When Berry and Kelly Shann bred Nibbereena Sandman, they knew exactly what they were starting with and what they hoped to produce.

His dam, Sandy Spin, was a mare Berry knew particularly well. An Open-performing Acres Destiny mare with an extensive challenge and campdraft record, she had the temperament, ability and cattle sense he valued. In Hazelwood Conman, Berry saw an opportunity to complement those qualities while refining the type.

“I loved riding his dam, Sandy Spin. Her temperament was great, and the Conmans just can’t be ignored — they have won all over the country,” Berry said.

“By breeding her to Conman, being a Stock Horse, I was hoping to fine the progeny of Sandy down a bit and still keep her great temperament. I realised there were a great number of Conman sires around, but not all of them were out of mares as well performed as Sandy Spin.”

Bred by Berry and Kelly via embryo transfer, Sandman represents generations of proven performance on both sides of his pedigree.

Sandy Spin’s record began with an outstanding challenge career. In 2008 alone, she won the Clarke Creek Futurity and Horse of the North Challenge, finished second at the Cloncurry Stockman’s Challenge and third at the Rocky Rush Challenge. She returned to finish fourth at Rocky Rush in 2009 before building an impressive campdraft record that included wins at Twin Hills, Clermont, Weetalabah, Bowen River and Hughenden, along with numerous Open placings.

For Berry, however, performance on paper is only part of what matters in a horse.

Both he and Kelly were born and bred in the bush, with horses forming part of everyday life from an early age.

Kelly grew up competing through Pony Club, showjumping, equestrian and campdrafting and remains a strong competitor today. A career highlight came in 2014 when she won the Silver Cup Ladies Campdraft at Warwick on a mare she and Berry had bred and trained. Horses also run deep in her family, with her father, Darcy Twohill, a champion bronc rider and steer wrestler.

Berry’s early education was somewhat different. He grew up riding his parents’ mustering horses and, later, the brumbies his father Harry caught, trained and mustered on until they were quiet enough for the children to ride. His parents, Harry and Susan, both had strong horse backgrounds and relied on horses for stock work.

Berry began campdrafting in Juvenile events at 16, but it was after leaving school that his interest in training horses developed. Horsemanship schools with Pat Parelli and Ian Francis added to his knowledge, as did a friendship with neighbour Cameron Parker.

“I learnt a lot about horse form and shape from Cameron, and that has been very helpful in training young horses,” Berry said.

“You are never too old to learn. The day you think you can’t learn any more, you won’t.”

That lifetime of horsemanship has also shaped Sandman’s development.

Berry broke the stallion in himself, then put him to work mustering before gradually stepping him into competition. Sandman was initially campaigned in Stockman’s Challenges and is now in his second year of campdrafting (2026).

Rather than rushing the young horse, the Shann’s have allowed the qualities they bred for to develop through genuine cattle work.

“We love his temperament, cattle sense, his lowness of travel and his calmness chasing cattle,” Berry said.  “He travels very low chasing cattle, he’s happy to stay wherever you put him and he really watches a beast in the yard.”

It is the combination of calmness and cattle sense that particularly appeals to Berry and Kelly. Sandman can travel low and stay in position without becoming overly reactive, while maintaining his focus on the beast – attributes they hope he will continue to pass on as a sire.

Early indications from his progeny are encouraging. “His progeny are calm to handle and break in, and the older ones are working cattle well.”

For Berry and Kelly, Sandman is ultimately the product of a breeding decision grounded in horses they knew, rode and believed in. From Sandy Spin’s proven performance and temperament to the influence of Conman, they set out to breed a horse with type, cattle ability and a good mind.

In Sandman, they believe they have achieved just that.

2026

2026

By September he already had 4 scores of 90!

• Bowen River Novice B (90).  [View video on Youtube]
• Moranbah Open (90).  [View video on Youtube]
• Mt Coolon Open (90).  [View video on Youtube]