Belinda Staib
236 Hunters Road
Coalstoun Lakes QLD 4621
Mob: 0488 777 660
E: beljayperformancehorses@gmail.com
Rob Parish
45 Bureen Rd
BUREEN NSW 2328
Mob: 0412 051 375
Email: aceofspadz2018@hotmail.com
Registration: AQHA#100751
Foaling date: 4/5/2018
Colour: Black
Height: 15.1hh
Breeder: North Ridge Ranch Inc
Current Owner: Robert J Parish
Genetic Testing: DNA – OK, GBED N/N, HERDA N/HDR, HYPP N/N, MH N/N, MYHM N/N, OLWS N/N, PSSM1 N/N
VIEW FULL INTERACTIVE PEDIGREE CHART >>
(Click on PEDIGREE TAB within icompete)
| Sire: HIGH BROW CAT | HIGH BROW HICKORY | DOCS HICKORY |
| GRULLA SAN | ||
| SMART LITTLE KITTY | SMART LITTLE LENA | |
| DOC’S KITTY | ||
| Dam: UNO DEL REY * | SMART LITTLE UNO | SMART LITTLE LENA |
| DOCS MARMOSET | ||
| RACH REY | OLLIE REY | |
| QUEEN VICKY | ||
US$60,000
Ace of Spadz accumulated his winnings competing among the very best horses in the world and consistently making Open finals. Rob Parish points out that lifetime earnings can sometimes be misleading. Horses can accumulate significant earnings by attending large numbers of events or competing in non-pro divisions, while truly elite Open horses may have lower earnings but face much tougher competition.
Rob said, “Everything he did was against the top dogs – to do what he did at that level was really incredible.”
Ace Of Spadz is the kind of horse that stops people in their tracks. Standing at 15.1hh, the eye-catching black stallion has an undeniable presence and a laid-back temperament that draws people to him. But despite his superior type and striking looks, he is no show pony. His record on the world stage speaks for itself. Competing against the best in the business at some of the most prestigious cutting events in the United States, he consistently made finals in elite company – proving he possesses every attribute required of a great sire.
Owner Rob Parish came to own the stallion he calls “Jimmy” through his long-standing friendship with expatriate Australian trainer Haydon Upton. The pair grew up together in the Hunter Valley of NSW and shared a passion for performance horses.
When Haydon was looking to expand beyond solely training 2yo’s, Rob purchased a broodmare called Catsup, and the friends went halves in her progeny, allowing Haydon to train and show them in the United States. One of those progeny was a Metallic Rebel colt called Rebels, and Rob considered the option to export him to Australia. While the horse was competitive and consistently earning cheques, Rob knew that if he was going to bring a stallion home, it had to be one that perfectly suited the Australian market.
Through Haydon, Rob gained insight into high-profile horses coming onto the market and made several offers. But this was the big league, and he repeatedly found himself outbid.
That was when Jimmy appeared.
The colt had been trained by Matt Miller and shown successfully in the major US Futurities, winning a few go-rounds. Matt and Haydon were friends, and Matt spoke highly of the horse’s soundness, ability and mind. Ace Of Spadz ticked every box Rob was looking for.
He is by High Brow Cat and out of a mare called Uno Del Rey, whose offspring have earned over US$730,000 and include NCHA World Champion NRR Nat King Cole, Cats High Noon, NRR Ollie Tom Cat, NRR Al Cat Capone, and Ace Of Spadz.
What followed was a far longer process than Rob anticipated. Weeks of semen and soundness testing, along with the complicated process of transferring funds from Australia to the United States and then on to Jimmy’s Canadian owners, dragged the purchase out. Throughout the process, Rob could only hope another buyer wouldn’t step in and secure the horse first.
In a full-circle moment, the veterinarian who had bred Ace Of Spadz and watched him foal from his bedroom window was also the vet who later carried out the semen analysis before the sale was finalised.
The original plan was simple – buy Jimmy and send him straight to Australia. But things quickly changed.
Jimmy was already entered in the Brazos Bash, one of the most respected aged events in the American cutting industry outside of the NCHA Triple Crown, held at the Bonque Ranch (the filming location for Yellowstone). This and other shows he would go on to compete in, including the Breeders Invitational, attract the very best trainers, horses and bloodlines in the sport. If a horse is competitive there, it is genuinely competing at the highest level in the world.
Although the funds still hadn’t officially landed in Canada, the deal was effectively done, and Matt suggested Haydon should continue showing the horse at those prestigious events.
“He went to the first show, and Haydon made finals on him,” Rob said.
By then, the major shuttle flights to Australia had finished for the season, so Rob made the decision to leave Jimmy in the United States a little longer.
“He went to the Abilene Spectacular and made the finals. He just kept paying his way.”
Jimmy was competing among the very best horses in the world and consistently making Open finals. Rob points out that lifetime earnings can sometimes be misleading. Horses can accumulate significant earnings by attending large numbers of events or competing in non-pro divisions, while truly elite Open horses may have lower earnings but face much tougher competition.
“Everything he did was against the top dogs – to do what he did at that level was really incredible,” Rob said.
Jimmy’s continued success saw him remain in America through his four, five and six-year-old seasons.
Although Rob’s trips to the US didn’t align with the show calendar, he rode Jimmy many times during visits, took him to pre-works and developed a strong connection with the horse.
Not only had Rob found himself the owner of a world-class aged event horse, but through Jimmy he also found himself immersed in a world he had only previously watched on livestream. “The horse brought me close to my heroes – these were the guys I’d watched from my kitchen table,” he said.
Rob laughs now, remembering those experiences. Surrounded by elite trainers and wealthy owners from all walks of life — including politicians arriving at events accompanied by Secret Service protection – he often found himself slightly overawed by the scale of the industry.
At one event, Haydon jokingly remarked over cocktails, “You guys might have the wolf, but we’ve got the Dingo,” referring to Rob. The nickname stuck, and the Dingo’s horse had developed a reputation of its own.
One highlight Rob still remembers fondly was seeing Jimmy featured as the “Horse of the Day” on High Brow Cat’s social media after winning a major aged event go-round.
“High Brow Cat had a massive following, and my horse was on that stage,” he said.
Jimmy has always attracted attention, as much for his temperament and presence as for his athletic ability. Rob recalls comments from respected people in the industry on how he stood out in any company.
Fellow Australians Scott and Danny McCormack, and Beau and Phillip Frame were among the first Australians to inspect Jimmy in person. While touring Texas, they visited Haydon’s place and looked through some extremely well-bred horses. Haydon’s Operations Manager, Caroline, suggested they pull Jimmy’s rug off for a closer look.
“They said he was exactly the sort of horse they were looking for, and Beau booked mares to him then and there,” Rob recalled.
Rob remains deeply grateful for Haydon’s support throughout the entire process.
“He knew how much it meant to me and he was across every detail,” Rob said.
More than simply training the horse, Haydon understood the qualities Jimmy would need to succeed in Australia, having grown up around Australian Stock Horses himself.
“He wouldn’t have recommended this horse if he didn’t think he would suit Australia.”
Frozen semen was shipped to Australia while Jimmy was still in the US and demand from mare owners was immediate, with 86 mares bred in the first season alone.
One breeder in particular wasted no time.
“As soon as the semen was released from quarantine, Kelly Pickersgill organised straws to be flown to Queensland,” Rob said. “A mare was bred via AI the day it arrived, and when she was flushed there were twin embryos. Both took, both were born, and both were broken in during early 2026. I saw a video of them being ridden in the paddock on their second ride”.
Jimmy eventually arrived in Australia in October 2024 as an 8yo. After quarantine, he went directly to stud duties until March 2025.
The first person to ride him in Australia was Rob’s daughter Sharlee, who threw a fender saddle on him for a short ride before Rob’s son Eddie soon joined her to double on him bareback.
Rob made the decision early that Jimmy had already proven himself. The focus from that point forward would be entirely on breeding. While many encouraged him to send the stallion campdrafting, Rob firmly believes Jimmy has nothing left to prove.
“From the moment he hit Australian soil he’s been busy at stud,” he said. “Whatever happens with his progeny and what he becomes as a sire, he’ll create for himself. It’s all about the horse.”
As exceptional as Jimmy’s performance record is, Rob believes his greatest influence on the Australian industry may ultimately come through his temperament.
“He’ll breed horses people can genuinely enjoy,” Rob said. “His temperament is so heritable – it runs right through his family, and we’re already seeing it in the progeny. That’s going to play a massive role because successful horses that are also trainable, enjoyable and likeable are ultimately what most people want to own.”
Quietly, but confidently, Rob believes Ace Of Spadz will carve out a lasting place in the Australian performance horse industry.
2023
2022
From the moment Ace of Spadz hit Australian soil he was busy at stud. Rob Parish believes that as exceptional as Jimmy’s performance record is, his greatest influence on the Australian industry may ultimately come through his temperament.
“He’ll breed horses people can genuinely enjoy,” Rob said. “His temperament is so heritable – it runs right through his family, and we’re already seeing it in the progeny. That’s going to play a massive role because successful horses that are also trainable, enjoyable and likeable are ultimately what most people want to own.”
Clearance: 100% (3/3) | Total: $26,000
Yearling Average: $8,667
Top Sellers:
Lot 141 – Uno Ace
1yo filly
Sold: $10,000
Dam: One Rosette
Vendor: Chris & Donna Murphy
Buyer: Craig Allen
Lot 226 – Ace N Diamonds
1yo filly
Sold: $10,000
Dam: Hot Gem
Vendor: William Tapp
Buyer: Christian Stud
High Brow Cat is one of the most influential sires in modern cutting horse history, renowned for passing on exceptional cow sense, athleticism, and trainability. A leading sire for many years in the National Cutting Horse Association, his offspring have dominated competition arenas and sale rings alike.
High Brow Cat’s legacy is defined by consistency – producing performers and producers that continue to shape cutting, cow horse, and campdraft breeding programs worldwide.
Uno Del Rey is a celebrated foundation Quarter Horse mare known for her outstanding pedigree and recognised primarily as a producer of highly successful foals, with cumulative progeny earnings exceeding US$780,000+.
Notable among her most prominent offspring are: All Full brother’s.
Legacy
Uno Del Rey’s pedigree and proven record as a dam make her a cornerstone in Quarter Horse breeding programs, particularly for producing athletic, consistent, and accomplished cutting horses. She demonstrates the impact a strong maternal line can have on the quality and competitiveness of offspring in equestrian sports. Her genetic legacy continues through champion offspring and ongoing contributions to the Quarter Horse community.
Smart Little Uno was the 1992 NCHA Open Super Stakes champion and sire of more than US$1.6 million. Bred, trained and shown by Tom Lyons, Smart Little Uno was one of three full brothers out of Smart Little Lena, produced in 1988 by Doc’s Marmoset via the then relatively new embryo transfer technique. Lyons described him as, “the best young horse” he had ever ridden.
Smart Little Uno was named because he was a cryptorchid, but he sired 355 foals in 13 crops, including 130 performers with average earnings of more than US$12,000.
Smart Little Uno’s dam, Doc’s Marmoset, was a full sister to Doc’s Oak, a second-generation founding sire of Cutting, also owned and shown by Lyons.
Ace of Spadz carries a double cross of Smart Little Lena
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2026
2024
2023
PEDIGREE
Maternal Grandsire: SMART LITTLE UNO