While many breeders wait expectantly hoping for filly foal after filly foal, Wayne (“Link”) and Chris Baumann of Dee Bar Cutting and Performance Horses, were eager to get a colt foal out of their champion mare Dee Bar Isa Blue. She had already produced 4 fillies and has since gone on to have another 2 fillies after this highly anticipated colt foal.
The potential for a colt foal from this family was understandably an exciting prospect. Full sister Dee Bar Isa Catty Blue is the 2017 NCHA Futurity co-Champion, and DDCC Futurity Reserve Champion, with $86,000 in earnings. Another full sister Dee Bar Angel Blue has been a consistent winner in Non Pro aged events.
In 2017 Dee Bar Isa Stylish Hawk was born, and he was a stunner. Eye-catching from the start, he stood out as being something special in personality, type and looks. Like his full sisters, he is by US sire Catty Hawk (by Highbrow Cat), and out of multiple aged event money-earner Dee Bar Isa Blue, who is among the top 20 producing broodmares in the country. Her half-brother Dee Bar Isa Blue Cat won the Non Pro Futurity, and in fact the whole family have been high performing competition horses. In type, Dee Bar Isa Stylish Hawk is unlike his siblings, being more refined – built for speed and agility, as Chris Baumann says.
The young colt became known at home as Murray. He was expected to prove himself and from his first day under saddle never left any doubt that he was sire material.
“Throughout his training he was always an over-achiever. He was a stand-out. He was the first horse to be ridden every day, just because Link enjoyed him so much. He is really nice to ride, and he picks everything up easily. He did all the right things as a young horse.”
Link and Chris put Murray through the 2018 NCHA Sale as a yearling, despite knowing the yearling market is fickle. However, they did have a plan if, for some reason, he didn’t meet the reserve price they had in mind.
Knowing how many people would like to be involved in the horse industry but aren’t able to own a horse outright, the Baumann’s had a vision of syndicating Murray to enable more people to be involved in owning a show horse and sire. They had a long list of potential syndicate members keen and ready to be involved. So when Murray was passed in for $26,000 the syndicate was formed with 25 members.
Chris keeps the members informed every step of the way and throughout his training they received weekly progress reports.
While Murray went into the cutting training program with Link, the plan for him was always to make the most of that foundation and then move on to Challenge and Campdraft events. Chris said he is a natural and is built for those disciplines. Along with being a good size at 15hh, Murray is a finer type than most Quarter Horses. He turns well, stops great and has speed and agility.
Murray was being prepared to debut at the 2021 NCHA Futurity, however Covid derailed the start of his show career. This meant that he started his breeding career before he entered his first show, and although going from breeding barn to the first event is not ideal, Murray did just that in Victoria in January 2022.
Link was happy to show him at 4 aged events, before handing him over to Nathan Wilson for his first Challenge Event a short time later.
With only 4 weeks preparation, Nathan took Murray to the 2022 ARBA Classic Challenge at Dalby where he went into the final with the 2nd highest aggregate, and finished 2nd overall.
As expected, Murray was a natural. Easily finding his lead changes, he travels lightly and has every attribute needed for Challenging, and going forward he certainly has the speed and intelligence to excel in the Campdraft arena.
Apart from his athletic ability, Murray is one of those horses with a personality that makes you stop and notice him. “He is a character. He is always alert and switched on. He notices everything new and always knows what is going on.”
Having had the opportunity to send Murray for collection as a 4yo, Link and Chris and the shareholders are in the comfortable position of knowing that they have a highly fertile, easy breeder. Chris laughingly describes Murray as being, “a breeding machine – he knows his job in that department.”
As of mid-2022 the plan for Murray is to continue to compete with Nathan Wilson. During the breeding season Murray will stand at stud. Murray’s first progeny are due to arrive this year.
