DRIVER Kirsteen Reid, originally from an island off the west coast of Scotland and with George Mullins Transport for over 25 years, is buzzing after making the longest journey of her driving life, transporting 2008 Irish Derby winner Frozen Fire to Romania.

Together they made a marathon six-day trip totalling 3,250km by lorry to Cislau where Frozen Fire will continue his career as a stallion.

New owner Irina Vladuca-Marghiloman bought the sire from Coolagown Stud and is lending him to the Romanian Government for two years to stand at stud in Romania, where he will cover 15 thoroughbred mares.

“Irina is an amazing lady,” explained Kirsteen “and she travelled with me for part of the way. Her great-great- I’m not sure how many greats – uncle Alexandru Marghiloman was prime minister of Romania in 1918 and he was racing mad, winning the Romanian Derby 28 times!

“She brought me to see his statue in Bucharest and her plan with Frozen Fire is to honour his legacy.”

Frozen Fire spent six days in transit with overnight stays in Belgium, Nuremberg and Budapest before negotiating the Carpathian Mountains with an armed escort over two days.

ROArING

“The only problems I had was when Frozen Fire started roaring at a mare in a horse box on the ferry but the staff were very obliging and allowed me to park the lorry as far away as possible!

“The other time he got really excited was when we arrived in Romania and so much of the farm work is still done with horses and horses and carts.

“Every time we passed one, he got wildly excited to try and meet some equine friends!

“It was an extraordinary journey, a lifetime experience which included a stop at the stud, home to the Lipizzaners, and a wild trip over the Carpathian Mountains with an armed escort who negotiated me around blind bends by walkie talkies, shouting at me when to go, go go.”

Sounds like Frozen Fire and Romania owe Kirsteen a lot!