ONE LAST WHIRL
Last Exception X Whirling Bye
by Julie Jaszczenski
In 1996 Sarah Wheeler was able to purchase a retired standard bred mare that she had been watching in a pasture across the road from her house. This horse was Whirling Bye. Having been raised on her grandfather's farm, where he also had standarbreds, Sarah had come to love this breed of horse. In 1997 Sarah learned that a 4 year old filly of Whirling Bye's was for sale at an amish farm in a town not far away. Sarah approached me about becoming partners and going in together to buy and race this filly. I agreed and we went to see this filly and that is when we met One Last Whirl. I was appalled at how bad she looked ! She was afraid to even let anyone within 12 feet of her !
The day we brought One Last Whirl home.
I felt sorry for this shaggy mare with the scars on her head and fresh injuries to her chest and knees. I was surprised how well she moved out despite her injuries and we decided to take a chance on her. Sarah was able to get a bid at $400 and we brought OLW home. Within two months we had put over 300 lbs on her and she was starting to look like a horse again ! OLW's knees were x-rayed and found to be sound and she was introduced to the harness and hopples.
One Last Whirl in May of '97.
By the end of the year she was looking great and allowing us to catch and handle her on a regular basis. It was time to send her to the trainer.
One Last Whirl sleek and fit and ready to start race training !
Sarah chose Ed Cockroft of Richland Center to train our girl. By the spring of '98 she was starting her racing career !
One Last Whirl winning at Richland Center !
One Last Whirl at The Great Race at the Walworth County Fair in Elkhorn !
Out of 7 starts One Last Whirl took 1 first, 5 seconds, and 2 thirds !!! She paced the mile in 2:02 and brought home over $938 ! Not bad for starting out as a five year old on the track ! In 1999 Sarah sent OLW to trainer/driver Ken Sweetland in St. Ansgar, Iowa. I will keep an update on this page of One Last Whirl's races for 1999, so come back often !
