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VINJETT Olof Wallenius, Big Noon and Margareta Wa
llenius-Kleberg at Menhammar in the 1950’s. In 2009 Big Noon was inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Nordic Trotting Museum in Årjäng. Big Noon’s silhouette is still today a part of Menhammar Stud Farm’s logo. characteristic silhouette can still be found on both the Menhammar Stud Farm’s logo and a number of places at Solvalla. Thanks to Big Noon, Swedish trotting gained a previously unthinkable level of attention. He was the first Swedish-bred horse to break the dream barrier of 1.20 and by the time he retired from competition in 1945 he had broken Swedish records in all age categories. FOR MANY TROTTING fans, the 1942 Oslo Grand Prix was the defining race in Big Noon’s career. Big Noon arrived at the Bjerke trotting arena on the outskirts of Oslo in the midst of the German World War II occupation of Norway. Despite the fact that all national symbols, including flags, were forbidden due to the occupation, Big Noon and driver Gösta Nordin trotted out onto the track in a sulky resplendent in blue and yellow stripes. Although Big Noon began the race by galloping and was initially lagging far behind his competitors, he make up the ground to win – to the great jubilation of the 24,000-strong crowd, a record that still stands in 2019. Olof Wallenius donated the prize money, 10,000 kronor, to the dependants of Norwegian seamen who had sailed under the Swedish flag during World War II. The Big Noon Jubilee Cup, a race in the horse’s honour, has been run at Bjerke since 2017, with the first race won by Norwegian gelding Deep Sea Dream, driven by Tom Erik Solberg. The first prize was NOK 150,000 and Margareta Wallenius-Kleberg has donated a special prize to be awarded to whoever wins the race three times. IN 2009, Big Noon was the third horse to be inducted into the Hall of Fame at the Nordic Trotting Museum in Årjäng. The recital stated: “He was the emperor of trotting who, with tremendous charisma, an unmistakable gait and burning will to win during his trail of conquest beyond the country’s borders, set the future course of Swedish trotting.” THERE IS A CLEAR breeding line running from Big Noon to today’s star horse, Who’s Who. With more than 70 years of steadfast effort and more than 3,000 foals born, Who’s Who is the latest and ultimate result of a consistent, passionate and wholehearted investment on Menhammar Stud Farm in breeding and racing trotters. OUR WAYOUR WAY MENHAMMAR MENHAMMAR 23