It all started for Jim Newton when he purchased "Light Brigade" in 1965...

Jim Newton paid 256 guineas for Light Brigade filly at a special standbreed sale at Addington on February 18, 1965.  He did not realise at the time but he had laid a successful career in breeding great standardbreds.

Jim Newton with his horse La Roue

He bred "La Roue" from the blood line of two greatest broadmares - The Old Maid (half sister to Light Brigade) and Even Song (great granddam of Scottish Hanover).
La Roue was nervous as a young filly, traits which saw Newton named her, and it is just as well he named her in French as La Roue is a silent movie which was saucy for its day.
Jim Newton was a freezing worker with a 200 acre block, west of Invercargill had always been interested in horses and as a youngster had ponies and draught horses.
La Roue was only the second Southland mare, behind Robin Dundee to break the 2min mile.

Reference:  The Southland Times March 1976

---

More on La Roue