Empire Rose
Scottish Country Dance Instruction
Empire Rose A 32 bar strathspey for three couples in a four couple longwise set. Patrick Flaherty 19891- 2 1st woman and 2nd man set on side, while 1st man and 2nd woman cross (giving right hands in passing) to each other's place and remain facing out.
3- 4 1st man casts up one place, 2nd woman casts down one place. At the same time, 1st woman and 2nd man cross the dance to partner's original place. (Each of 1st and 2nd couples is now in partner's original place.)
5- 6 1st and 2nd couples dance four hands across halfway, giving left hands. (2nd couple finish in first place; 1st couple retain hold of left hands.)
7- 8 1st couple turn left hand to finish on own side in 2nd place, man facing down, woman facing up.
9-12 1st couple dance a half reel of three with 2nd and 3rd couples, 1st man giving left shoulder to 3rd man and 1st woman giving left shoulder to 2nd woman.
13-16 1st couple turn right hand to finish on own side in second place, man facing up, woman facing down.
17-20 1st couple dance a half reel of three with 2nd and 3rd couples, 1st man giving right shoulder to 3rd man and 1st woman giving right shoulder to 2nd woman.
21-24 1st couple turn left hand to finish in side lines on their own sides in second place.
25-26 All three couples set on side.
27-30 All three couples circle to left, to finish back in side lines on their own sides.
31-32 All three couples set on side.
Repeat having passed a couple.
(Dance crib compiled by the deviser, Patrick Flaherty, 1989)
Dance Notes
The dancing couple must finish back in the sidelines at the conclusion of the two half reels of three, that is to say at the end of Bar 12 and again at the end of Bar 20.(Dance notes by the deviser, Patrick Flaherty, 1989)
Dance Information
Named after the New Zealand mare which won the Melbourne Cup on the day that this dance was finally devised!Recommended music: As for "Miss Nancy Arnott"-.
(Dance information by the deviser, Patrick Flaherty, 1989)
Empire Rose was a New Zealand-bred chestnut mare foaled in 1982.
Sired by Sir Tristram out of Summer Fleur, she was trained by Laurie Laxon and owned by Fred Bodle and associates. Over her career, she had 48 starts, achieving nine wins and eight placings, and earned approximately A$1.95 million in prize money.
Her notable victories include the 1987 New Zealand Cup, the 1988 Mackinnon Stakes, the 1988 Melbourne Cup, and the 1989 Trentham Stakes. In the 1986 Melbourne Cup, she finished fifth, and in 1987, she was runner-up to Kensei.
In the 1988 Melbourne Cup, held on 1 November at Flemington Racecourse, Empire Rose secured victory over 3200 metres with a time of 3:18.3. Ridden by Tony Allan, she won by a short head over Natski. This win marked the first time a mare had won the Melbourne Cup since 1965.
Empire Rose was retired to stud after the 1989 racing season and in recognition of her achievements, the Empire Rose Stakes, a Group 1 race for fillies and mares over 1600 metres, is held annually at Flemington Racecourse, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
Published in The Thistle And Vine, Copyright 2025, reproduced here with the kind permission of the president of RSCDS Adelaide And Districts Branch, Australia, 2025. All rights reserved.
Published in The Thistle And Vine Original, Copyright 1989, reproduced here with the kind permission of the president of RSCDS Adelaide And Districts Branch, Australia, 2025. All rights reserved.
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