The Goderich Signal-Star, 1971-09-09, Page 54
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'An active pilot and aircraft, handyman, George Vollick, adds the -finishing touches to his 1946
Piper Cub that he has just finished rebuilding in his back yard. The plane was severely damaged in
January by high winds and the work now being wound up took nearly six months to complete.
Mr. Vollick expects to have the plane back in service soon, as it only has to be inspected and
approved by the Department of Transport before it can fly again.
Re.buiIdspane in
backyard workshop
BY RON SHAW,
The home workshop hobbiest and the
backyard mecha is have• become a coMmon
breed of men•in r °ent years and it is-far'fiom
t;rncommon to find a wide variety of rare and
interesting projects underway on any given
street. Park Street in Goderich, however, has one
backyard 'project not likely to be duplicated in
m'an'y others.
For the '.second time within a :year George
Vollick of 98• Park Street has wheeled his Piper
Cub aircraft down his, driveway and undertaken
the job of rebuilding its''''"'"""—
' The plane is a 1946 model and was rebuilt last
year'after 14 years of• service but had only been
put back into service when a windstorm in
January, of this year dealt severe damage to the
aircraft where it was parked at Sky Harbour, The
Cub narrowly 'missed destruction by fire When
the hrg,r at Sky Harbour burned recently as
well.
The air craft, measuring 35 feet, two and one
half inches across 'the„ wing span and 22 feet five
inches in length, was purchasedby Mr. Vollick in
1956. Until that -time the Cub had been used at
Sky °Harbour °as a training. craft since it is fitted
with duel controls.
"Hundreds of pilots trained in this' aircraft,",
Mr. Vollick explained, ',and I understand that
amon them were many pilots• who now fly for
Trans Canada Airlines.''
The rebuilding job that the enthusiastic pilot
had t� undertake following the Januar=y storm
involved -almost complete reconstruction of the
plane as severe dama,e had been done to the
landing gear, the•wing struts and the tail portions
of the craft. The previous rebuilding "had put a
new covering on the plane's• frame and this time°
the remainder was completely redone with even
the, interior q4. the cockpit boasting a 'new
upholstry jOb1
The work has ,taken nearly six months to
complete ,this time but according to the plane's
owner the craft is now, .just. like new, despite its
flight accumulation of, nearly 5,000 hours air
time:.
This week Mr.- Vollick took the Cub from his
back yard, with the work completed, to Sky
Harbour where it Will once more' go back into
service after it has been inspected and approved
as airworthy .by an inspector of the Ontario.
Department of Transport.
Huron -Perth TB ,Association
Lung function
The . iluron-Pe;,rth•
Tuberculosis and Respiratory
Disease Association plans to do:
• Lung Function Tests at the
Stratford Fair. This was
announced by Mrs: Edith Fisher,
Mitchell, Educ?ation Chairman of
the organization at a recent
o meeting,. in Seaforth.
Routine reports -were given by
Mrs, Fisher, Rev. Garbutt Smith,
Stratford, Mrs. David Schenck,
Seaforth, Tom Leiper,
Londesboro and Mr. Lloyd
Dodgson, Stratford. President
Ivan Forsyth, Kippen, presided.
Mr. Smith said industries in
the area were being approached
systemically regarding lung
•
A
tests
function testing of employees
and that four surveys already
• had been completed.. Mrs.
Fisher reported that the, two
bursary,- recipients would be
addressing -members 'in the near
future and that Mrs. Schenck
and Mrs. Edith Brothers,
Stratford, who attended the
International Union Against TB
meeting in Russia, would show
slides and give a travelogue to
members. Mrs. Schenck has eight
engagements to speak to area
groups but° Mrs. Brothers
unfortunately, is hospitalized
and unable to participate for the
time being.
Mrs. Schenck said ' that,' Dr.
at fair
Norman Epstein; Director ,of
Allergies,- St. Joseph's Hospital,
Toronto, will address, 'a -public
meeting on - Friday, September
24th, in Stratford. She added
that inhalatioh° therapy
compressor purrips�w are still in'
great demand and that drugs had
been provided these and other
respiratory disease sufferers:' If
parents consent, `children with
asthma in the counties of Huron
and Perth areto be researched at
the University -of Guelph, which
has' received a gram from the
Ontario Tuberculosis ••and
Respiratory Disease association
for the project.
AINSLIE'S
Home Dressed Select Meat
ro
MEATY - NO BACKS
CHICKEN LEGS 1b49
STEAKETTE STYLE
MINUTE STEAKS
I`R
eESH - FOR FRYING OR BAKING
HAM ,4TEAK
REPEAT SPECIAL q POT
ROAST BEEF r
59
FRESH SPRING HURON ;C,OUNTY
lib.
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� Gousamx SIGNAL STAR 41-11J4
n
Mors MacD�on�ald, an actk
present with a 50 year histor
Y, SEPTF M$ER9. '1911 .
BY DON McGiE»E`'-'
Morris MacDonald ,is
sixty-three years old, he has
been driving and training horses
professionally for 50 years. Even
before the age of 13 he .drove
several 'horses at County Fairs
aid the like:
f During his long and, successful
career"be has reined many a
World Champion. Adios Harry is
a fine example, setting ktotal of
sixteen records during his
outstanding career in the
mid -fifties. (Record of 1:55 at
Vernon Downs in 1955.)
But there is something about
Morrie that is just as amazing 'as
his past career - his present one.
He, is a breeder of fine racing
horses, and he owns the World's
Leading Sire of Standard record
and Reduced record performers.
His stallion is also third in the
World with number of his get
wild have won a race, and
number of "races his get have
won.
That wonder horse is
NEWPORT DUKE, 2.
2:03.1 m;3,2:02,.2m,4,1: 59.2m,
e
2:01.2h.
Newport Duke is by Adios,
p,TT 1:57'2M, , out of Meda
Scott, p,2:09h, by Scotland, TT
'1:591/4m. His -sisters are part of a
long line of producing mares,
including Sue Adios, by Adios,
Sue teas had such notables as Sly
Yankee, p, 1:59, , winner of
$255,000.00, ` and • Tempered
Yankee, p, 4,1:58.2, winner of
over $251,000.00.
The Duke's paternal line is
the reason for his toughness.
"You' couldn't kill him .with
an, axe," remarked Morrie. The
bay 'horse was the Season's
Champion in 1958 at ,the age ,of
four. He was -Purchased by Mr.
MacDonald, when seven,, raced
for a ,year and a half, then
retired to stud. He stands at aG
farm in Strathroy.°
Newport Duke, % started his
stallion career later in life than
o most of the top sires in the
States, Morrie first ,bred a mare
with him when the Duke was
nine years old. It is from only
five crops. of horses that have
been trained that the Distinction
of being the World's best'
producer, of Standard record and
Reduced record performers .is
derived. That is based on
numbers, not percentages.,
Newport•Du'ke has sired as of
1970, 177• pacers (1 in 2:00,25
in 2:05) and one. trotter. He is
the sire of one. sire, and sired the
dam of one pacer. His service fee
for this season was 'a modest
$500.00.y. I ' say modest in the
sense of comparison with U.S.
Studs that have available better,
bred mares and Sires' Stakes that
encourage. horsemen to paya
high price for the best possible
breeding. Ontario as well as the
rest of Canada does not have a
sires Program of Stake races,
resulting ' finally that Newport
Duke does not•get decently bred.
mares that would •compliment
'his own breeding.
Morrie conside,rs the Duke to
be the best bred, not necessarily
the fastest, but the best bred of
all the sons of the immortal
Adios, Adios remains the
World's greatest sire of 2:00
performers in the history of the
sport. He died in 1965; which
means his sons must undertak
the task of maintaining ti e
breed of the Fastest"and greate
race horses ever produced
one stallion. For this reason,
MacDonald believes the Dune
will remain,•the top in the Word,
Newport Duke did not h� ve
an easy road to success, 1`1ot
only is the lack of Sires -Stakes in
Canada against him., plus his late
age at the -onset bf his career,
but his competition in the
States, in particular °liis nearest
rivals, Tar Heel and Gene Abbey.
started their careers early and
before him. They also had and
have available the finest mares in
North America, and a greater
number of horsemen who keep
large stables, in the area. But.
through It all, the Duke survived
heartily, and will for some time
tdcome.
Johnny„G p,6,2:00m, who
'just lowered his' Life Time Mark
recently- at Detroit Raceway. to
1:5'3:4. as a seven year old,
setting a Track Record for Aged
pacers' at the same `time, is the
most notable of Newport Duke's
get. Others, *2:05 performers,
include Robbie North, 2:01.2.
winner of over $40,000.00,
Argyle Chester, who just set a
Record for Aged Effacers at
Monticello Raceway of - a fast
2M0.2, Stormy Duke, 2:03,2h.,
winner of over $58,000.00, and
Canadian. Duchess, 2:03h.
ll i s 1970 starters won
$684,836.00, with the two and
three year olds raking in a
whooping $53',556.00,Mot°e than
any other sire in Canada.
The Duke's success at
breeding. is not unfounded. His
dam Meda Scott produced many
full and half sisters to Newport
Duke, several becoming top
brood mares, all good producers.
This year, Mo"rrie has had
70`'of his broodmares in foal,
with the possibility of more later
this season. He has forty mares
that °roam the 2,000 acres owned
in part and also leased by -Mr.
MacDonald. Before this year, the
Duke's percentage was only
about 40, due to '"rather less
control on his breeding.'wt'rom ..
now on, Newport ` Duke's
reputat%on will soar only higher.
Morrie believes that` Newport
Duke will everltually surpass
(eneA;bby'and' Tar Hell: He
says t ''" not jifst because he
owns the horse, but because he
believes that the Duke represents
extremely good breeding - and
also strength as a'sire. •
Mr. MacDonald has lately
been line , breeding, "•If like
doesn't beget like, you should
get out of the business...breed
the best with the best and you
will get the best," he explained::
Morrie will not of course know ,
the results of this type of
breeding for same time.
To line breed, that is to ,nate
a horse and mare of similar
breeding, is a tricky operation,
Morrie believes he has the
essentials thqug4h:• Good
'conformation and &position
must be present in the stallion as
.well as the mare. The two studs,
he presently, has in service have
both qualities.
Cole Tar, p,2,2:03.3m, foaled
in 1959, is the other stallion. He
is by Tar Heel, p,4,T`I' 4:57ni,
out of Meadow Bea, p,3,TT
2:05.1m by Adios. There you
have the greatest cross in History
-•- Adios and Billy Direct (Sire of
Tar Heel): Cole Tar has already
been successful as a sire, with 35
pacers (5 in 2:05) and ohe
trotter to his record. His 1970~
starters have won $7.4,462.00.
Two full brothers by Cole 'Tar
out of Lorna Hal are good
examples of his sire.
ability-Innerail, p,6,2:02.3f, and
Outerail, p,5,2:04.lf.
Cole Tar also has a great
maternal line, and Morrie has
much• faith in the bay horse. He
has bred half his mares,tth nim
this season.
Morris MaeDonal'has hid
own training track at »-'one
location, keeps his mares at
another, and has Newport Duke
and Cole Tar stabled -at still
another. The actual stud farm is
beautifully landscaped with
rolling lawns, evergreens, and
large flower beds.
Mamie has a veterinarian in
attendance at all times, His
trainer Lewis Clark is in charge
,•of all operations when -Morrie is
at the track driving. He has 6 or
7 grooms, with a total of 20 nnen
working for him either at the
farm, or at the track, Presedtly,
Morrie has a terrific stable of
fifteen horses racing. at 'Detroit.- •
Mr. MacDonald does not I
think he should have - to
advertize extensively . for his
-"stallions. Fie believes. all that is
necessary is for hosemen to
' know about Newport Duke as
being Number One:iii the Woad,
and that should be 'erioug r. If
they really understand the
principles of good breeding, and
the .1peccessity s of it, they will
natiyfally turn to the Duke to get
it. i Morrie speaks as a
professional, not.as a one or two rrse owner 'who does it for a
obby. Whatever the .outcome,
Canadians should be proud to
know one of theirs owns the'
Champ.
One of the cutest fillies you'll ever likely
She is a Newport Duke out of Joan's Girl.
see is
this little chestnut ith the golden brown mane,.
.
COLE TARS p,2,iO3.3m, is by Tar Heel, p,4,TT1:57m, 'out,of
Meadow Bea,- p,TT2:05.1m by Adios, p,TT1:57Y2m, He is a
great individual with a quiet disposition. He was retired sound
and possessed great speed as a colt. Cole Tar has sired 35 pacers
(5 in 2:05) and one trotter.'
Aj whole field of Ne��yy��,//Po•rt Du e�,,'foals and their mothers roam the large area of 9rOssland available to them on one of the 'MacDonald farms.