KYARNA LODGE PANACHE | 2024 WAHO Trophy Winner

S14804 – Grey (born Bay) Stallion, 1990 (Arabian Lodge Andre / Burnam Adjanette)

Breeders: Michelle Johnson
Owner: Ian & Debra Watson

Kyarnda Lodge Panache, bred by Michelle Johnson, was born on 8 December 1990 – a black, grey colt by Arabian Lodge Andre from Burnham Adjanette.  Owned by Ian, Deb and Kellie Watson of Moondarra Arabians since May 1994, he remains the stud’s senior sire at the age of 33 years. As times were tough in the mid 90’s we sold a tractor to enable us to purchase Panache, this tale becoming a source of amusement to us for several decades.

Panache himself was a show champion as a colt, winning multiple champions and reserves at the East Coast, Australian Championships and the Qld Challenge Show to name but a few (prior to our ownership). He was retired from showing by Moondarra Arabians as a 6 yr old, to continue in the breeding barn. When we purchased Panache, we felt his worth would be as a breeding stallion. While we were excited to see his first foals for us, he far exceeded our expectations, quickly elevating the quality of our foals by several levels.

Standing at only 14.2hh, he was never available at public stud, which is shown clearly by the small number of his progeny. Of his thirty-five registered progeny, a large percentage have been show champions, endurance winners, race winners and pleasure horses. Currently, a granddaughter of his, Moondarra Diannah, is still competing in the UAE at the age of 20 years, completing 2 x 40km and 3 x 80km rides in the 2023/2024 season, so far.

Moondarra Pizzazz is his most well-known entire son, who not only excelled as a show horse – both halter and ridden – but also in the breeding barn.  Pizzazz himself was Champion Ridden Stallion at the Brisbane Royal (Ekka), East Coast, Toowoomba Royal, most Agricultural shows in SE Qld and at Toowoomba Royal, he was also Supreme led and ridden Australian National Stockhorse Association (ANSA) horse. A very versatile stallion, he produced multiple championship winning progeny for a large number of owners and in all disciplines.

One of his progeny we campaigned was a filly called Moondarra El Teena, who won champions and reserves in halter, before an injury prevented further show ring appearances. Teena is now a treasured broodmare and has produced tall athletic progeny, including a stallion by Espadero, (prior to his demise). Her progeny continues to excel in endurance.

While Panache’s progeny have done us proud in the show ring, it is in the performance field where they excel both in endurance and in racing.  He produced two mares who graced the turf, Keisha owned and raced by Splendacrest Arabians and our own Moondarra Maya.  Maya was only raced once at the Gold Coast Turf Club in a maiden race, where she was 3rd.  Maya was sold to endurance in Qatar and was a very successful endurance mare, who was eventually owned by Sheikh Mohammad of Dubai.

Keisha was raced in Australia within both racing associations over a three year period, prior to Covid 19.  Keisha had eight starts for five firsts, one third, one fifth and one sixth.  Her most notable performances were a 1st in the 2015 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship, as well as a 1st in the 2014 UAE Arabian Plate.  Her most interesting performance was her 6th place in the 2014 HH Sheikha Fatima Bint Mubarak Ladies World Championship, where she was ridden by the Melbourne Cup winning jockey, Michelle Payne.

She also competed in endurance prior to becoming a race mare, and amassed some 2800klms of completions in seven years of endurance, gaining for her rider a Tom Quilty buckle and completing a 320k marathon ride. Keisha’s only daughter, by Djehlbi, is now a very successful endurance mare.

Regarding Panache’s other 35 progeny, several have been sold to the overseas endurance market, with success including Moondarra Zafira, Montage, Merlin, Matia, Makehya, Diamonds N’ Lace, Maher, and grand get Miraya, El Sharaaf, Aragon and Diannah.  These horses have competed endurance in the UK, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Qatar and Bahrain.  Moondarra Makehya was even ridden by the Crown Prince of Dubai and all of Panache’s progeny have spectacular heart rates and recoveries.

The most successful of his progeny were produced with Moondarra Mirage.  All are endurance champions, except for two, both of whom were retained at Moondarra. Moondarra Mia – a spectacular bay mare (who was lost early in her life) and Moondarra Mira, who bred some lovely horses for us, including Kellie’s regular show mount, Moondarra Code Red. Moondarra Makehya won three 80k races in the UAE, and, more recently, Moondarra Maher placed 2nd at the CEN 120 Al Mamoom Endurance Cup. Moondarra Merlin, most well known in Australia as a winning halter gelding, was both 1st in 2009 and 2nd in 2010 in the CEI 1* 120k Open & 2** 120k Youth Sakhir endurance rides respectively. Moondarra Merlin was a favourite mount of the Bahrain Royal family and was used as a ceremonial horse on several occasions.  Moondarra Matia, was also sold to the Royal stables in Bahrain. After competing successfully in endurance, she was retired to the breeding stables of the Royal stud, producing a spectacular colt (now a stallion) who is being used in the Royal stables breeding program.

Moondarra Code Red, a Panache grandson, has been Kellie’s ridden show horse for a lot of years, amassing numerous awards.  Red is a very charismatic character who excels as a show horse on his best day and was even awarded Champion Show Hunter at the 2023 Qld Challenge show.

Panache retired from breeding five years ago and his last foal, a gelding from our imported Polish mare Debowa Polana, is destined for endurance. We also still have several of his daughters and granddaughters at Moondarra, who are living out their best life.

Kyarnda Lodge Panache is widely known not only for producing show winners but also performance winners on the world stage and is therefore a more than worthy recipient of the WAHO award.