HISTORY OF GORDON PARK

Gordon Park originated in 1985 when my husband and I purchased the property from Leon’s Uncle Gordon, therefore the name Gordon Park. From small beginnings of 2 thoroughbred mares and using outside stallions mainly Arabs, we have progressed to currently owning 25 thoroughbred and pony broodmares. Later we moved into breeding welsh ponies until I laid my eyes on Oakvale Serenade hence the switch to riding ponies.

We are situated a short distance out of Pinjarra W.A. on the banks of the beautiful Peel Harvey estuary an hour south of Perth. Our property comprises of  200 acres on which we have the usual stables round yardsand holding yards. We have small paddocks for the outside mares as they are housed individually with double fencing between each. There is a purpose built serving crush to enable us to safely serve the bigger mares. We also have a jump dummy and a lab so that semen can be collected on the farm and despatched quickly throughout Australia.

I was brought up with horses had my first pony Minnie when I was nine. Both my  parents had a great love for horses and were great horse people. Mum rode to school every day as a child 9 miles there and back home carrying feed for the horse for the day, the horse had to stay in yards at school. My father was in the light horse as a young man so horses were ingrained in my life from an early age. We would attend shows or pony club every weekend with the horses in the cattle crate on the back of the truck, no fancy float for us then. They would spend the full day doing everything from hacking to jumping, novelties and breed classes the horses were certainly fit.

My youngest daughter Louise rode as a child mainly eventing but unfortunately neither my eldest daughter Michelle nor my two grandchildren are interested. Louise has had to give up riding as she is doing vet science at Murdoch University and has no time.

My original aim was to breed endurance horses I then switched to ponies to breed for Louise and her friends.

Our first stallion was a Welsh “B”  Bandeeka Mastermind  (Drumclyer Logo x Wendamar Meriwee ) purchased from Loreen Kitchen in 1990 He was shown with great success winning many supremes at Ag shows, Perth Royal and the Welsh show.

On a trip to NSW in 1997 to show a pony Kira Serenity at the Grand National  I was introduced to Joanne Prestwidge at Royalwood stud where I first saw Oakvale Serenade (Syon Royal Portrait x Chippenham Pop Music). I was fortunate enough to purchase this beautiful stallion who once he arrived in W.A. commenced his run of show ring wins in both Riding Pony and Arabian Derivative classes. He dominated the ring in hand and later under saddle for some 5 years consistently showing his versatility. He could be regularly seen standing around with mares and geldings before being saddled up and taken back out to the show ring with no working down!!

Serenade was 3 times led and ridden Riding Pony of the year in W.A., led young stock of the year in N.S.W. and as a 12yr old stallion won both led and ridden Riding Pony of the year in South Australia. He has won multiple supreme champion awards at the Perth Royal together with many supreme of the show at Ag Shows.

Better than his show ring success to us is his ability as a sire to pass on his wonderful temperament to his progeny. They have excelled both led and under saddle across Australia at all major events. He has sired the Champion Small Pony, Champion Large Pony and Champion and Runner up Galloway at the Grand Nationals over recent years. BJ has produced multiple champions at Perth Royal in both breed and saddle classes culminating at the 2008 Perth Royal where he was the sire of the Champion Small Pony, Champion Large Pony, Champion and Reserve Novice Galloway And Champion and  Reserve Open Galloway along with many many Champions in the breed classes.

As well he has dominated both the Champion Small and Large Pony and Galloway ring from the years 2005 Champion Novice Pony 2006 Champion Large and Champion Small Pony and Res Novice Galloway and Reserve open Galloway in 2007 Champ Large Pony and Champion Novice Pony in 2008   Champ and Reserve Champion Small Pony and Champion and Reserve Novice Galloway and Champion and Reserve Open Galloway  & in 2009 Champion and Reserve Champion Small Pony.  Not a bad effort for a little brown stallion. His progeny have also been very successful at other state Royal Shows and HOY‘s.

Its easy to see that Serenade is consistently is producing top show horses and their results account for the high number of mares that have visited him over the years. I would imagine we will be seeing his name in the pedigree of many top show horses  well into the future.

In 2009 we purchased Penmain Heir Apparent (Sandbourne Royal Ensign imp x Sufton Wild Rose imp)  who we have put over some mares for foals in 2010 which are eagerly awaited. Charles was shown extensively in Victoria before coming to W.A. winning at Melbourne Summer Royal, the Vic. State R.P.  and  many Ag Shows. He has recently been broken to saddle and is proving himself to have a wonderful trainable temperament with three very expressive paces we hope to have him in the show ring in the future under saddle.
Charles is the epitome of the Riding Pony type, from his tiny ears to his expressive eyes, chiselled  muzzle beautiful long neck set high into his shoulder, refined gullet and smooth body. Just to top it off he moves like a dream and has an endearing personality.

His Sire Sandbourne Royal Ensign is the sire of many world class ponies who have been exported from England around the world. He has produced many English HOY  and Royal England winners across the board inc. lead rein ponies.

Our mares mainly consist of thoroughbreds  and TB crosses as we find they cross extremely well with Serenade.

We would like to thank everyone for attending our Open Day and hope that you have enjoyed yourselves and would like to sincerely thank everyone for their help before and on the day.