevated and preferred fast cattle.
She had her first start in campdrafting with Brett at Tottenham and went on to win 1 or 2 Novices before family and work commitments shortened Brett’s campdrafting activities. He now worked for John Lyons at “Billeroy” St George and decided to breed Patsy to Kirkbys Stud Officer, belonging to Mick Southern of “Pinevale” Weengallan near St George. The first breeding of this cross produced the stallion “Pechey Stud Tradition” who came 10th in the 2005 Warwick Gold Cup with Barry Southern. The second breeding of this cross produced the mare “Pechey Stud Devotion” who came 9th in the 2006 Warwick Gold Cup also with Barry Southern.
Brett arranged for Patsy to be bred to Warrenbri Romeo through Jeremy Knight as a favour for finding a paddock for his cattle to use. This mating produced the mare “Pechey Stud Sensation” who was drafted by Peter O’Neil as “Roma”. Roma placed 6th in the 2006 Chinchilla Grandfather Clock, won the Clock in 2011, won the Warwick God Cup in 2014 and came 2nd in the 2016 Rockhampton Open at Paradise Lagoons.
Patsy was sold to Barry Southern while Barry worked for John Lyons at “Billeroy”. Barry bred Patsy to Terry & Chris Hall’s stallion, Hazelwood Conman, to produce the mare “Willdo Hingis” who Rohan Marks took to a 2nd in the 2013 Warwick Gold Cup, 7th 2014 Chinchilla Grandfather Clock, 2nd 2015 Acton Super Beef at Paradise Lagoons and 11th in the 2015 Warwick Gold Cup. Hingis has since won the 2019 Warwick Gold Cup with Kerry Turner.
Patsy died in the ownership of Barry Southern of “Evergreen” between Weengallan and Tallwood, east of St George Queensland.
Brett, when reflecting on the success of Patsy’s progeny says “that we didn’t realise the calibre of broodmare we had”.
(Information taken from interview with Brett Pechey)