Laguna Flash was purchased for $200 in December, 1974 and he took up residence at the Queensland Mounted Police stables in January, 1975. Flash, a black Shetland pony standing approximately 9 & 1/2 hands high, was born at the Laguna Stud, Moggill, in late 1973.
Between January 1975 and October 1993, Laguna Flash was the Academy’s mascot and was called upon during the course of a year to lead Police contingents at the various official functions. He formed part of the Colour Party which consisted of police Cadets who performed flag bearer duties.
The Colour Party was an integral part of swearing-in and official ceremonies. One Cadet’s duties were to care for and handle Laguna Flash which included washing, grooming and preparing the pony in his official winter or summer ceremonial dress. Laguna’s ceremonial dress also included wearing his ‘gold’ medallion.
The life of Laguna Flash was fairly quiet overall but on the evening of 13 March 1987 he was stolen from the police stables. Luckily he was recovered the next day minus some of his mane and fringe but otherwise in good health.
Laguna Flash was officially retired as the Queensland Police Academy Mascot on 10 October 1993 at the age of twenty. He went to live on a Karana Downs property belonging to the parents of a mounted police officer. Flash passed away a few years later and was buried on the property with a garden planted in his honour.
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This information has been supplied by the Queensland Police Museum from the best resources available at the time of writing.
The Police Museum is open 9am to 4pm Monday to Thursday and 10am to 3pm on the last Sunday of the month (Feb-Nov) and is located on the Ground Floor of Police Headquarters at 200 Roma Street, Brisbane. Contact: E: museum@police.qld.gov.au
“Laguna Flash – Mascot Extraordinaire” by the Queensland Police Service is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution (BY) 2.5 Australia Licence. Permissions may be available beyond the scope of this licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.5/au/legalcode