Not So Old-Fashioned
© Janet Lane and Angela Tiede, 2024. Image: Last Clayton Station Horse Muster, Elders (Roseworthy) @ Facebook June 16, 2020
We do not recognise these stations as having Waler horses
Any information to correct or to add here gratefully accepted. Also photos. We are happy to change the ban on these with sufficient evidence. Some stations had Walers but due to introducing modern breeds such as Quarter Horse, modern Thoroughbred etc, it would mean DNA testing every horse for other breeds and the extent of new blood on these places – in one case there was not a single horse on the station when it was taken up in the 1950’s and stocked with Thoroughbreds only, which makes it not feasible to capture and test when better sources for Walers exist.
It is those people knowingly breeding, selling and registering fakes that are destroying the Waler breed and heading it to extinction. Not the stations who simply have on there what they wish, as they should. Have a horse, enjoy it, love it, but don’t call it a Waler when it isn’t – that is shameful and harmful, and very obvious too. You are not doing your horse a good service let alone yourself.
Clayton. This station did not send horses to WW1, as many claim. It wasn’t taken up as a station until the 1950’s, and at that time had no horses. The owners had Thoroughbred racehorses which were put on there in the 1950’s, 60’s and on. At some stage were registered as Australian Stock Horses. From when they decided to breed Walers during the past 20 years or so, registered Clydesdales, red roan Quarter Horse stallion, imported American Paint stallion (or his offspring), Welsh Pony stallion (probably died soon after arriving there, a visitor saw the body and was told that).
“The Oldfield family at Clayton Station on the Birdsville track, recently held their final horse muster. The Oldfield family have been breeding stock horses for the last 70 years, starting with CK Oldfield then later years with son Shane and Grandson Clayton. CK Oldfield and his father were original drovers in the day from SE Queensland to the old Maree Railhead. Elders would like to acknowledge the success the Oldfields have had over the years in breeding a unique Australian Stock horse and wish them the very best in their future endeavors.” Elders (Roseworthy) Facebook post June 16, 2020
Naryilco. Thoroughbreds, Clydesdale to breed the odd bronc horse (for roping calves), and it was a Quarter Horse stud for some time.
Earaheedy. Late Thoroughbred and Arabian.
Bedford Downs – Quilty family, Arabs, QH. These too Warmun (NT).
Stations/areas we may recognise but have no background on
Prenti Downs. No information so off the list until proved no other breeds there from 1950 or prior.
Modern herds of unmanaged horses from Waler stock
We know of several herds of horses of foundation stock or subsequent generation offspring in captivity which were left to breed on unmanaged. As far as we are aware (and we would love to hear otherwise), insufficient or no record keeping is available to establish family relationships or what other horses may have been added in. Unless herds have access to sufficient range to maintain the wild characteristics of not breeding within their own family groupings it is possible that in-breeding is a serious issue in these herds. DNA testing to establish parentage relationships is essential before any further breeding occurs, along with breed ancestry testing to identify any modern blood that was introduced.
Yes, they may be Walers in these known cases of ‘animal hoarders’ – but are the genes compromised not so much by outside breeds, but by inbreeding – hence not registerable. Inbreeding destroys breed integrity. DNA for parentage with Walers must be mandatory, as it is with all credible registries.
We may or may not accept horses from these herds depending on background information, photographs and DNA.
Newhaven horses owned by Lindsay McCoomb, N.S.W.
Newhaven horses owned by Uwe Ross, VIC.
Mt Weld horses owned by Rob Forster, W.A. (must also be DNA tested for overo & splash as blue-eyed progeny exists, not an acceptable Waler trait)
Various Waler origin horses owned by Neville Trainor, W.A. (includes unidentified station mares & Mt Weld bloodlines)
