Yulgilbar has been synonymous with breeding good horses since the 1800’s. Respect for tradition, and famous for seizing new ideas, these are the characteristics that have kept Yulgilbar’s breeding herd current and successful. The history of the Yulgilbar Quarter Horses has been, and continues to be, shaped by the importation of some the best new performance horse bloodlines.

The Early Years.

Horses have been an integral part of Yulgilbar Station since 1840 when Edward Ogilvie set off on horseback to find and claim the over 81,000 hectares of land on the Clarence River part way between Grafton and Tabulam, NSW. Horses were used to drive the first flock of 12,000 sheep to Yulgilbar as well as being the main form of transport for Ogilvie and his family.

In order to supply the large number of horses required for Yulgilbar Station, Ogilvie had to breed his own line of riding and draught horses. Stallions were brought locally and imported from England to improve the quality of the horses bred at Yulgilbar.  Hundreds of horses were bred to service the Station and any excess sold.  It did not take long for Yulgilbar to gain a reputation for breeding quality horses resulting in selling for record prices at the time. In 1934 Yulgilbar horse numbers were recorded as having 136 horses including 74 draughts.

The Hordern Family

The breeding of horses was invigorated when Sam Hordern Senior purchased Yulgilbar Station in 1949.  Sam loved everything about the land and was a keen rider, loved horses, and rode all over Yulgilbar every time he visited the Station.  He developed a close relationship with the King Ranch in the United States and soon imported Santa Gertrudis cattle and Quarter Horses to Australia. He and his partners were the founders of the two highly successful breeds brought to Australia.

After Sam Hordern’s accidental death, Sam Hordern Junior took the imported King Ranch stallions Mescal and Jackaroo to the Cinnabar Station (originally part of Yulgilbar). Baillieu and Sarah Myer (nee Sarah Hordern) used Gold Top at Yulgilbar Station. King Ranch Quarter Horses formed the base of the Yulgilbar Quarter Horses until 1974 when Baillieu and Sarah Myer travelled to the US to purchase a son of Triple Chick, Chickeramic.  This prompted the decision in 1976 to move the Quarter Horse Stud from Yulgilbar Station to Elgee Park at Merricks North, Victoria where Sarah Myer could take a more hands on involvement in the management of the horses.  Elgee Park had a more horse friendly climate for breeding horses and the Stud prospered breeding versatile horses that excelled in western and general riding disciplines.

The Modern Era

Following its traditions, Yulgilbar was looking to enhance its quarter horse genetics and travelled to Texas where Playboy Roy was purchased in 1994.  His first foal crop produced the NCHA Futurity Open and Non Pro Champions, a feat that has not been matched to date.  It became clear that the Playboy Roy genetics bred successful performance horses. He soon proved to be an outstanding sire of cow horses and his progeny sought after in campdrafting, as well as cutting and reining. Already established as a successful cutting horse sire, in recent years Playboy Roy has been recognised as one of the top sires of campdrafting horses, siring Landmark Classic and Warwick Super Draft Champions to name only a couple of his successful progeny.  Both Chickeramic and Playboy Roy have been awarded the AQHA Hall of Fame Award for their contribution to the Australian Quarter Horse industry.

Yulgilbar does not currently stand a resident sire. Instead, the strategy has shifted to building and maintaining an outstanding herd of proven performance broodmares; Mares that have performed as individuals, as well as performed as broodmares. Currently, Yulgilbar is using the leading stallions in cutting and camp drafting over its mares.  The herd of mares is made up of imported and Australian bred mares who are NCHA Futurity and Aged Event Champions or Finalists, NCHA Open and Novice Cutting Champions and proven breeding mares that have consistently produced successful progeny.

The Future.

Maintaining its traditions of years past, Yulgilbar continues to breed horses to work and show. At Yulgilbar we say “we show our work horses and work our show horses”. Yulgilbar selects the best horse trainers to break and train horses for performance events.

In the last 5 years, the Stud has sort to develop the sport of cutting with a number of important initiatives. First, the Stud has supported the Snaffle Bit Futurity since 2013 to encourage new members and participants into the sport. It has also supported the Non-Pro Futurity to further build membership and incentive for Non-Pros to compete. Last, Yulgilbar uses its three properties to provide horsemanship schools, cutting clinics, and training days.

Owner, Sarah Myer is proud of the past achievements of the Stud, and excited about the future for the Yulgilbar Quarter Horses and the performance horse industry.

Playboy Roy – sire of champions

Playboy Roy (deceased) was ranked No 6 Leading Sire for all NCHA events in Australia for 2009. He was also ranked No 6 Leading Sire of Open Futurity winners in 2008 and No 3 Sire of Open and Non Pro Derby winners in 2008.

Playboy Roy has also sired many successful performance horses in campdrafting, reining, youth and other events, making him an all-round, versatile sire of champions in all events.

Pedigree

Playboy Roy – Accomplishments

Currently ranked 6th Leading Sire in Australia –
Progeny Lifetime Earnings (118 progeny) $11,169,680

NCHA US Open show earnings — $US5,374.00

Lifetime US earnings — $US74,053.83

Achievements in Australia (Limited Showing):
N.C.H.A. Certificate of Ability

Achievements in Australia (Limited Showing):
N.C.H.A. Certificate of Ability
N.C.H.A. Merit Award
A.Q.H.A. Register of Merit (Cutting)
A.Q.H.A. Register of Merit (Performance)
1996 N.C.H.A. High Point Stallion
1999 No 3 Leading Sire in Australia
2000 No 4 Leading Sire in Australia
2001 No 2 Leading Sire – 19 progeny with earnings of $130,417
2001 No 1 Leading Sire of Futurity Winners (Open & NP) 7 progeny winning $100,112
2001 No 2 Leading Sire of Aged & Restricted Winners (Open & NP) 13
progeny winning $110,449
No 3 All time Leading Sire, 32 progeny winning $288,338.
No 3 All Time Leading Sire of Open Futurity Winners – 14 winning $184,638
2002 No 3 Leading Sire of All Events – 17 winning $29,928
2003 No: 3 Leading Sire of All Events – progeny earnings $90,730
2004 3rd Leading Sire of All Evwents – progeny earnings $111,129

NCHA Certificate of Ability

1990 NCHA 3yr Old Futurity Open Semifinals $5,000.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1991 Abilene Western 4yr Old Derby Open Finalist $1,000.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1991 Augusta 4yr Old Futurity, 3rd Open $10,582.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1991 NCHA 4yr Old Derby Open Semi finalist $1,500.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1991 Texas Gold 4yr Old Derby, 6th Open : $1,006.09 Roy Carter (rider)
1991 Will Rogers 4yr Old Maturity Open finalist $1,000.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1992 NCHA 5yr Old Classic Open Champion $11,766.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1992 Abilene Western 5/6yr Old Classic Open finalist $1,880.50 Roy Carter (rider)
1992 Montgomery 5/6yr Old Classic Open finalist $4,666.90 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 Augusta 5/6yr Old Classic, 5th Open $5,580.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 Old Fort Days 5/6yr Old Open Champion $2,037.29 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 Abilene Summer Spectacular 5/6yr Old, 4th Open( $2,545.46 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 Chisholm Trait 5/6yr Old, 3rd Open $7,613.06 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 Gold Coast Winter 5/6yr Old Classic, 3rd Open $4,227.33 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 NCHA 6yr Old Challenge, 7th Open $2,288.00 Roy Carter (rider)
1993 Steamboat Springs 5/6yr Old Classic Open finalist $2,395.20 Roy Carter (rider)
1994 Chisholm Trail Legends Res. Champion $2,000.00 John Carter (rider)
1994 Chevy Trucks/NCHA Nat*1 Work-off, tied 7th Open $400.00 John Carter (rider)

Source: Australian Cutting Statistics at qhorses.com.au

Playboy Roy – Progency Achievements

2005 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS:
2005 Queensland Reining Championships
• 3rd Non Pro Futurity – Yulgilbar Phillipa Girl ridden by Bo Saunders
• =4th Open Futurity Docs Fancy Roy ridden by Warren Backhouse
• 3rd Novice Horse Non Pro (31 entries) Yulgilbar Oaks Playboy ridden by Mark Taylor

2004 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS:
• 3rd. All events sire earnings $111,129
• 4th. Sire of Futurity Winners earnings $22,531
• 2nd. Sire of Non-Pro Events earnings $$16,213
• 2nd. Sire of Open Derby winners $16,21

2003 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS:
• NCHA Hi-Point Open Horse
• NCHA Hi-Point Mare Aust.
• 1st Marlborough Mare Stakes
• 1st. NCHA Non-Pro Limited Fut.
• 1st. Vic. Stallion Shootout
• 2nd CCCC Non-Pro Derby
• 3rd CCCC Futurity
• 3rd NCHA Derby
• 3rd NCHA Non-Pro Futurity
• 3rd VCHA Classic
• 4th 2003 Snaffle Bit Futurity
• 4th Equitana Masters
• 4th NCHA Futurity
• 5th Toowoomba Futurity
• 5th Victoria Futurity
• Eq. 5th 2003 Snaffle Bit Futurity
• 6th NCHA Derby

2002 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS: 
• 3rd NCHA Non-Pro Derby
• 3rd & 4th NCHA Open Derby
• 6th & 7th NCHA Gold Cup Open
• NCHA Open Futurity finals

2001 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS: 
• NCHA Open Futurity winner
• 3rd NCHA Open Futurity
• 9th NCHA Open Futurity
• 4th in the Non-Pro Futurity
• 6th in the Open Derby (Futurity)
• 6th in Open Cutting (Futurity)

2000 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS: 
• Reserve champion NCHA Futurity
• Reserve champion NCHA Derby
• Champion NCHA non-pro Derby
• Champion NRHA non-pro Futurity
• 2000 Futurity Reining Champion and Reserve-NRHA and State Shows
• 2000 2nd AQHA National Jnr Reining Horse
• Progeny have won at halter and pleasure and are starting to shine in the campdraft arena

1999 PROGENY ACHIEVEMENTS: (first foals) 
• NCHA Futurity winner
• NCHA Non-pro Futurity winner

Source: Australian Cutting Statistics at qhorses.com.au