Simon and Debbie Dodwell have a simple vision for their Yalatta Park Stock Horse Stud. They wish to be as successful as possible on home bred horses.
Both Simon and Debbie were involved with horses throughout their youth. Simon and his family were regular campdrafters and Debbie competed at Pony Club and hacking shows before becoming interested in the campdraft discipline.
After marrying they continued to compete in campdrafts within the Riverina area of NSW with their stock horses, but as Simon was a fan of the stock horse/quarter horse cross he started looking for a quarter horse colt to use with his mares. They purchased their quarter horse stallion A1 Tasso from Graham Amos as a yearling colt. Simon broke him in and took him successfully through his campdraft classes, eventually winning 12 Opens. Continuing to compete with A1 Tasso and his progeny and becoming more successful within their region, Simon decided it was time to take on the bigger competitions.
His first trip “north” was to attend the Jnr/Snr Quarter Horse Show in Tamworth in about 1989. Simon is happy to admit it was a learning curve that changed his life. It was the time when Mark Buttsworth was first campaigning Double Doc and it was the first time Simon had seen Mark compete. He was blown away by the intensity of the opposition and realised that there was a whole new level of competition to be experienced. There was also so much more he needed to learn. Then and there he decided that he needed to get to Warwick and the bigger competitions. He needed to experience the bigger atmospheres, experience the pressure of competing against the best on a regular basis and to try and match it with them.
As the years rolled by Simon and Debbie started looking for a new sire to replace A1 Tasso. They decided on a Stock Horse to put over their A1 Tasso mares and Simon was interested in the Adios Reflect breed. He was impressed with how Reflect was crossing with Omega mares and Wallabah Excel represented exactly this cross.
Wallabah Excel is the horse they were hoping for. He is a horse that all the family compete on and his ability and desire to compete make him ideal for the Yalatta Park Stock Horse Stud vision.
Excel has exceeded expectations having won numerous titles in the Southern Campdraft Association as well as taking his riders to title wins as well.
The biggest highlight to date with Excel is winning the prestigous JHS Barnes Memorial Trophy at Warwick in 2016. Simon and Debbie also get a huge thrill out of hearing from owner/breeders who are enjoying success with his progeny.
2020 Willinga Park Gold Buckle was to have been Excel’s last hooray, but it was cancelled due to the Corona Virus situation. But he certainly went out with a bang placing 4th in the 2020 Nutrien Classic Stallion Shoot Out. His progeny are now flying the flag!