Ronnie Matheson :3” g, other. Ronnie stated. "Francis Mclsaac

was a cut above the rest. lie was a yery capable driyer and trainer who was respected by his peers and the public. Francis was nice to me when I was a kid and he didn‘t eyen know me. He was a yery personable indiyidual. For a yery busy horseman to take the time to talk to me. that meant a lot to me."

The first person that Ronnie worked for at the (2.1).1’. was Korean war \‘eteran Bill Henderson. Ronnie then diyided his time for a number of years between Saint ylohn and Charlottetown in the iody liennessey Stable. He then spent a winter working for the liarl Smith Stable. This was fol— lowed by a year in the Merrill MacLean Stable at the (2.1).1). It was apparent that he had yery capable tutors during his apprenticeship but he also was a \'ery capable equine student.

The year 1980 was a watershed for Ronnie because that was the year he opened a public stable. It was an inaus‘ picious beginning. He stated. "I had a small stable when I started. 1 had River/we Sam/y and .S‘m‘z/I'm'u for Dr. Blair Kelly: 1 also had \l'ixu/mere/r‘na‘ and Hay szer /"/(Isb for _lack Brown." (her the years his stable continued to grow and usually numbered oyer 20 horses. He credited much of his success to the peo— ple that had assisted him in the operation of his stable oyer the years. They includ- ed l)onnie MacDougall. Bernie Berrigan. Eyan l’ord. Mad rene llennessey. his son. Jackie Matheson who was a promising

44

A 33

Behind the Gate

young driyer. Billy Mulligan. Billy .\lacl\‘enxie. Dr. Blair lx'elly. Dawson Peterson. his dad Roddie .\1atheson._lack

Keenan and others.

[ion 3‘ [for owned by George Murphy and trained by Gordie Ilennessey finished second in 2:11 in the mud at the (3.1).1’. in 19“). Ronnie remembered that race well because he droye Lion 's Boy that day and it was his first official driye. He sat in the middle of the pack during the race and his horse finished strongly to win the place spot.

C(HIHIHC/JU Bill was a beautiful chestnut gelding that would always hold a special place in this horseman's career. He stat— ed. “After my first driye. I went quite a while before I had my first win. I was working for Jody Ilermessey at that time and he droye his own horses. During that period. the only horse I droye was (.‘mimncbe 1317/ whom i purchased from Roy \X'ilson. first win.”

1:5“.fi with \fhodnlerejel at the (l.l).l’. This was this driyers fastest win to date

He won in 2:11..) for my Ronnie hit the wire first in

and a race he and co—owner Billy Mulligan would neyer forget.

I asked Ronnie to select his six most memorable horses from the literally hun— dreds that he had worked with during his career. After some thought. he respond ed. "l)r. Blair Kelly‘s /\)l'{‘(’l‘1'll('SHIN/’1' was a nice colt. He went on to be the three— year—old colt of the year on l’.li.l. Billy Mulligan and I co~owned \l'iun/nzere/el.