Sally Kirkwood and Bloomfield Furstinus.

© Roger Fitzhardinge

READ SALLY'S FIRST BLOG HERE

By Roger Fitzhardinge

Life is many splendid things. 

Life is what you make it. 

Life has few boundaries.

Life is full of emotions.

Life is learned.

Life makes you wise.

With those few life thoughts in mind, what better way to be encouraged to have a go at living, before it passes by, than to hear of others’ plights and trials and tribulations. Of their dreams and the ways in which their lives have weaved a path through good times and bad. To hear of others’ lives can be a wake up call. It can be inspirational and it too can switch you on to realising you have plenty to offer the world or perhaps simply a person near. Perhaps you can achieve a goal or a dream and even if that falls short, the experience will of course make life more fulfilling. Every single person has a part to play and a job to do on this planet, and often it’s the simple act of reading about others’ endeavours that wakes the inner being into realising life is what you can make it.

You meet a lot of people in your life.

Everyone’s life revolves around people.

People create differences in people’s emotions.

Others’ lives affect others’ lives.

And then occasionally a person comes into one’s life that is simply intriguing, inspiring, humble and wonderfully encouraging. Who, for whatever reason, creates a realisation that perhaps there is a whole lot more to life. Who makes you look up and see life from a new perspective. A person who manages to switch on your inner self that has become buried in the mundane aspects of your boring daily life. A person who isn't afraid to have a go at living as if each day is the last. A person who manages to keep life in perspective, yet encourages involvement toward a happier and more productive life. One who makes you laugh with them into the night and never shirks responsibility.

To have the chance to share such a person’s enthusiasm can only be of benefit.

Sally Kirkwood and Robert are married and live on a cattle property out of Charters Towers (inland from Townsville in Far North Queensland) where they also train racehorses. They have two children, Grace and Ben. So absolutely normal like many, but from this (not) run-of-the-mill married life comes a path that will intrigue and interest many a reader.

Sally grew up around Townsville on cattle stations and is one of four charmingly witty and differing sisters. Sally is one of those characters that exudes interest, excitement, positivity, hilarity as well as a very serious and business-like attitude to life and living. The difference is that Sally is a seriously Aussie Queensland girl with an unending thirst for the best in life and is only too prepared to step out of the square in search of making the most of every day. To make the most of all she has to offer and learn. To be the most successful she possibly can be in all that she does. No challenge in her life is a threat nor unsurpassable.

It’s another world out there; one that is so different.

It’s a life out there of freedom, yet constraint.

It’s a life totally dependant on the absolute uncontrollable…rain!

The outback is no place for the faint-hearted nor those who are wanting the easy life, but the environment and people in these areas leads to a diverse lifestyle and one that encourages leadership and initiative.

Sally Kirkwood is a passionate woman whose love of life and the unexpected is infectious. Just to add a twist, her total dream and passion is to ride Grand Prix dressage!

Charters Towers is about as far from dressage as ice is to the Sahara Desert. Sally I am sure would work out a plan to keep ice in the desert and there is no question that she is lobbying her way to get to Grand Prix in The Towers!!!

The stories of life and horses are but a scratch on the surface of Sally’s life. Her involvement spans the cattle industry, the racing industry, the raising of a family, dressage and horses of the North, buying and selling properties, coaching at pony club and at the high school, running the bar at the race club, breeding and preparing show-winning guinea pigs and chickens, dramas with homework, and also what is termed inappropriate cheering at the kids’ basketball and football matches. 

Not to forget the trips for days to ride at a competition with her horse Furstinus. The flat tyres and the wild stories of the associated dilemmas go hand in hand with Sally’s thirst to succeed; they are simply heart warningly funny, yet at times heart wrenchingly sad. Sally is a motivator. Sally makes you laugh. Sally will wake the inner you and I hope that you will enjoy the musings of this wonderfully entertaining woman as do I. To share her diversity and fun-loving nature as Sally winds her way through the trials and tribulations of daily life in an area of remoteness is going to be an experience that will for sure keep us all down to earth and real! This will be eye opening, honest and hugely interesting. Her life and way of life, her daily work load and passion for her community, family, friends and foe, and animals along with her entertaining spirit and what can get packed into a day is going to make everyone laugh with the reality she brings to us. All that we want to say and think, that we often are not able to do or say, will come out in the wash.

Introducing Sally Kirkwood to you from someone who is intrigued to learn more of such an interesting life…

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