Jackamo, the Supreme Champion, page 1
THE RACE IS ON … WILL VICKI FIND A NEW CHAMPION?
When Vicki’s multi-champion pony is injured, she is devastated. It’s the beginning of the show season and the fourteen-year-old must find a replacement — but no pony comes close to the one she has lost.
Then Vicki meets Jackamo, a beautiful but inexperienced grey. She senses he has star quality, and chooses him over proven ponies with years of show-ring success. With so little time, will she be able to transform Jackamo into a winner? Or has she risked everything on the wrong pony?
With a turn of events they didn’t see coming, Vicki, Kelly and Amanda face heartbreak and difficult decisions in this story inspired by the Wilson Sisters’ early years.
The Wilson Sisters are leading figures on the equestrian scene, show jumping to Grand Prix and World Cup level. They have become widely known for their work with wild horses, making Kaimanawas a household name in New Zealand and raising awareness of the plight of the American Mustangs and Australian Brumbies.
Contents
1. Stallion Fight
2. Difficult Decisions
3. The Search For a New Pony
4. Hello, Jackamo
5. Ready to Compete
6. Versatile Pony
7. Birthday Surprise
8. A Bit of Fun
9. Champion Hunter
10. A Christmas Surprise
11. Something Special
12. First Ride
13. Pinkie-Promise
14. Supreme Champion
15. Jumping to New Heights
16. Not One, But Three
17. Opportunity of a Lifetime
Characters
How-tos
Glossary
Follow Penguin Random House
This book is dedicated to Carol, who is without a doubt the most influential Pony Club instructor we’ve ever had.
Also in this series:
Growing up, we Wilson sisters — Vicki, Amanda and me (I’m Kelly) — were three ordinary girls with a love of horses and dreams of Grand Prix show jumping, taming wild horses and becoming world champions.
In Showtym Adventures, we want to share stories based on our early years with ponies, to inspire you to have big dreams, too! I hope you enjoy reading about the special ponies that started us on our journey …
Love,
Kelly
Chapter 1
Stallion Fight
FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD VICKI SAT UP in bed, her heart racing. Early rays of sunlight were just peeking through the window and everything was quiet … and yet she was filled with unease.
Reaching for her jodhpurs and a t-shirt, she hurriedly dressed, careful to keep quiet so she wouldn’t wake her sisters. Something had woken her up from a deep sleep and she knew she wouldn’t be able to relax until she’d checked her ponies and made sure they were safe.
As she opened the door into the hallway she heard horses squealing, followed by the unmistakable ping of a wire fence.
“Something’s wrong with the horses!” she cried, pounding on her parents’ bedroom door to wake them before rushing outside. By the time Vicki had pulled on her riding boots and grabbed a halter, the sounds of horses screaming had intensified, and panic filled her as she ran up the hill. The noise was coming from Koolio’s paddock, and she had a terrible feeling that her beloved but accident-prone pony was the one in trouble.
As she rounded the corner to his paddock, her worst fears were confirmed. Koolio’s neck was arched as he reared up at a palomino Welsh stallion who was challenging him over the fence. It was Indiana Jones, who belonged to their friends up the road. As if in slow motion, Vicki saw Koolio’s foreleg strike through the wire fence, catching his hoof.
“Get Indiana out of there!” Vicki heard her mum shout. Lurching forward, she waved her arms to try to scare the rogue stallion away so he could be safely caught, but he ignored her, too focused on his rival. Finally Vicki managed to get Indiana Jones’s attention, and with a toss of his mane, he leapt away from the fence long enough for her to get between the two horses. As her mum stepped in to halter him, Vicki returned her focus to Koolio.
“Woah, boy,” Vicki whispered, her heart beating against her ribs in alarm as she watched her handsome show pony struggling against the wire that had ensnared his left front leg. Just as she laid a calming hand on Koolio’s sweaty coat, Indiana Jones screamed out a final challenge and Koolio pulled back in fury, his leg sliding free of the fence.
Relief flooded Vicki now that the immediate danger was over, and she quietly approached her trembling pony to halter him.
“How is he?” Dad called out as he and Vicki’s sisters, Kelly and Amanda, rushed up the hill to join them.
Vicki eyed Koolio’s leg, barely able to make out the detail in the half-light. “I can’t see any cuts on him.”
“That’s a relief,” Kelly said as her gaze flickered between the two troublemakers. “What’s Indiana Jones doing down here anyway?”
“He must have escaped from his paddock and come down the road.” Mum shook her head worriedly. “I’ll put him in a yard, then call the Bennetts and let them know he’s safe.”
As her mum led the wayward stallion away, Vicki turned back to Koolio.
“You had me worried there,” she murmured as she rubbed her pony’s head affectionately.
“Are you sure he’s OK?” Dad frowned, watching Koolio closely. “He’s not putting any weight on that leg.”
Vicki bent down to check his leg again, carefully running her hand from Koolio’s shoulder all the way down to his hoof. Flinching, Koolio half-reared, rocking backwards in pain.
“I’ll take him down to the yard and hose off his leg, just to be safe.” Stepping forward, Vicki walked towards the open gate, but rather than following her, Koolio braced against the lead rope and refused to budge.
“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Vicki reassured her pony. “Indiana Jones is long gone.”
Reluctantly, Koolio took a tentative step, but as he bore weight on his injured leg he almost collapsed. Distraught, Vicki reached out to comfort her pony, at a loss about what to do next. Leaving him on the side of a hill with such a sore leg was not ideal, but she didn’t want to injure him further by asking him to walk on it again.
Vicki nibbled her bottom lip, gauging the distance to the yards. It was only about a hundred metres, but suddenly that seemed a long way away. “I don’t know if he’ll make it down.”
“Let’s see if we can get him to the gateway, then at least he’ll be able to stand on flat ground,” Dad said. “Kelly and Amanda, can you run down and tell Mum to ask Mike to come over — we need a vet.”
As her younger sisters sprinted down the hill, Vicki gently urged Koolio forward again. It was only a few metres to the gate but even that seemed to take forever. Vicki watched in misery as her pony limped slowly behind her. Not once did he try to bear weight on his sore leg again.
Tears welled in Vicki’s eyes as she glanced at her dad. “It’s really serious, isn’t it?”
“We don’t know that,” Dad shook his head as Koolio leaned into him for a rub. “I’m sure he’ll be out show jumping with you again in no time.”
As they waited for Mike to arrive, Vicki thought back to their first show-jumping event the weekend before, where she’d jumped clear on Koolio in the 1 metre class. It had been the highest either of them had ever competed.
Ten minutes later, Mike Bennett and his family arrived. Vicki held Koolio steady as he looked the pony over, while Mum, Kelly and Amanda stood off to one side, telling Ellen Bennett and her kids about his tussle with their pony. The Bennetts felt terrible that he’d escaped onto the road overnight, and especially bad that Koolio had been injured as a result.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with him,” Mike admitted gravely, after watching Koolio attempt to take a few steps. “The leg’s not broken though, and I don’t think it’s his tendon either.”
“Will he improve if we give him a few weeks of rest?” Mum asked, joining them.
“You’ll need to get a second opinion from a veterinarian who specialises in horses,” Mike replied. “They should be able to tell you what’s wrong with him.”
“Which vet do you suggest? I’ll call them now, and see if they can come out to see him.”
“Unfortunately the closest specialist is three hours away. It’ll be an expensive visit.”
“Luckily he’s insured, so at least his vet bills will be covered.” Mum sighed. “I just wish I hadn’t dropped his insurance cover from ten thousand down to five thousand dollars. He hadn’t had an accident in months and we just couldn’t afford the premiums.”
“Hopefully he’ll come right and a claim won’t be necessary,” Mike said gently. “Let’s get him down to the yards in the meantime. He’ll need to be restricted so he doesn’t injure himself further.”
Rather than reassuring Vicki, Mike’s visit had made her even more worried. As she led Koolio down the driveway, letting him rest every few strides, she couldn’t help but wince at every painful step he took. It took almost half an hour to get him into a yard, and with every minute that passed Vicki grew more concerned.
Chapter 2
Difficult Decisions
THE NEXT FEW WEEKS PASSED in a blur for Vicki. Several specialist vets checked Koolio, yet still he showed no signs of improvement.
“Is he in pain?” Vicki anxiously asked the latest vet.
“Not right now,” the vet assured her. “The i njection I just gave him blocks any pain to his leg.” Koolio was now trotting around them on the lunge, when only moments before he’d barely been able to move.
“And without the injection?” Mum asked, her voice heavy. It had been an exhausting few weeks for the entire family.
“The painkillers are keeping him comfortable at the moment, but unfortunately I think his injury is both severe and permanent.”
Vicki froze, before swinging her gaze to the vet. “He’s not going to recover?” she eventually gasped.
The vet shook his head regretfully. “I’ll draft up a letter for the insurance company so you can make a claim. I wish I had better news for you.”
Vicki’s heart raced and she blinked rapidly to stop tears from falling. She’d been so hopeful that Koolio would recover that she hadn’t stopped to consider the worst-case scenario.
“So what are our options?” Mum asked him, her cheeks already wet.
“I guess the decision you need to make is whether he’ll have any quality of life with this type of injury, or if it’s in his best interests to end his suffering now.”
Vicki’s breath hitched as the vet’s words sank in.
Long after the vet had left, Vicki sat in the yard with Koolio, struggling to comprehend the awful fact that she’d never be able to ride her beloved pony again. By now the injections had worn off, and even though the vet had given him some other painkillers, Koolio’s eyes were glazed in pain as he rested his foreleg.
“You’re breaking my heart,” Vicki whispered to her pony. Limping closer, Koolio nuzzled her and Vicki bit back a sob. Seeing how much pain he was in was devastating. She had only been able to bear it the past few weeks because she’d been sure that he’d recover with time. Now that the vet had dashed her hopes, watching him suffer was a hundred times worse.
“I don’t know if I’m ready to say goodbye to you,” Vicki said, blinking back tears. “We had so many plans together.”
Behind her, Vicki heard the crunch of gravel and turned to see someone approaching through the fading evening light.
“Dinner’s ready.” Mum reached out and squeezed her shoulder.
“I’m not hungry.” Vicki’s voice trembled. “I think I’ll stay out here and keep Koolio company.”
“That’s understandable,” Mum said softly. “You’ve got a lot to think about, but the vet said there’s no hurry. You don’t have to make the decision tonight.”
Vicki nodded and turned her head away, unable to speak.
She was still sitting there a couple of hours later, when her sombre thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of her sisters, whose arms were laden with pillows and blankets.
“What are you guys doing?” Vicki yawned, fighting off exhaustion.
“Kelly and I thought we’d sleep out here with you tonight, so you don’t have to leave Koolio’s side,” eight-year-old Amanda said. Her usually cheeky expression was gone and she fidgeted with the sleeves of her jacket until Vicki gave her a sad smile and nodded.
While her sisters set about making up a bed outside Koolio’s yard, Vicki worked under flashlight to top up Koolio’s hay and water for the night. As she hugged Koolio goodnight, Vicki was overcome with grief about the decision she needed to make. Saying goodbye to Koolio was going to be one of the hardest things she’d ever done in her life, but she also knew it was the right thing to do.
“It’s going to be OK,” Vicki whispered in her pony’s ear as she squeezed her arms tighter around his neck. “The pain will be gone soon.”
Joining her sisters in their makeshift bed, Vicki settled under the blankets. When their parents came to say goodnight, Vicki tried to find the words to tell her family about her decision, but her voice refused to work. Saying it out loud would make it real.
“Wait,” Vicki called out, just as her parents stood up to return to the house. “About Koolio …”
Silence filled the night but they patiently waited while Vicki fought for the courage to voice her thoughts.
“Could you ring Mike tomorrow and organise a time for him to come out?” she stammered at last. “I thought we could bury Koolio in the back paddock. He loves it there and I think he’d like it as his final resting place.”
Beside her, both Kelly and Amanda started to cry.
“Do you think we can delay it till Saturday?” Vicki said, bravely keeping her tears at bay. “I need a little more time with him to say goodbye.”
“It’s the right decision,” her mum said.
“I know,” Vicki’s voice wobbled. “But that doesn’t make it easy.”
Later, after her parents had left and her sisters had fallen asleep, Vicki gathered her blankets and entered Koolio’s yard. Curling up in the corner with him, she reminisced over all the adventures they’d shared together and the many ribbons they’d won.
Gradually exhaustion won over, and some time during the early hours of the morning she fell asleep with Koolio resting his head in her lap.
A few days later, Vicki knelt at Koolio’s grave, trying to come to terms with his loss. It seemed impossible to believe they’d been out show jumping less than a month earlier, and even harder to grasp that she’d never see Koolio again. The only solace was that he was finally free from pain. “I’ll never forget you,” Vicki promised, as she ran her numb fingers through the freshly churned dirt. “You were one in a million.”
Vicki heard her sisters’ footfalls approaching, and she rose slowly to her feet.
“We made him a cross,” Kelly said, her eyes dark with circles from crying. The plan had always been that Kelly would take over riding Koolio once Vicki had outgrown him, then eventually he’d be passed down to Amanda. Losing Koolio was something the entire family was going to have to come to terms with.
Together the three of them dug the cross into the ground. When they’d finished, Vicki ran her fingers over the words her sisters had painted in purple:
* * *
JUST KOOLIO, THE CHAMPION OF CHAMPIONS
* * *
“Why that colour?” Vicki asked them.
“Because he always came home with purple champion sashes,” Amanda sniffed, and bent down to lay a handful of wild flowers on Koolio’s grave.
Chapter 3
The Search For a New Pony
OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF WEEKS Vicki kept herself distracted by looking through the Horse Trader magazine for ponies for sale. It seemed wrong to be thinking about replacing Koolio so soon, but with the season in full swing and the insurance money in the bank it made sense to start searching for a new show pony.
“Are you sure you’re ready to look at ponies?” Mum asked. “You still have Pepe and Casper to ride, so you don’t have to rush into anything.”
“I know, but I find it easier to keep busy,” Vicki sighed. It had been the same when she’d lost her first pony, Bella, to colic several years earlier. Vicki was never one for moping, and she’d come to realise that sometimes life just wasn’t fair, and she had to think in practical terms so she could move forward.
Mum nodded. “Have you found any that interest you?”
“There’s lots of ponies under five thousand.” Vicki still couldn’t believe they could afford to spend so much on a replacement pony. Until now, Koolio had been the most expensive pony they’d ever purchased and he’d only cost $1000. It seemed incredible, but in just a year of owning him, Koolio had had so much success he’d risen in value to over $10,000, and her parents had been advised to insure him.
Now, Vicki was relieved her parents had taken that expensive but wise decision, because their present finances were so tight that they’d never have been able to afford a new show pony for her otherwise.
“We had to pay the first thousand excess on his vet bills, so you’ll only have four thousand to spend,” Dad reminded her gently, as he joined them at the table.
“I forgot about that,” Vicki muttered. Unwanted images rose in her mind of Koolio’s final day, when the vet had put him to sleep. Koolio had been so brave as he ate a handful of mints from her hand, not knowing it would be the last thing he would ever do. Her dad kept talking, but Vicki was too lost in her thoughts to take in what he was saying.
