Pascoe’s Oakey Veterinary Hospital
200-212 Hamlyn Rd
Oakey QLD 4401
Dr David & Mrs Heather Pascoe
Plaintree Farms
1344 Cecil Plains Road
Toowoomba QLD
www.oakeyvet.com.au
Heather: 0418 788 877
E: heatherpascoe@plaintree.com.au
ASHS Registration # 195816
AQHA Registration # A2 3443
Foaling Date: 25/10/2009
Colour: BLACK
Breeder: Dr & Mrs David Pascoe
Current Owner: Dr & Mrs David Pascoe
View full interactive pedigree chart >>
| Sire: ACRES DESTINY – IS MBP | BOB ACRE DOC USA-1956113 | Son of a Doc 02 |
| Sapp Sandy 02 | ||
| SAN JOSE HICKORY USA-1914760 | Docs Hickory 02 | |
| San Jose Belle 02 | ||
| Dam: NONDA HAPPY EVER AFTER – MB | DOCS FRECKLES OAK – IS MBP | DOCS OAK 02 |
| FECKLES FANCY 02 | ||
| NONDA NIGHT BIRD – HSH | NONDA SKYWATCH – TB | |
| NONDA CUDDLES – HSH | ||
There’s an old saying in sport that it often takes a lifetime to become an overnight success.
That seems fairly accurate for Nonda Southern Cross, the black stallion fondly known as Denzel that has been attracting a strong following over the years.
After an impressive start to his career – third in the 2013 NCHA Snaffle Bit Futurity, a big ten-point win in the 2014 Rocky Rush and then a blistering 91 in the novice at Chinchilla at only his ninth start in a draft – Denzel went out for a spell that turned into two and a half years in the paddock while his owners, well known Save the Farmland Activists Dr David and Heather Pascoe, were caught up in the middle of the fight to save our farmland and water resources from the ravages of mining.
Denzel finally went back to his trainer Jon Templeton in Autumn this year (2017) and, shortly afterwards won the Mt Isa Maiden (A) with a brilliant score of 90 and 90. He showed this wasn’t simply a bit of luck with a good fourth in the Mt Isa Novice draft as well.
The stallion then captured the attention of all the good judges when he chalked up yet another big 90 and ran fourth in the prestigious Stallion Draft at Paradise Lagoons in July. His fast, smooth style has attracted plenty of interest not only from horsemen sitting in the grandstand, but he has also rapidly built up a following on social media with people watching his runs from all over the country who are impressed by such an obviously natural cattle horse.
Denzel is a son of Acres Destiny from Nonda Happy Ever After, a daughter of the great sire Doc’s Freckles Oak. According to David and Heather, he has thrown strongly back to his female family, which has been bred by Heather’s family for nearly 100 years. Both his grand- dam Nonda Night Bird and his great-grand-dam Nonda Cuddles were black mares with their own fast, flowing style on cattle.
In addition to this, the young stallion carries solid thoroughbred blood right throughout his pedigree. His grand-dam Night Bird was by Skywatch, a thoroughbred colt owned and raced by Heather and her father Reg, and he carries four crosses of the legendary thoroughbred sire Nearco as well as three crosses of the Melbourne Cup winner Hall Mark, a grandson of the legendary sire Valais through his female family. On his sire’s side he also picks up three crosses of Lightning Bar, who was a three-quarter thoroughbred by Three Bars (TB).
“We have always infused thoroughbred genetics through our station horses and, when you have been doing it a very long time, you start to figure out which bloodlines work best and how to use them most effectively,” says Heather.
Heather brought Nonda Night Bird down South with her from Nonda Downs Station near Julia Creek in 1986, and the young mare – who was trained by legendary horseman Ian Francis – was awarded Junior Working Champion of Queensland as a 2YO, won the Station Hack in Brisbane as a 3Y0 and also placed second in the prestigious Widgee Futurity. In fact, Ian held the mare in such high regard he convinced Heather to send her to stud as a 4YO to make the most of her genetics.
“I thought she was much too young,” Heather says, ‘But once again, Ian was proved to be right on the money.” Night Bird’s grand-daughter Nonda Let’s Talk Later won the Warwick Gold Cup for Terry Hall in 2000 and was the highest scoring horse over the Gold Cup and the Canning Downs. Lets Talk Later also finaled in the NCHA Futurity, the NCHA Derby and then ran second in the NCHA National Finals for trainer Robbie Mackay to establish herself as one of the finest all-round mares in the industry.
Allnightlong was another of Night Bird’s daughters who produced Bill Willoughby’s champion SA all-round sire Nonda Charlie Peno, while another daughter Nonda Bounceback – who ran second in the novice at the ACA National Finals – is the grand-dam of Nonda Yale.
Heather is widely known as the founder of the Cloncurry Stockman’s Challenge which she began as a memorial to her father Reg Brown some 33 years ago, and the Cloncurry Challenge later inspired the entire Challenge industry around Australia.
The Browns from Nonda Downs have been breeding horses at Nonda Downs in NW Qld since 1923 and long before that on their stations near Dubbo, NSW well before the turn of the Century. The family produced the amazing Light Horse Dipso, who is honoured in the Australian War Memorial, they bred Russia, winner of the 1946 Melbourne Cup and they also owned and raced Macdougal, winner of the 1959 Melbourne Cup.
“I think my father was teaching me about genetics and breeding when I was sitting on his knee,” Heather laughs. “My family were dedicated breeders of stock – no matter if it was horses, sheep, cattle, dogs or ducks, we were always focused on the art of upgrading and improving.”
David and Heather delivered Denzel in the foaling yard at Plaintree Farms and gave the foal his very distinctive nickname because they thought he was as handsome as the actor Denzel Washington. “He had these very distinctive ears, and the moment I saw them I knew he had thrown strongly back to my stallion Native Son, who was the full brother to his grand-dam Night Bird.
“I was literally in tears when I saw he had inherited those ears, because I knew them so well. I mustered on Native Son for many years, and he was the best cattle horse I ever sat on. He was brave and fast and natural, same as Denzel. We lost him when he was still only a young horse and he only left 32 registered foals. Most of them were station horses and very few were campaigned, but they included Nonda Bebopaloopa, Polocrosse Horse of Australia, Nonda Whimsy, winner of the Station hack at Brisbane Royal and Woodbridge Gazelle, Victorian Barastoc Horse of the Year. That’s a pretty fair indication that he was shaping up to be a serious sire.”
“Nonda Southern Cross has the true grit that allows him to continually face up to the competition and give 100% every time. He has a big stop, a quiet mind and the athletic ability to spread his hind legs which makes him a very reliable competitor.”
~ Jon Templeton
“Nonda Southern Cross is a very pliable, trainable, soft horse that was easy to train. He has the looks, he has a great temperament, and he is a natural stopper. I looked forward to riding him every day.”
~ Hugh Miles
2024 with Mark Buttsworth
2023 with Mark Buttsworth
2022 with Will Durkin
Ridden by Will Durkin. Denzel’s first ride in 2 years.
[Find out more…]
2018
2017
Denzel had 2.5 years off in the paddock due to David & Heather’s other commitments.
Ridden by Hugh Miles.
Owner: Michelle Evans
2026
Owner: Geoff Shrader
Dam: Spins Fizza Bar
2024
2023
2021
2020
2021 – 3rd start
2021
2021 Nutrien Classic Horse Sale. Sold as a 2 yo stallion.
Lot 398
Sold: $42,000
Purchaser: AJM PASTORAL COMPANY
Vendor: Plaintree Farms
2021 Nutrien Classic Horse Sale. 2 yo mare.
Lot 556
Sold: $30,000
Purchaser: Berragoon Breeders
Vendor: Plaintree Farms
2022 Nutrien Classic
Sold $45,000
Vendor: Plaintree Farms
Purchaser: Ballers Performance Horses
Moola Ziggy
Washington
Lot 261 – NONDA ATTICUS
Sold: $20,000
Dam: Nonda Margarita
Vendor: Plaintree Farms
Purchaser: S Cook
Lot 222 – NONDA RAG DOLL
Sold: $20,000
Vendor: Ms L Walkden-Brown
Purchaser: Anderson Partnership
Lot 35 – Hazelwood Cross Roads (8yo gelding)
Sold $20,000.
Vendor: TD Rural
Purchaser: G & SD HICKMOTT
Lot 566 – Durkins Halle
Sold: $27,500
Vendor: Will Durkin
Purchaser: JB & SM Mitchell
Lot 415 – Nonda See The Stars
Sold: $16,000
Vendor: Plaintree Farms
Purchaser: Blake Rossiter / Rossiter Family
Colt, born October 2024.
Sold $8,000
Vendor: Berragoon ASH Sale.
If “HE” was a “SHE”, he most certainly would not have been in the sale.
Lot 140 – Nonda Krug
Sold: $9,000
Vendor: Plaintree Farms
Purchaser: Gipsy Plains Cattle Co
Lot 171 – Barwalla Phoenix
Sold: $8,000
Vendor: Wallabie P/L
Purchaser: AR & AG Andreson.
Lot 637 – Cashmere John Q
Sold $29,000
Vendor: Ella-Rae Seccombe
Purchaser: Goodwin Cattle Co.
Lot 51 – Spins Carbon Copy
Sold: $28,000
Dam: Spins Fizza Bar
Vendor: Ms C Anderson
Clearance: 100%
Gross: $152,000
Average: $30,400
ACRES DESTINY has become a household name in the performance horse world, producing champion after champion in a range of disciplines including cutting, campdrafting, challenges & reining.
Full pedigree details on the sire side are available on Acres Destiny’s Page.
Nonda Happy Ever After (Doc’s Freckles Oak) is a daughter of Nonda Night Bird, a mare bred on Nonda Downs station near Julia Creek in North West Qld and brought south by Heather in 1986.
Night Bird is from the time-honoured Nonda Rotorua family which has been tightly held by the Brown family since the turn of the Century. Trained by Ian Francis, she had a brilliant show career.
Ian Francis held a very high opinion of Night Bird and recommended Heather to send her to stud as a 4YO. She was bred to Doc’s Boab and produced the filly Nonda Sweet Dreams, whose first foal Nonda Let’s Talk Later (by Doc’s Freckles Oak) won the Warwick Gold Cup for Terry Hall.
Her other fillies include Nonda Allnightlong and Nonda Happy Ever After (both by Doc’s Freckles Oak) as well as Nonda Bounceback (Rivoli Rex). All these mares proved to be exceptional broodmares.
Nonda Native son is full brother to Denzel’s Grand dam Nonda Night Bird. He is pictured being ridden by Johnny Banning a highly respected Aboriginal stockman who worked at Nonda Downs station.
Denzel carries several crosses of Hallmark (Melbourne Cup winner by Heroic by Valais) whose influence was revered by the Brown family on Nonda Downs station.
Denzel carries at least four crosses of Nearco through his Nonda families.
Nearco is a legendary Thoroughbred sire who almost single handedly changed the Thoroughbred breed through his influences. He is honoured throughout the Thoroughbred world.
Denzel throws back very strongly to Lightning Bar, who is by Three Bars TB out of Della P (by Doc Horn TB)
Articles published by Heather Pascoe on Denzel’s Facebook page.
Ancestors – Part 1
There’s a famous old saying in horse breeding that says ‘every great stallion comes from a great family.’ This is the carefully documented story of the female family of Nonda Southern Cross and all the elite Group 1 quality champions they have produced. [Read more…]
The Ancestors Part 2
Here’s a little piece of history.
This is Nonda Southern Cross’ grand dam Nonda Night Bird as a young and fresh looking 2YO filly back in 1984 being started by an equally young and fresh-looking bloke, the legendary Australian horseman Ian Francis. [Read more…]
The Ancestors Part 3
How good? Seriously, how good? That’s what we say every time we look at this wonderful headshot because it reminds us of the old saying: every great stallion only exists on earth because they had a great mother.
You can see in one glance that Nonda Southern Cross is the masculine reflection of his dam.
In other words, he is the image of his mother. Yes, he is black and his mother is chestnut – but he has his mother’s head, his mother’s attitude – and his mother’s own brilliant, indefinable energy. [Read more…]
The Ancestors Part 4
We conclude our special series on the female family of Nonda Southern Cross with one of our favourite photographs of him as a baby colt galloping through the summer evening with his dam Nonda Happy Ever After.
Happy was the most beautiful mare in a family of beautiful mares and we thought we’d share a wonderful quote with you that summed up everything we love about great mares. [Read more…]
April 3, 2022.
Select Sires has rather amusingly noted how much we love Denzel’s unusually big curved ‘leaf-shaped’ ears.
There’s an incredibly important reason.
[Read more…]
2021
2021
Final – 91 (22 65 4) [View Video]
Round 1 – 90 (24 62 4) [View Video]
Round 1 – 89 (23 62 4) [View Video]
Round 2 – 91 (23 64 4) [View Video]
Round 1 – 88 (24 20 4) [View Video on Facebook]
Round 2 – 90 (22 64 4) [View Video on Facebook]
Final – 88.5 [View Video on Facebook]
This is the story of Nonda Southern Cross – a short video version that brings you up to speed with his journey thus far.
We can’t wait for the highly anticipated sequel because we all believe the best is yet to come.
2019
2018
2017
2017 Paradise Lagoons
Not great quality videos but it lets you see how he bounced back into action after his 2 1/2 year lay off.
2014
Lot 51 – Spins Carbon Copy
Nonda Jamaica
Nonda Light Up The World
Nonda Kiss The Bride
