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History of the Breed in Australia |
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A historical background to the American Saddlebred horses in Australia. American Saddlebred horses were first imported to Australia by Mr Ron and Mrs Gail Besaw in 1969. Mr Besaw purchased an old Cobb & Co. coaching Inn at Sutton Farm in the Southern Highlands of NSW, midway between Sydney and Canberra. He developed the property to become an equestrian showpiece “Sutton Farm Stables”.
After extensive personal study of the American Saddlebred breed derived from films, books and all obtainable resources to further their knowledge regarding selection of suitable horses and bloodlines, Mr and Mrs Ron Besaw Mr Besaw, who was the South-Pacific manager for Grolier International (book publishers/sellers), arrived in the United States with a goal of purchasing a group of fine young Saddlebred horses with the intention of exportation to Australia, .with the support and blessing of the American breed society ASHA USA (American Saddlebred Horse Association) with whom the original horses were registered. Seven of the eleven head were from Kentucky. · from Plainview stud - "Plainview's Fascination" (2yr old chestnut filly) · from Whitney Stables - "Penny West" (3year old chestnut filly) · from C J Cronan Jnr. - "Shamrock's Carolina" (2yr old chestnut filly) · from Crabtree Stables and owned by Peppermint Valley Stables - "Peppermint Valley Supreme" (2yr old chestnut colt), "Vanity's Compass Rose" (3yr old chestnut filly) and "Peppermint Valkrie"(2yr old chestnut filly) · from Sidway's Falconwood at Simpsonville - "Bright Guy" (2yr old bay colt) · and from Knolland Farms Illinois - "Knolland Misty Moonlight",(2yr old filly-died before arrival) and "Knolland Dark Demon" (black yearling colt) · and finally from Goldmount Stables Minnesota - "Goldmount Challenger"(3yr old palomino colt), and "Bourbon Sensation of Goldmount"(4yr old palomino mare) All the mares were placed in foal to outside stallions before they left the US shores eventually bound for Australia. Penny West sadly lost her foal in transit and was later put in foal to Goldmount Challenger. They were transported to Kennedy airport in New York to London, England where they waited out a six month quarantine period under the care of the British Horse Society, before a four to six weeks sea trip to New Zealand and finally to Sydney where they travelled by truck to their new home in Sutton Forest and the beginning of the Saddlebreds in Australia. Two production sales, the first in 1973 and another in 1977 began the spread of both purebred and crossbred stock throughout Australia and brought the Saddlebred to the interest and within the reach of the horse enthusiast in this country. All of the originally imported horses are long gone with many of their first crop of foals now also deceased. Below are pictures of the original imported stallions. |
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Bright Guy (Imported) Gallant Guy O’Goshen X Stonewalls Ruth E |
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Peppermint Valley Supreme (Imported) Valley View Supreme X Wild Ginger |
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Goldmount Challenger (Imported) Stonewall Sensation X Belvederes Golden Flicka |
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Knolland Dark Demon (Imported) Patent Leather Stonewall X Black Apple |
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The first foals that were registered from the mares that were imported in foal from other stallions in USA were all given the Sutton Farm stud prefix. The first foal crop born on Australian soils were: · Sutton’s Bourbon Ace IIU (Bourbon’s Ace of Goldmount X Bourbon’s Sensation of Goldmount (imp.) · Sutton’s Moonlight Bay IIU (Midnight Invasion X Shamrock’s Carolina (imp.) · Sutton’s Anacacho King IIU (Oman’s Desdemona Denmark X Vanity’s Compass Rose (imp.) · Sutton’s Denmark Supreme IIU (Oman’s Desdemona Denmark X Peppermint Valkyrie (imp.) · Sutton’s Fascinating Rhythm IIU (Wing Rhythm X Plainview’s Fascination (imp.) · Sutton’s Kalarama Penny IIU (Goldmount Challenger X Penny West (imp.) |
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Various changes occurred in ownership since the original sale of the property, one of which turned it into an antique museum. It was later purchased for use as an equestrian centre. It is now called Highlands Equestrian Centre. Sutton Farm which was originally built by convicts from Berrima (c.1830). The magnificent cedar staircase came from a 17th century church near Dublin. The house has been extensively modified, was used in the film Phar Lap, and is now the Highlands Equestrian Centre on the lllawarra Highway. Situated on 50 acres they offer lessons, trail rides and holiday camps with bed and breakfast, contact (02) 4868 2584. The stables are of exceptional quality. The photos below were taken on a visit in August 2008. |
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The Stables |
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The Residence |
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Interior of The Stables |
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The wash bay, farrier and vet inspection area |
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Indoor arena with mirrors at one end “lesson in progress” |
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The outdoor ménage and jumping arena (behind the dam) |
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The original sign |
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Copyright © 2010 National American Saddlebred Horse Society. All rights reserved. No part of this website (including and without limitation, the design, text, graphics or other material comprised within it) may be reproduced, transmitted (including broadcast), communicated, adapted, distributed, sold, modified, published or otherwise used except as permitted by statute or with the prior written consent of the publisher. |
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Original Bloodlines NASHS is dedicated to the preservation of the original imported bloodlines and the continuance of Australia’s Saddlebred heritage. These bloodlines are invaluable not only to the Australian breeding programme but to that of other countries too. Some of our original bloodlines may be no longer be available in USA or other countries. We have also newly introduced bloodlines of some of the very top horses in USA some of those are not available anywhere else in Australia |
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All photos on this website have either been taken and/or provided for promotional purposes by the horses owners or are from a personal collection of Saddlebred memorabilia |