The Legacy Lives On: Meet “Tradition”, Campdrafting’s Next Great Stallion.

In the world of campdrafting, where precision meets speed and agility, breeding is crucial. Few names are as significant in this sport as Tradition.

This impressive stallion is not merely the product of champion lineage – he embodies the spirit of those champions.  His bloodline is deeply anchored in the foundations of the sport, making him a true representation of excellence in campdrafting.  As breeders and riders look for the next generation of talent, eyes turn to the stallion whose name says it all.

An unassuming brown stallion, he isn’t flashy, but Tradition turns heads. He is beautifully put together, calm and, most importantly, possesses the perfect combination of the best traits of his predecessors.

Owner John Mulcahy couldn’t be happier with the young stallion. If he could have ordered the ideal horse, it would cut out like Gest An Acre and run outside like TKO. Incredibly, this is precisely what he got in Tradition.

Sire, Gest An Acre (now deceased) was known as a fabulous cut-out horse. He won 15 campdrafts, including many Opens and Ladies. Gest An Acre had an incredible temperament that has passed on to his progeny, many of whom have made great family campdraft horses.

Dam, Stratton TKO is a Stock Horse mare with an incredible record. She won a campdraft at her first start – the Maiden at Injune, with two 88s. Her next win was a Restricted Open. She was a top mare right through her career and retired at 22, with her final run at Warwick scoring 91 points. TKO got her name from her Dam, Busters Knockout – carrying on the boxing theme. Knockout was kicked as a foal and knocked out, resulting in impaired vision.

TKO was fast and agile, and her ability to rate cattle led her to many wins, including Warwick Champion of Champions, Condamine Bell, Chinchilla Grandfather Clock, Nutrien Classic Young Guns, and the Warwick JHS Barnes Trophy. Every horse TKO has bred that has started so far (as at 2025) has won or placed in campdrafts.

TKO goes back to Yebna Buster, who John also bred. He won nine campdrafts, including the 1987 Condamine Bell, and produced ACA Champions. Buster is featured in the book Forty-Two Years of Elite Campdraft Breeding.

Tradition truly is the culmination of careful breeding and impeccable performance genetics. He has been easy from the start, and John says he feels confident whenever he steps on him. He has pace and gets to his cattle easily, but like his sire, he is also strong in the camp – making him an exceptional all-rounder.

“Tradition: Anchored in the past, guiding the future.”

The Heritage of Stratton  Stock Horses started back in 1970 with the purchase of “Yebna Station“ and its work horse plant.

With the need for more mustering horses, the best mares were selected and bred to a thoroughbred stallion FLASH OF GOLD (Test Case NZ).  From this breeding  a colt foal (YEBNA BUSTER) was selected to become the station sire.

Yebna Buster was joined to the best of the mares in the station mustering team. These mares were mostly 1^st cross Arab with some thoroughbred infusion.

Yebna Buster is now featured in the book “Forty-Two Years of Elite Campdraft Breeding”. He won 9 campdrafts including 1987 Condamine Bell. John Mulcahy won the 1990 ACA Champion Rider on Yebna Buster and his progeny.

From this breeding, champion campdrafters were produced.

Yebna Prince

• ACA Open Horse 1991
• ACA Novice Horse 1990, 1991
• 6^th Canning Downs 1990
• 4^th Warwick Gold Cup 1998
• 1^st Condamine Bell 2000
• 2^nd Chinchilla Grandfather Clock 2000

Yebna Billy

• ACA Open Horse 1993
• Won 14 Campdrafts before being injured

Yebna Surprise

• ACA Rookie Horse Champion 1990
• 1^st Taroom Golden Horseshoe Open 1992

Yebna Grace

• Winner of 5 Open Campdrafts
• Canning Downs Finalist

Buster’s Rowena

• 1^st Chinchilla Grandfather Clock Open 2000
• 1^st Wondoan Silver Spurs Open

Buster’s Charlotte

• 1^st Chinchilla Novice
• 1^st Proston Golden Spurs Open 2001

In 1991 the property “Stratton” was purchased and this name was registered as the stud prefix.

Yebna Grace had 5 foals (by different stallions), all of which were campdrafting at one time. The best known ones are Stratton Baywatch and Stratton Gran.

Stratton Baywatch

• 1^st Condamine Bell Open 2001
• 1^st ACA National Finals Restricted Open 2004
•  4^th Warwick Gold Cup 2010

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Stratton Gran

• 2nd Warwick Gold Cup 2006
• 2^nd Warwick Gold Cup 2010
• Won 9 Open Campdrafts

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Gest an Acre

After the years of breeding to outside stallions, Stratton Stockhorses purchased the Quarter Horse stallion Gest an Acre in 2010. He was by the champion sire “Acres Destiny” out of a proven mare line in Gest Debbie.

He was joined to their well performed mares in Stratton Gran, Stratton TKO, Corvale Sapphire, Stratton Rugged Beauty.

With selective breeding, Stratton StockHorses are breeding horses that will perform well in the arena as well as horses for everyday work. Hence our slogan of BREEDING TO BREED ON.

Gest A Tradition is a consistent performer. Cutout winner with scores of 23 and horsework of 65.

2025

2025

Video footage by Grace Mary Photography | Reel Edit by Charlie Keegan Creative [View Reel on Facebook]

2025

• Chinchilla Novice Rd1 [View Video on Facebook]
• ACA Nat Finals Open Rd 1 (89) [View Video on Facebook]