Kirkbys Stud Stock Horses

23/10/2025

Wow…three campdraft places with one horse, on one weekend. Congrats to the Rosebrook crew and Zendaya for a fab weekend at Wingen Campdraft in the beautiful Hunter Valley. The versatility of these horses is what breeding is all about. Polocrosse one weekend, campdrafting the next!!!

Colin, Brandon and Alane have been competing in a few local drafts since Polocrosse finished. Last weekend at Wingen draft Brandon scored an 89 in the maiden on Saturday morning to finish on equal top points on Rosebrook Zendaya (Kirkby stud Refine/Palmers El Condo). After a run off they finished third. Brandon ran an 88 on Rosebrook Paisley (Rosebrook Natasha/One Moore Daddy) to finish fourth in the same draft.
Alane then ran an 88 on Zendaya on Saturday afternoon to finish equal second in the ladies.
First thing Sunday morning Brandon ran a 90 on Zendaya in the novice to finish second.
Thanks to the Wingen committee, sponsors and cattle donors.

23/10/2025

Somehow, among the 756 first round runs, I missed Ian Hengtsberger and KIRKBYS STUD CONSPIRACY (Hazelwood Conman x Kirkbys Stud Celine) making the second round of the Canning Downs at the 2025 Warwick Gold Cup Campdraft. Congrats Ian, on a great first round run. Wish you had better luck in the second, but there’s always next year!

22/10/2025

CLEARCHOICE CONTIKI (by Hazelwood Conman) has earned her place in the second round of the Canning Downs at the 2025 Warwick Gold Cup Campdraft. She posted an impressive 89 in the first round on a tough beast that took plenty of grit and control to get around the course, and she’s sitting just two points off the current leader.

Good luck to Murph and Contiki as they head into the next round! Also, a special shout out to Contiki’s home based SA fan squad for cheering from afar!

Murphy Performance Horses
Warwick Show and Rodeo Society Inc
Select Sires

21/10/2025

Gamblerlee Hotshot is out of open campdraft mare, KIRKBYS STUD ROSALIE. Rosalie was a versatile mare, also winning working and led classes, challenges, and polocrosse awards. Rosalie is also the dam of successful campdraft horses in LEALUKAS TILLY DIVINE, KIRKBYS STUD WHITE ROSE, KIRKBYS STUD ES**RT, and KIRKBYS STUD JOAN OF ARC – HSH.

Congratulations Kylie, and best of luck for the second round.

𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱 𝗣𝗿𝘆𝗱𝗲𝘀 𝗘𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝘀 𝗪𝗮𝗿𝘄𝗶𝗰𝗸 𝗚𝗼𝗹𝗱 𝗖𝘂𝗽
Kylie McPhee was the name on everyone's lips at Chinchilla after an outstanding performance. Her Warwick campaign is off to an equally impressive start, this time with GAMBERLEE HOTSHOT (by Bonlac Gi**lo). They take 90 (22 64 4) into the next round.

Good luck in the remainder of the competition with your team Kylie.

👉 www.selectsires.com.au/stallion/bonlac-gigolo
Lealukas Performance Horses

📸 Grace Mary Photography

18/10/2025

Jess (a long time family friend) reached out to share this lovely story about Kirkbys Stud Annabelle — by Kirkbys Stud Echo and out of Bonzer Stud Peppy Ann, who was bred by my uncle, Dad’s brother Clive Kirkby and his wife Di.

In January, Jess and her daughter Alice were gifted Annabelle, a mare who’d spent time droving and as a broodmare. Now, at 22, she’s happily teaching Alice the ropes — going to Pony Camp, riding around home, and being part of the family.

Annabelle traces back to some of our favourite lines. She is by Kirkbys Stud Echo who was out of the great Kirkbys Stud Orchy, an elite Campdraft mare and kids horse herself. I’m not surprised Annabelle’s been such a gentle, generous family mare; that temperament runs deep! Echo’s sister, Kirkbys Stud Miracle, is a juvenile and open draft winner and her daughter, Kirkbys Stud Marvel, has been piloted by kids as a 5 yo mare. These horses are the perfect blend of temperament and performance.

Hearing that Annabelle’s loved, sound, and giving confidence to a new generation is exactly why we do what we do. Thank you Jess and Alice for sharing such a beautiful connection — may Annabelle have many more laps around home with her little rider enjoying her ride. 🐴💛

17/10/2025

Coolum Omen was an outstanding mare who won open campdrafts, challenges, and Royal Shows, and she is also a super producer. Last weekend saw two daughters and one granddaughter place in campdrafts.

Coolum Ovation (by Weston’s Yakka) and David Murphy placed 2nd in the Maiden and =5th in the Novice at Charlton Campdraft. Ovation has placed 3 times from 6 starts and is owned by us.

Coolum Liberty (by Hazelwood Conman) and Katie Birney placed =2nd in the Ladies at Inverell Campdraft. Liberty is a highly successful open mare.

Omen’s grand daughter, Coolum Olivia (Kirkbys Stud Officer x Coolum Dream), placed =5th with Nicola Pisaturo in the Open for Open at the Namoi Bushman’s Carnival at Narrabri.

Also, Coolum Recon (Hazelwood Conman x Coolum Dream) and David Reiter ran a 90 in the first round of the Chinchilla Grandfather Clock which sees him in the second round tomorrow. Recon is also a multi-open Campdraft winner.

Congratulations to everyone, it’s so nice to see Omen’s success continue through her progeny. Ovation is pictured with her c**t foal by Kirkbys Stud Counterfeit.

14/10/2025

What a fabulous weekend...3 ribbons between 2 mares!

Coolum Ovation continued her solid start to campdrafting, having now placed three times from six starts. This weekend at Charlton Campdraft she placed 2nd in the Austasia Animal Products Maiden (84 & 85) and equal 5th in the JCH Novice (86 & 85).

Kaspers Versace also turned heads, finishing 2nd in the Performance Feeds Open for Open Campdraft after two run-offs against her stable mate, Mobile Pricetag. Murph definitely earned his coffee (or beer) after that one!

Always proud to see our team putting in such consistent runs — thanks to David Murphy, Murphy Performance Horses, and well done to all involved, especially the Charlton Campdraft Club committee and sponsors for another great draft.

If you'd like to know more about either mare or our breeding program, have a squiz at our website - www.kirkby.au.

📷 mostly by Kathy Gabriel

07/10/2025

I have a science background and sometimes I come across interesting articles, including two recently published articles on how ancient DNA revealed the genetic secrets that made horses rideable and shaped the cool minded, athletic horses we know today.

If you’re interested, read a summary I wrote of the articles here: https://kirkby.au/2025/10/07/ancient-dna-reveals-how-horses-became-rideable/

06/10/2025

Don’t forget to do your Keith & Districts Campdraft Club entries today!

We are very pleased to have KIRKBYS STUD STOCK HORSES as a SILVER sponsor
KIRKBYS STUD STOCK HORSES are proud to be sponsoring the Keith campdraft—our favourite SA event on the campdrafting calendar!
For more than 70 years, Kirkbys Stud has been dedicated to breeding versatile horses that excel in campdrafting. The breeding program focuses on exceptional mares, producing foals that are athletic, good-natured, and dependable under pressure.
The stud is proud to support the Keith Campdraft and the wider rural community, celebrating the traditions of horsemanship and teamwork.

30/09/2025

Thank you to Swan Hill & District Campdraft Club for a fabulously run weekend of drafting, to Long Haul Trucking for their sponsorship, and congrats to the other placegetters. Huge thanks also to David Murphy for giving Ovi a great introduction to campdrafting at her first draft. Can’t wait to see what’s next for you two!

29/09/2025

Coolum Ovation made her 𝙘𝙖𝙢𝙥𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙛𝙩 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 at Swan Hill on the weekend, coming home with 3rd place in the Maiden B, showing plenty of style and ability for her first outing. Ovation has immense talent across disciplines, having previously played A grade Polocrosse and jumping over 1 metre. I’m looking forward to seeing what’s ahead for this talented mare.

Ovation is by Westons Yakka (2010 Warwick Stallion Campdraft winner) and out of Coolum Omen (multiple open campdraft, challenge and working champion), making her a maternal sister to Jason and Katie Birney‘s successful Open Campdraft mare Coolum Liberty, Ben Newbury’s Open Campdraft stallion Coolum Quartz, and John Lyons’ open campdraft mare Coolum Dream.

Thanks as always to the talented David Murphy from Murphy Performance Horses, you have Ovation working cattle beautifully. Thanks also to Swan Hill & District Campdraft Club Inc, the cattle donors, and sponsors.

24/09/2025

Spring has kicked off in style with the arrival of our first foal for 2025—a filly…finally!

It’s been a long wait since 2022 for another filly, and this one’s arrived with plenty of style and class, and she’s already showing off her moves.

She’s by 𝙈𝙞𝙡𝙡𝙪𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙨 𝙈𝙤𝙤𝙣 𝘽𝙚𝙖𝙢 and out of 𝙆𝙞𝙧𝙠𝙗𝙮𝙨 𝙎𝙩𝙪𝙙 𝙒𝙝𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙍𝙤𝙨𝙚, and this young lady carries campdraft-winning performance on both sides. We’re excited to have her and look forward to watching her grow.

Millungeras Moon Beam
Select Sires