Sterling Nakeeta

Sterling Nakeeta was accepted into the AERA hall of Fame on nomination by VERA.
Sterling Nakeeta, AKA Keets, was born on the 6th March 2002 out of Arabian mare Belvedere Sarsina and by quarter horse stallion Sterling Warbird and is the only horse I (Nicky Robinson) have bred.
I started Nakeeta’s endurance career in 2007 completing her first 80k at nowhere creek in April. We then went on to complete 80k at Newstead in May 2008 and her qualifying 80k in June 2008 with no vet outs.
Keets and I then went on to successfully complete 108k two star open at Tonimbuk, 90k one star open at upper Murray and 120km 2 star open at upper Murray in 2009. She then completed her first Tom Quilty in 2010 at manilla in a time of 13 hrs and 2 mins which all helped us qualify and be eligible to be on the Trans Tasman team representing Australia in 2010.
Keets and I successfully completed over 6000kms together including another 8 Quilty’s at Mt Pleasant SA 2011, St. Helens TAS 2012, Kilkivan QLD 2013, Del Rio NSW 2015, Warrina Cove SA 2017, Scottsdale TAS 2018, Tooraweenah NSW 2022 and Imbil QLD 2023 making a total of 9 successful Tom Quilty completions out of 9 attempts.
Keets was retired in 2023 at the age of 21 after the Tom Quilty in Imbil as I felt it was best to finish her career with the ride we both love the most – the Quilty.
Keets and I completed a total of 14 x 160km rides in her career with no vet outs in a 160k.
She is a mighty little horse that loved her job with her star quality being, along with her great heart, able to look after herself and myself throughout even the most technical or challenging tracks. She is also probably the soundest horse I will ever own. She is now enjoying retirement out in the paddock with a few of her buddies but still comes out every now and again for a walk with the dogs, a brush or just a bit of attention, which is well deserved after all that she has achieved.