Bert Griffith

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

Featured Image: Mr Herbert (Bert) Griffith, one of the founding members of the Australian Stock Horse Society

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

Personal Prelude:

The 50^th anniversary of the founding of the Australian Stock Horse Society will take place next year (2021). I write this encomium to one of its pivotal pioneers; while I still can. Bert Griffith was ‘essential’ as an inaugural proponent. The Australian Stock Horse Society is a very ‘Scone thing’ despite a few desultory claims to the contrary. Its genesis is closely linked to a veritable Scone institution of the day. I refer to the Fat Stock Cattle Sales every Tuesday of the year; with very few exceptions. Following the sales many ‘out-of-town’ cattle producers decamped to the Belmore Hotel for social and other discourse. See: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/the-tuesday-boozers-club/ . The ‘exclusives’ had their own club at the weeks ends which was polo.

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Sydney Olympic Games Opening Ceremony 2000

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium & article by Kerry Grey

Featured Image: ‘Lone Horseman’ Steve Jefferys on “Woomera”

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/heritage-horse-ride-olympics-2000/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/olympic-games-defining-moments/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australia-on-horseback-at-sydney-olympic-games-2000/

The tribute to the Australian Stock Horse during the 2000 Sydney Olympics Opening Ceremony was a moment the world will never forget. An audience of more than 3.7 billion people watched as Steve Jefferys galloped into the stadium, reared and cracked his whip. A further 140 horses were ridden into the Stadium and performed intricate formations to a specially written version of ‘The Man from Snowy River’ theme by Australian composer Bruce Rowland.

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Spring Valley Heritage Horse Ride 2000

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium & article by Kerry Grey

Featured Image: Spring Valley Heritage Horse Ride Map(s)

(31/03/2020: I’ve just realised that the colour-coding window of the two main rides is ‘inverted’? The North Ride should be GREEN and the South Ride MAGENTA?)

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/heritage-horse-ride-olympics-2000/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/olympic-games-defining-moments/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australia-on-horseback-at-sydney-olympic-games-2000/

Personal Prelude: It’s my purview that this grand epic ranks right up there with some of the greatest Australian totems such as the Durack’s ‘Kings in Grand Castles’ epic and the Nat Buchanan droving fables. Its breathtaking stratospheric vision is legendary in its own right. I enjoy a somewhat smug satisfaction in acknowledging ‘locals’ Neville Holz and Joy Poole plus my very good friend and professional colleague Chris Johnson as veritable pioneering prodigies.

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STANTON STUD DODGE – FS

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

In equal eighth position with over 7,500descendants is the stallion/gelding STANTON STUD DODGE – FS. This horse was foaled in 1964, and his conception like everything else about him unusual.

E H ‘Tiger’ Batterham had a very good mare by Dimray called Glamour, and Tiger had purchased a stallion by Radium called Rayon. John Stanton approached Tiger and offered him £100 for a foal out of Glamour by Rayon.

Tiger said, ‘I would never have mated those two horses as I would have considered the bloodlines too close, but I was to be proved very wrong. In those days £100 for a horse, let alone a foal, was an amazing amount of money, so I agreed to breed the foal’.

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ABDUL – IS

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

Those who had the privilege of seeing ABDUL – IS in the campdraft arena will never forget the incredible athleticism of this great horse. Foaled in February, 1964 at Comara Station on the North Coast of New South Wales, ABDUL – IS was bred by the great horseman and stud master, Theo Hill.

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Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

Featured Image: REALITY – FS and Terry Hall

With over 17,000 descendants, REALITY – FS is the second most influential stallion in the Australian Stock Horse Stud Book. Born at Gresford in the Hunter Valley, only a stone’s throw from Glendonbrook where Bobbie Bruce was born, REALITY – FS was purchased be well known campdrafter , Alf Bignell, and broken in by Mel Bates of Gunnedah.

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Abbey – FS

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

Featured Image: A champion performer, ABBEY – FS is also the most influential sire in the Australian Stock Horse Stud Book

This horse is without peer the most influential sire in the Australian Stock Horse Stud Book. Currently (2011) he has almost 40,000 descendants, more than twice the number of his nearest competitor, REALITY – FS.

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Bobbie Bruce

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

Featured Image: Clockwise from top left: John Cowley as a teenager, mustering on Bobbie Bruce; Bobbie Bruce as an old horse; Ernie Cowley flag racing on Bobbie Bruce, an event in which the little stallion was never beaten.

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Chan

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

See also: https://sconevetdynasty.com.au/australian-stock-horse-society-40th-anniversary-compendium/

Featured Image: A daughter of Chan, GLENGARRY DINA, ridden by Leo Callinan

It is believed that Chan was the last colt sired by Radium. Foaled in 1945, Chan was bred by the legendary horseman and trainer of dogs, Frank Scanlon.

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Dimray

Acknowledge: Australian Stock Horse Society 40^th Anniversary Compendium

See: https://www.ashs.com.au/the-society/about-us/about-us/

Australian Stock Horse Society 40th Anniversary Compendium

Featured Image: Dimray, one of the most important sons of Radium, and an outstanding campdrafter in his own right – Pictured here with Alf Bignall, showing brilliant style in the campdraft arena

Once gain legendary horseman Carl Mitchell decided to send a great mare called Doreen to the best stallion he knew, and of course that horse was Radium. The resulting colt, Dimray, was born in 1938.

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