8 Twenty years ago, a simple idea changed what retirement looked like for Australia’s greatest racehorses. Living Legends has been giving our stars of the turf somewhere to see out their days ever since, long after the roar of the crowd has faded. In 2006, the ownership group of Fields Of Omagh began considering his retirement. As one of the most beloved racehorses of his era and a two-time Cox Plate winner, he would have typically led a comfortable life after racing – perhaps rehomed as a pleasure horse, serving as a paddock companion, or retrained for a new discipline. However, his owners believed there was a better way for him to remain part of the sport he had excelled in, so he could continue bringing joy to the fans who adored him. From that initial discussion, Living Legends was created: a sanctuary where champion racehorses could live out their retirements while remaining accessible to the people who had supported them. Dr Andrew Clarke, CEO and Veterinary Director, was involved from the beginning, using his expertise to help establish the organisation’s foundation. Word quickly spread throughout the racing community, and Fields Of Omagh was soon joined by other champions, including Might And Power, Better Loosen Up, and Doriemus. Their home was anything but ordinary. Woodlands Historic Homestead, set on 150 acres of one of the Southern Hemisphere’s most storied thoroughbred landscapes, became what Clarke describes as a Racing Field of Dreams. By Celia Purdey Living Legends YEARS OF TWO DECADES OF CHAMPIONS, COMMUNITY AND CARE 20
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