Chautauqua We Salute You

 

Preamble

Chautauqua is an Australian racehorse.  The team said he was the smartest horse they'd ever trained and he was putting one over them. Repeatedly.  He could do the impossible and possessed a freakish ability to win when he shouldn't

 

Chautauqua was a really good racehorse

Who for some reason just refused to run

Unlike the great hero Pharlap

He knew that his time was up, done

 

When the gate did go up at the barrier

He just hung around and did linger

While the others took off, raced away

Old Chautau just gave all the finger

 

It's not that his body was past it

His brain just said I've had enough

I'm tired of just going round in circles

I'm digging my hoofs in, so tough

 

They called in an equine psychologist

(Never mentioned on school careers nights)

To get to the root of his refusal

Came away – not an answer in sight

 

Chautauqua's become a champion of the people

Who decide to pack it in, have a beer

He said “Bugger this for a joke folks

Bugger this, I'm off, I'm out of here”

 

Don Matthews October 2018