The Stud was started in Mudgee, after our move there, from Woonona near Wollongong, where we showed our children's horses, and rode ourselves, exercising them along the beaches and fire trails in the mountains behind us. We purchased a Quarter Horse colt in 1973, who went on to win the Futurity, on my Birthday, 29th June 1974. It was a great start for us in the world of the Quarter Horse. But, our love was always Welsh, Australian ponies, and the Arabian Horse, so off to Mudgee we went, purchased a property named Werona, it was surrounded by the Mudgee Hills, hence the name Werona Hills Stud.
We had taken all our horse and ponies with us, including a couple of brood mare(including the Arabians) next we purchased Wongaburra Ablak, A gorgeous Pure Arabian Stallion, all pure Crabbet bred, and the most Spectacular mover I have ever seen before this, now our aim is to breed that movement in everything we put on the ground.
We then purchased more colts and mares, all the while preparing and showing. Doing very well in the ring, as well as what we were breeding, we now had five stallions at stud and over thirty brood mares, somehow, all our foals were sold at weaning. Except for a couple we kept to show ourselves, as the drought descended on our land, we were forced to downgrade to the Ponies, as these did not eat or require as much water as the larger breeds.
We were fortunate to have known John While from the Cherrington Stud, who had shown for us with the Arabians. And he showed us some lovely ponies, some Welshies, and off we started our life with the Welsh, Riding Pony and Australian Ponies. These all performed and bred well for us, we then moved to Merriwa, and looked around for the stallion to breed to our Welsh mares, having purchased Alcheringa Fairytale, from Gloria Jarrot before moving, we had an idea what we were looking for, A call to Jannys McDonald from the well known Glenmore Stud at Maitland, had us driving to there, to view one of the most beautiful ponies I had seen, his name was Pendaith Berwyn, bred by Susan Ostle. The only real regret, I have had, was that he was not ours for longer, he was a true gentleman, the first outing was Champion Colt at the N.S.W All Welsh. Won every event he was entered, the rest is history, he now resides at the Bindie Eye Stud in N.S.W. Having gone down to a kidney complaint, I was forced to sell Berwyn on, only for that, he would still be with us today.
We have been showing and breeding for almost forty years, having come from the Miller Family, who, was Kia-ora Stud, the top race and breeding stud in Australia, I could not ever be without a mane and tail some where near. We now have some of the best pedigrees, finest natured ponies around to form our stud these days, we have kept to using a good deal of the Welsh B blood in our Riding Ponies, and are breeding colour as well( Buckskin and Palomino), having Brampton Sinbad and Salisbury Royal Edition for our stallion line-up. We know we will keep the flag flying to bred lovely true- to- type Riding and Welsh Ponies for the show ring, for Children to ride and have fun on. That is what it is all about in the end. We always have exceptional ponies for sale, only to the best of homes, that will care for them, as we have. Free Advise given for the lifetime of the pony sold. Any questions you have, we can answer for you.
