ABOUT
HISTORY
Halado Park was established in 1997 with the AWHA stallion, Halado Werdun. The focus was on breeding versatile performance horses based on proven jumping and eventing lines.
From 2006, Halado Park was based on 20 acres in a secluded and peaceful valley in the Marne River region. 2014 saw a major re-establishment of facilities after being devastated by the Eden Valley bushfires in January.
A semen processing lab was established with the ability to offer stallion owners the opportunity to chill and freeze semen on the property, and offer related lab services including IgGs, faecal egg counts, blood counts, and swab cytologies/cultures. An adjustable phantom meant that we could cater to stallions of all breeds and sizes.
With access to specialist equine reproduction veterinarians in the immediate area, we also had access to the world class facilities at Roseworthy University less than an hour away.
Halado Park also offered breeding related services to local horse owners whether it be training, halter breaking, serving, branding, foaling, or just offering an extra set of hands.
March 2018 saw some major changes with our relocation to 160 acres at Harrogate in the Adelaide Hills.
The property was very much a clean slate in regards to horse facilities and as such, breeding and training took a step back for a while. With less time due to our respective careers, and with several artificial breeding facilities newly available to SA breeders, there was no longer a need for us to continue offering semen processing and collection training to the public (although this will continue in house).
We are still continuing to freeze brand, although time constraints limit this service to existing clients only. We are also continuing to offer our faecal egg counting service, and in 2025, recommenced taking outside horses for training under saddle and rider tuition.
The grand old warmblood stallion, Halado Werdun, retired from stud duties, and we enjoyed a brief respite from breeding while the property was developed, making way for the much anticipated debut of purebred Lipizzaner stallion Siglavy Bekescsaba's first foal crop. He did not disappoint with two quality fillies born in October 2021.
He has since produce three more exceptional colts out of the mares Bonadea, Mirabella and Gidrane. He stamps his foals consistently with a strong shoulder and hindquarters, and good bone.
With a small herd of quality mares, and youngstock available for purchase, we have exciting breeding plans for the future.
THE PRESENT
As well as the stud, we raise the young Lipizzaners to be good citizens, as well as participate actively in breed promotion. Our Lipizzaners are used for riding lessons, public demonstrations, carriage driving, and we strive to prove all our breeding stock either under saddle, in harness, or both.
Working in the veterinary industry and on large studs has instilled a culture of professionalism, ethics and provision of the highest standard of care from pregnancy and foaling, right through to education under saddle.
The property continues to develop its facilities and offers a variety of services. Halado Park Training & Education operates out of the property providing horse and rider tuition, and it is also the home base of SA Rossfechten. There is always something exciting happening!
TEAM
Katherine
Katherine has worked with performance stallions and breeding stock since 1995 and her focus was to breed versatile performance horses based on Warmblood and Thoroughbred lines. Originally a dressage rider, injury forced a change in direction which led to extensive work with hunters and polo ponies and everything in between. She gradually made a return to Classical dressage riding with heavy influence from personal experiences and tuition in Europe, and now partnered with a breed she has dreamed of since the very beginning - the Lipizzaner.
She has worked extensively in the performance and Thoroughbred breeding industries, including South Australia's largest and most famous stud, Lindsay Park.
She has served as both SA Secretary and Federal Director of the AWHA, as well as Director of the Australian Lipizzaner Registry.
She is also a certified AAEVT Equine Veterinary Technician and AI Technician and is responsible for all semen processing and lab work.
She has always been passionate about making education available for everyone and created the SA Horse Breeders Expo which ran for five years before handing over to Horse SA.
Currently, Katherine enjoys working with her purebred Lipizzaners training in historical dressage and particularly Rossfechten (mounted fencing), as well as assisting the young Lipizzaners in their carriage driving pursuits.
Through Halado Park Training & Education, Katherine is available for horse training, rider tuition and is also the facilitator of the popular Riding Through History workshop series.
Scott
Scott worked in the Thoroughbred industry since 2001. He has been a stallion handler at such studs as Darley, Glenlogan and Lindsay Park Stud (now Cornerstone Stud). He has also been personally involved in the industry having bred, raised and raced his own horses.
Scott has a background in cattle and for several years ran his own belted galloway stud while also doing volunteer work for Riding For The Disabled. He is also a dedicated poultry breeder, and is a poultry judge.
He is actively involved in harness work and carriage driving and has enjoyed working with a variety of harness horses from Clydesdales to tourism work and the show ring and is now a keen competitor in CDE carriage driving having competed across the country.
At Halado Park, Scott is predominantly responsible for handling the stallions during their initial collection training and subsequent collections. It has been very enjoyable for him to diversify from Thoroughbreds and work with so many wonderful examples of so many different breeds. He also does a lot of the early work with young horses learning to go in harness, as well as working his own experienced pair.
Scott is looking forward to driving the resident Lipizzaner mares (and geldings) when they are not breeding to help promote the breed in a sport that they excel in.