A very large crowd turned out on Monday 3^rd June for the reopening of Te Aroha racecourse. Known for being a great jumping course, the racecard opened with three hurdle races which were brilliant spectacles. Race 5 was the Silver Fern Farms Steeplechase, run over live fences and this type of jumps race is what true admirers of this sport look forward to immensely.

This race was won by the aptly named Ima Wonder, an 8YO mare by Eighth Wonder out of Ima Heroine. Owned by Mrs Ann Browne and the estate of her late husband and NZ jumping legend Ken Browne, Ima Wonder races in the famous Browne colours.  She is trained by Peter and Jessica Brosnan and, on the day, was ridden by Portia Mathews. Portia positioned her well in the race and Ima Wonder showed her skill over the fences and then, with a late burst of speed, she pulled away from the second horse Devoted.

Mrs Ann Browne is a long-serving Committee member on the Waikato/ Bay of Plenty Racehorse Owners Association, and there were plenty of people on course to congratulate Ann after the win.  Ann tells us that when Ima Heroine finished racing, she decided she wanted to breed from her as, not only could she jump, she could stay the distance required for jumping. However, with Ima Heroine being somewhat on the small side, Ann wanted to breed a horse that was bigger. The sire Eighth Wonder by Zabeel was 17 hands and so Ima Heroine was sent to him and the resulting foal was Ima Wonder. Ima Heroine only had one more foal and he never made it to the racetrack. Ima Heroine lived out her days on the Browne’s farm and only died recently at age 21.

Horseracing and polo have been intertwined in the Browne family life, as has breeding the horses for these activities. Ann’s late husband Kenny was a polo player of merit as too their sons. Son Allan still plays polo. Ann and Kenny’s granddaughters Missy and Estee and great grandson Zane are also following the family tradition and are competent polo players.

A very happy trio!

Ann herself was a  showjumping rider in earlier days  and demonstrated ability in this field. Hailing from Gisborne she is  closely related to the Hansen brothers  (Graham and Bruce), who represented New Zealand at the Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 in Showjumping. She certainly has horse jumping running through her veins and remains one of the true enthusiasts of the jumping fraternity in New Zealand.

LEFT: Pictured after Ima Wonder’s win – Jockey Portia Matthews, Owner Mrs Ann Browne, and Trainer Jessica Brosnan the trainer.