04/08/2026
Every horse that arrives at Kalil becomes part of a story, but this property has been telling stories for generations. There are plenty of places with brand new facilities, the latest technology and every piece of flash equipment money can buy. We value good equipment too, it plays an important role in the care we provide, but some things simply can’t be built or bought.
You can’t buy history. You can’t create character, and you can’t replace the soul of a place that’s been part of horses lives for generations. There’s something special about walking into a building knowing that countless horses have stood beneath the same roof long before ours ever did.
Recently, we uncovered “1941” etched into the concrete floor of one of our stable blocks, suggesting at least part of the building was renovated more than 80 years ago. The brickwork, heavy timber beams and construction all hint at an even older history. We’ve also been researching Guntawang’s past, including its connection to Louisa Lawson, who was born on the property in 1848. It has us wondering… what was this building originally? Some say it was the original house, some say it was an old shearing shed. Others say it was a ruin that was restored into stables. It always leaves the question of what would it have looked like or been like back in the day.
In the mid to late 1980s PLANET KINGDOM stood on Guntawang. Unfortunately he suffered a serious paddock accident and was put down. Recently, I have been told he is buried here. PLANET KINGDOM was the sire of champion racehorse MIGHTY KINGDOM who also resided here after his sires death, and also sired multiple stakes horses. My thoughts always go back to imagine what stories these buildings could tell if they could talk, imagine the amazing horses that this property got to be home to.
It sparked a curiosity about just how many horses, horsemen and chapters this building has witnessed over the decades. The more we learn about Guntawang’s history, the more remarkable it becomes. Long before Kalil Equine existed, this property played its own important role in Australia’s pastoral and equine history. Every weathered brick, timber beam and worn floor carries the marks of those who came before us.
Today, those same walls provide a safe place for horses to spell, rehabilitate, foal and prepare for their next chapter. This stable block usually houses our rehab horses, but for breeding season we shuffle everything around and these stables become our mare and foal stables and the rehab horses get to use the big barn that’s usually used for show horse prep or yearling prep.
It’s a privilege not only to care for horses, but also to be custodians of a property with such a rich heritage particularly in the Thoroughbred industry. Some buildings are simply stables. Others have spent generations shaping the stories of horses. We’re proud that this one still does 🐎
