Kirkbys Stud History

The stud had foundation mares born in the 1950s and was registered at the inauguration of the ASH society in 1971 – initially as Kirkbys and later as Kirkbys Stud.

The first significant purchase for the Kirkby family was Bignalls Radiant (Radium/Mac Whites Dawn) from Alf Bignall in the early 1950s. Bignalls Radiant was a grey stallion born in 1934. Radiant had won the World Championship Campdraft at the Sydney Royal Show twice, as well as over 45 other campdrafts. He was also the maternal grandsire of REALITY – FS HSH (sire of WARRENBRI ROMEO – IS HSH). Radiant was the first of many grey stallions that were influential for the Kirkbys Stud and subsequently appeared in the pedigree of successful Kirkby horses – a fact Phillip says is not to be underestimated.

Early purchases of mares included RADIETTE – FM HSH and DONNA – HSH. Home-bred mares that have been influential in the stud in the early years were KIRKBYS STORM GLORY – FM HSH, KIRKBYS ABALEEN – IM HSH, KIRKBYS SUNSHINE – HSH, KIRKBYS SAPPHIRE – HSH, KIRKBYS MERCURY – IM HSH, KIRKBYS RUBY – HSH, and KIRKBYS BAGUETTE – HSH. Many of these mares are in the ASHS Hall of Fame with mayjprogent selling successfully at the Dalby ASH Sale.

Kirkbys Stud history features a proud lineage of influential stallions that have shaped the stud’s success in Australian Stock Horses. One of the cornerstone sires is KIRKBYS COBALT – IS HSH, a grey stallion registered in 1971, who won the Australian Championship at Glen Innes as a four-year-old and sired 196 registered progeny. His descendants, including mares like Kirkbys Abaleen and Kirkbys Ruby, have produced champions in top national events. Another key stallion, KIRKBYS COMMANDO – HSH, fathered notable competitors such as Kirkbys Stud Colleen, who continues to impact the stud’s bloodlines today.

WARRENBRI OMEGA – HSH, well-known in the breed, boasts 383 registered offspring and earned multiple championship titles, including the Sydney Royal Show Champion Ridden Horse and Warwick Gold Cup winner, before Phillip purchased a half share to complement his broodmares. Similarly, ADIOS REFLECT – HSH, a black stallion with strong bone and substance, excelled in open campdrafts and was selected to breed over Omega’s mares, reinforcing powerful bloodlines linked to many top performers.

Continuing the legacy, KIRKBYS STUD ECHO – HSH carries the blood of both Warrenbri Omega and Adios Reflect. Echo won multiple campdraft titles and champion working classes, with progeny who uphold the stud’s tradition of performance excellence. Together, these stallions contribute proven genetics that maintains Kirkbys Stud’s reputation for producing versatile, athletic, and competition-ready Australian Stock Horses.

KIRKBYS STORM GLORY – FM HSH stands as one of the cornerstone foundation mares in the Kirkbys Stud history. Born in 1964 during a tough drought as a poddy foal, she overcame early adversity thanks to Phillip’s keen eye for her innate sensibility and versatility—a quality she inherited from her dam, Glen Prairie Glory. Phillip praised both Storm Glory and her mother for their ability to do anything and be ridden by anyone, a philosophy that defines the Kirkbys Stud breeding program today. Storm Glory bred exceptionally well, boasting more than 800 descendants in the studbook. Storm Glory’s impact continues to shape the stud’s reputation for exceptional Australian Stock Horses.

The stud’s success further traces back to KIRKBYS WHITEY – FM HSH, a grey ASHS Hall of Fame mare foaled in 1954 whose bloodlines remain prominent in today’s Kirkbys horses, and KIRKBYS BIKINI – FM HSH, who produced a prolific line of influential mares, including the current broodmare, Kirkbys Stud White Rose – HSH. Collectively, these mares underpin the Kirkbys’ legacy, passing down sensibility, athleticism, and a proven work ethic that defines the stud’s reputation for excellence in performance and breeding.

Among other notable mares, POLO LASS – HSH produced ten foals for top studs, establishing a maternal legacy through progeny like Kirkbys Stud Madonna – HSH (dam of the decorated campdraft stallion Kirkbys Stud Elvis – HSH) and versatile performers including Kirkbys Stud Theo (AUS) – HSH and Kirkbys Stud Model – HSH. KIRKBYS COMPANION – HSH also stands out as a matriarch, being the dam of Kirkbys Ruby – HSH, an open and junior campdraft winner whose family continues to produce elite campdrafters.

ASHS Foundation & Impact Sires

Below are photos of Foundation and Impact Sires of the Australian Stockhorse breed. Some photos are from Phillip’s private collection and are most likely unseen before.