Sunland Australian Ambassador the Australian WAHO Horse of the Year for 2013, was one of our finest Purebred saddle stallions, who spent his whole life as the adored centrepiece of a small but very active Stud. There he has sired 25 registered progeny, with a very high percentage of successful showhorses like himself. His is a rags to riches story as he was bought by his lifetime owner Narelle Kinnear at a doggers sale during a period of severe drought, with unsigned papers to his name, and very much in need of some TLC. He had rainscald and a shaggy coat but he struck gold that day in his new owner and he would never be thin again!

Sunland Australian Ambassador’s pedigree( Al-Meraine Riff Raff x Campbelltown Harfa) showcases a combination of many of the top moving horses of the Crabbet persuasion and is a rich blend of many of the great early Crabbet bloodlines of our country. Put together, this pedigree and its resulting phenotype made for a classic Crabbet stallion, all curves and big, impressive front, well-proportioned, with substance, bone, a great set of legs with a natural ability to move well, and a high flagging tail to proudly proclaim his breed. He also had a superb temperament which he passed on. A handsome bright chestnut with plenty of bling, he was an eye-catcher from his first appearance as he captured many halter awards on his way to his true calling. He won Australian Arabian Roll of Merit Championships in both Halter and Performance, and a Merit in the Working section, yet he was never over-shown.

He had a great trainer in Roger Fitzhardinge, and was a multi Supreme “A” and “AA”Grade Champion under saddle, with very solid results too at the Australian Arabian Championships in the years he was entered, competing in Dressage and Stallion Under Saddle. At the Australian Championships he was Australian Champion Elementary Dressage [1993], Reserve Australian Champion Novice Dressage [1993] and Australian Champion Medium Dressage [1996]. He was also Reserve Australian Champion Bridle Path Hack [1993], and Top Ten Stallion Under Saddle [1996]. There were 23 stallions under saddle entered in 1996 and one of the other Top Tens was his son Nevertire Magnum. He was Champion in Medium and Advanced Dressage at the Arabian Saddle Horse Championships of 1997. He was also the Champion Arabian Under Saddle at the East Coast Championships of 1995.

Sunland Australian Ambassador was Champion Ridden Stallion at the National Arabian Stud Horse Show of 1992, where he also won the Medium and Advanced Dressage. These were in the days of big fields of impressive saddle stallions.   He crowned all this by twice winning the WJB Murphy Memorial Trophy for the Best Ridden Arabian Stallion or Colt at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, in 1993 and 1994. He was the only stallion to have won in consecutive years and he only competed twice. He retired from showing in 1997 but by then his progeny were starting out.

Of course a stallion is twice-judged by history – once for his own prowess, and once more for the progeny he produces. Sunland Australian Ambassador did not disappoint. He reproduced his own considerable attributes in spades-full, with a variety of well-bred Arabian, Thoroughbred and Pony mares.   Nevertire Magnum, Nevertire Baymann, Nevertire Intrigue, Nevertire Mr Darcy, Nevertire Ishtar, Nevertire Tiger Lilly, Nevertire Reminiscing, and Nevertire Jack Flash are all progeny of Sunland Australian Ambassador whom have won and placed at the Australian Arabian National Championships. Most of these horses also compete successfully in open competition. Ambassador in both name and deed, this mighty chestnut stallion won friends wherever he went, with his mesmerizing workouts, his superb length of stride, and the fact that he had quite a character, with many quirky stories to his name.

Coralie Gordon