Post by Erica on Jan 22, 2006 12:48:57 GMT -5
I am doing a speech on Big Ben, the legendary show jumper. It has to be 3 minutes long, well, it is supposed to be, but I don't think it is going to be. Please tell me what you think:
Victory gallop. The crowd cheers. If you guessed that I am talking about horses, you were close. If you guessed that I am talking about show jumping, you were even closer. I am talking about Big Ben. No, not the clock. The horse.
Big Ben was born on April 20th, 1976. He was unusually tall for a foal. He was born on Hooydonk Farm, in Northern Belgium. He was a liver chestnut, with a blaze on his face and socks on his back legs. His owners name was Jacobus Van Hooydonk. Jacobus named this new baby Winston. Big Ben’s father, Etretat, was 16 hands high. His mother, Oekie, was only 15 hands high.
Big Ben, then called Winston, went to a new home. His second owner’s name was Bert. It was Bert that called this horse Big Ben, because he seemed as tall as the clock tower in London. But Bert didn’t keep Big Ben for very long. 6 weeks later, Canadian equestrian Ian Miller bought him for $45,000, even though Bert only paid $2,000 for him. So, away Big Ben went, out of Belgium and into South-Eastern Ontario.
Big Ben and Ian Miller were a perfect match. They were both very tall and they both liked to win. And they did win. They were World Cup champions. They won the Spruce Meadows Masters Grand Prix in 1988, and again in 1989. Big Ben’s insurance companies valued him at $1,000,000. Big Ben had a tack room filled with ribbons, trophies, victory blankets, and he had more than $1.5 million in prize money.
Big Ben always had the courage to go into a jumping stadium and win. He even had that courage when he was injured. One time, he pulled something in his hoof two days before a big competition. The injury didn’t seem to bother the horse, so Ian decided to take a chance and enter him anyway. They still won!
Big Ben also suffered through two major attacks of colic, which is like a horse stomach ache. He survived, but a lot of horses don’t. After his second attack, they called him a Canadian Champion, because he was the first champion show jumper to make it through two attacks of colic.
In 1992, Big Ben and 6 other champion horses were in a terrible highway accident. Two of them died, one was hurt too badly to ever be ridden again, and one of them would never go on a trailer again. Big Ben and one other horse were the only ones that went back to being champions. Just two months later, Big Ben won the Grand Prix.
Big Ben was, and still is, admired by many. Ian Miller admired him the most. He knew that Big Ben was capable of making it over any jump. Fans sent him valentines, and when he was sick or injured, they sent him get-well cards. Some even sent him bran muffins.
In December 1989, there was a special ceremony to honour Big Ben at the Grand Prix. That evening, Ian Miller just sat on Big Ben, not quite sure what to expect. An official came forward to present Ian with an oil painting of Big Ben’s father, Etretat. Then, at the gate, was a small mare that looked oddly familiar. It was Oekie, Big Ben’s mother. Next came in Etretat, his father. It was a family reunion for Big Ben! It was a rare moment, and one to never be repeated, because in January 1990, both of Big Ben’s parents died quite suddenly.
Every year there is a jumping show to honour Big Ben. All of its proceeds go to helping to find a cure for colic.
Sadly, Big Ben was put to sleep in December 1996. After he died, a picture was painted of him in his favourite field, with Ian Miller in the back watching. Also, Breyer, a model horse company, made a model of this hero.
Thank you for listening to me talk about the legendary show jumper Big Ben.
Victory gallop. The crowd cheers. If you guessed that I am talking about horses, you were close. If you guessed that I am talking about show jumping, you were even closer. I am talking about Big Ben. No, not the clock. The horse.
Big Ben was born on April 20th, 1976. He was unusually tall for a foal. He was born on Hooydonk Farm, in Northern Belgium. He was a liver chestnut, with a blaze on his face and socks on his back legs. His owners name was Jacobus Van Hooydonk. Jacobus named this new baby Winston. Big Ben’s father, Etretat, was 16 hands high. His mother, Oekie, was only 15 hands high.
Big Ben, then called Winston, went to a new home. His second owner’s name was Bert. It was Bert that called this horse Big Ben, because he seemed as tall as the clock tower in London. But Bert didn’t keep Big Ben for very long. 6 weeks later, Canadian equestrian Ian Miller bought him for $45,000, even though Bert only paid $2,000 for him. So, away Big Ben went, out of Belgium and into South-Eastern Ontario.
Big Ben and Ian Miller were a perfect match. They were both very tall and they both liked to win. And they did win. They were World Cup champions. They won the Spruce Meadows Masters Grand Prix in 1988, and again in 1989. Big Ben’s insurance companies valued him at $1,000,000. Big Ben had a tack room filled with ribbons, trophies, victory blankets, and he had more than $1.5 million in prize money.
Big Ben always had the courage to go into a jumping stadium and win. He even had that courage when he was injured. One time, he pulled something in his hoof two days before a big competition. The injury didn’t seem to bother the horse, so Ian decided to take a chance and enter him anyway. They still won!
Big Ben also suffered through two major attacks of colic, which is like a horse stomach ache. He survived, but a lot of horses don’t. After his second attack, they called him a Canadian Champion, because he was the first champion show jumper to make it through two attacks of colic.
In 1992, Big Ben and 6 other champion horses were in a terrible highway accident. Two of them died, one was hurt too badly to ever be ridden again, and one of them would never go on a trailer again. Big Ben and one other horse were the only ones that went back to being champions. Just two months later, Big Ben won the Grand Prix.
Big Ben was, and still is, admired by many. Ian Miller admired him the most. He knew that Big Ben was capable of making it over any jump. Fans sent him valentines, and when he was sick or injured, they sent him get-well cards. Some even sent him bran muffins.
In December 1989, there was a special ceremony to honour Big Ben at the Grand Prix. That evening, Ian Miller just sat on Big Ben, not quite sure what to expect. An official came forward to present Ian with an oil painting of Big Ben’s father, Etretat. Then, at the gate, was a small mare that looked oddly familiar. It was Oekie, Big Ben’s mother. Next came in Etretat, his father. It was a family reunion for Big Ben! It was a rare moment, and one to never be repeated, because in January 1990, both of Big Ben’s parents died quite suddenly.
Every year there is a jumping show to honour Big Ben. All of its proceeds go to helping to find a cure for colic.
Sadly, Big Ben was put to sleep in December 1996. After he died, a picture was painted of him in his favourite field, with Ian Miller in the back watching. Also, Breyer, a model horse company, made a model of this hero.
Thank you for listening to me talk about the legendary show jumper Big Ben.
. It gives me a headache, I'm sure it's good, I'm not trying to be mean. 
