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Richard Rouse (1843–1906)

Sportsmen throughout Australia will learn with regret of the death of Mr. Richard Rouse, the well-known breeder and sportsman, who passed away on Monday night at his residence, Biraganbil, near Gulgong. The demise of Mr. Rouse, who was in his 66th year, was not unexpected, inasmuch as for the last two years he had been afflicted with internal troubles. Mr. Rouse came of an old colonial family, the original of which was an Imperial Civil servant in the infant days of this State, and who on his retirement from the service settled down at Rouse Hill, subsequently acquiring the lands near the Cudgegong River, known as Guntawang and Biraganbil. Mr. Richard Rouse, who had the affix junior to his name prior to the death of his cousin Richard, of Guntawang, was born at Jericho, near South Creek, and had been prominently connected with horse-breeding and horse-racing since his boyhood. He was a first-class amateur horseman, and was a member of the Sydney Turf Club during its existence. In the late "seventies" and "eighties" the colours of Mr. Rouse figured prominently on the turf, and most of the old brigade of racing men can readily recall the brilliant performances of the half-brothers Waxy (by Gemma di Vergi) and Sting (by Grandmaster), the former of whom carried the popular blue and gold stripes to victory in the Epsom Handicap, 1881, and the latter, after winning the Hawkesbury Grand Handicap and A.J.C. Craven and Randwick Plates, 1883, was afterwards sold at a high figure to the late Mr. E. Weekes for whom he won the Adelaide Cup, 1853. In those days the late Noah Beale presided over the Biraganbil stables, and he was succeeded by James Swan. The Biraganbil stud, to which in his later years Mr. Rouse paid most attention, has been very prolific in the production of racehorses, who achieved great success on the turf. The Biraganbil sires included such equine celebrities as Wilberforce, Marvellous, and Grandmaster, and during the regime of the gentleman just deceased, the stud has turned out such famous racehorses as Marvel (the greatest miler Australia has known, and winner of the Epsom and Doncaster Handicaps), Blarneystone (Summer and Tattersall's Cups), Little Bernie (Summer and Tattersall's Cups), Mackay (Royal Stakes), Donizetti (Doncaster Handicap), Reviver (A.J.C. Champagne Stakes and Metropolitan), Cerise and Blue (Sydney Cup), Lochaber (Toorak Handicap), Survivor (Metropolitan), Aristocrat, Shamrock, Dan O'Connor, Myles-na-Coppaleon, Optima, and other performers of lesser note. The deceased gentleman also devoted himself to the breeding of cattle and sheep on an extensive scale. He leaves a widow, two sons, and two single daughters. Of the sons, the eldest, Mr. Leslie G. Rouse, is one of the A.J.C. stipendiary stewards; while the other, Mr. Herbert Rouse, manages Biraganbil station. The Australian Jockey Club will be represented at the funeral by the Hon. Richard Jones (chairman) and Mr. E. M. Betts. The deceased will be interred at Mudgee to-day.

Original publication

Additional Resources

  • probate, Dubbo Liberal and Macquarie Advocate (NSW), 24 March 1906, p 3

Citation details

'Rouse, Richard (1843–1906)', Obituaries Australia, National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, https://oa.anu.edu.au/obituary/rouse-richard-4920/text28130, accessed 19 March 2024.

© Copyright Obituaries Australia, 2010-2024

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Life Summary [details]

Birth

15 May, 1843
Jericho, New South Wales, Australia

Death

12 February, 1906 (aged 62)
Gulgong, New South Wales, Australia

Religious Influence

Includes the religion in which subjects were raised, have chosen themselves, attendance at religious schools and/or religious funeral rites; Atheism and Agnosticism have been included.

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