As children growing up in different hemispheres, Frank in New Orleans and Sunny in Cairns, Australia, both had a childhood passion for the racetrack. Frank recalls days spent with his father at the Fairgrounds and Jefferson Downs. Sunny lived steps from Cannon Park racecourse in Cairns and watched her step-father as he held the Cairns Jockey Premiership for 11 years running. Nothing was more powerful than dawn at Cannon Park with Kangaroos grazing in the middle of the track and horses blowing into the morning air. 1984 Australian Horse of the Year, Strawberry Road, was the inspration behind the first broodmare on The Billabong - Red Surprise. Red Surpise is from the last crop of Strawberry Road offspring, and today is producing future generations at The Billabong. Red Surprise is our foundation mare, having given birth to the first Thoroughbred foal on the farm. She is a descendant of the 13C family and goes back to Frizette.