(A man and his horse: GREG WATSON and Horse of the Year ROCKISH - Glenda Travis Photo)
The horse that changed my life
Greg Watson has a special bond with the 11-year-old gelding Rockish. Yes, the feisty four-legged fellow can be a downright pain in the butt with his bossy attitude but he is so treasured by Watson that the owner has included him in his will.
“I have willed him to [step-daughter] Stephanie and she has all the instructions that he will be cremated and buried with me,” said Watson, who owns and operates Full Circle Racing in Bethany, ON with wife Susan. Stephanie (Keeble) took over the training of the family's runners this season.
At the time Watson brought Rockish to Ontario from Arizona, in 2008., Watson was training the stable. Rockish, a son of Rocky Jones was a 4-year-old and he became Ontario Quarter Horse Racing’s Horse of the Year that season with six wins in eight starts including the All Canadian Classic.
Watson got accustomed to Rockish’s rowdy behaviour that first year as the sorrel gelding used to take off with his riders in morning training, wheeling and bucking his way up and down the training straightaway at Full Circle.
But that energy also came in handy on the racetrack and up until 2014, at the age of 10, Rockish was still racing competitvely.
“He raced twice last year, finished fourth both times,” said Watson. “He won 19 races overall and over $320,000. We will never have another horse like him.”
Rockish lives in a paddock with another retired Full Circle runner and the farm pony Cody but with the winter weather coming on, was brought in to the barn on Nov. 27 for the first time since the spring.
“I looked up from what I was doing and all I saw were his feet in the air, he was bucking. He doesn’t look any different now than he did as a 5-year-old."
Watson has tried to ride Rockish since the gelding was retired but has not had much luck and will try again next year when the gelding may be a bit more mellow.
“I may have to wait until he is 20-years-old. He’s definitely an athlete,” said Watson. “He has been the most important, and special, horse for all of us.”
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