Emma and Morgan Webb arrived at the 2022 Nutrien Classic Sale expecting to sell horses, not buy one. As they left home with their sale horses on the truck, they had no idea they would return home with a colt.

Western Acres was prepared and ridden through the sale by Will Durkin on behalf of Russ Bradley, but was passed in. After the sale, Will approached the Webbs with high praise for the colt. “You should buy this horse,“ he told them.

“He said the colt was not long broken in but was incredibly clever,” Emma recalls.

When Morgan showed a little interest, Emma was quick to shut the idea down. “I told him, ‘We do not need another horse. The answer is no!’”

Despite Morgan’s interest, the Webbs made it to the final day of the sale without looking at the colt. As everyone prepared to head home, Emma happened to bump into Russ Bradley leading the horse. After some encouragement, she reluctantly agreed to give him a quick ride.

“He did leave a pretty good impression,” she says with a laugh.

For a horse she had no intention of buying, Western Acres was suddenly difficult to ignore.

“He was exactly as Will said. He was very natural in everything he did. I could feel his athleticism. He changed leads effortlessly and was already developing a big stop.”

As it turned out, that ride was enough to change her mind. Before leaving the sale, the Webbs purchased Western Acres for $20,000.

“He is the cheapest horse we ever bought of that calibre, and the best.”

Emma describes riding Western Acres as being like ‘riding a ball of business.’  “His ears are always pricked and he’s tuned into everything,” she says. “I noticed that about him even before the sale when Will was riding him out the back.“

At the time, Emma was surprised that he was passed in. It was obvious he would train out to be a really nice colt. Being by Acres Destiny and from a proven mare in One Moore Diva, he should theoretically have been snapped up.

The Webbs were already familiar with One Moore Diva, having watched her compete successfully with Tom Williamson. After purchasing Western Acres, they spoke to several people who knew the mare well and were encouraged by what they heard.

“Everyone said she was a really gritty mare in the cutting pen and that toughness carried through when she transitioned to campdrafting,” Emma says. “It was a real asset.“

While they liked what they saw in the colt, the Webbs were prepared to keep an open mind. Emma says they agreed that if Western Acres didn’t develop into the sort of horse they wanted as a future sire, they could always geld him.

“Within a week, we knew that wasn’t going to happen,” Emma says. “He went straight to work mustering and did plenty of miles. He really just needed riding more than specific training. He had so much natural talent that it was simply a matter of adding the buttons to what was already there.“

Emma and Morgan have a simple rule when it comes to their horses – they don’t share them. As a result, Emma is the only one who competes on Western Acres, although their children have enjoyed the occasional ride on him at home.

Known simply as “Westy“, he has become a particular favourite of Emma’s, largely because, as she puts it, he is “so lovely to ride.”

“It doesn’t matter what I want to do – a day mustering or a fun ride with the kids – I’ll pick him,” she says. “He’s a genuine all-round horse. He’s just as much fun to do a dry work pattern on as he is to ride through the hills. He’s unbelievable on his feet in rough country, and he loves his job“.

Emma describes him as being animated in everything he does. While he doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, he is incredibly alert and full of personality. He does have his quirks, she says. “He hates birds landing in his paddock. He will take off after them, chase them away, then casually come back to his feed”.

So impressive is Westy’s ability that Emma said she has to keep reminding herself he is still very young and not to push him. “He is so willing and mature, but there’s plenty of time to win stuff, I have to remember to take things slowly”.

When they let him dip his toe in the water as a competitive horse, Westy made his ability known in no uncertain terms. In his 3yo year, he made an outstanding debut, winning The Battle On The Bidgee Challenge. Soon thereafter, he kicked off his 4yo at the Nutrien Classic Challenge, where he finished second. That year, he also won a maiden and a novice draft, continued to compete in challenges and was named Classic Horse Of The Year. Westy came back as a 5yo to win the Nutrien Classic Challenge.

In 2026, as Westy hit 6yo year, Emma started entering him in open events, but says she is still conscious that he is only young and has a long career ahead of him.

Emma believes it is his willingness that is Westy’s biggest asset, despite his obvious athletic prowess. “No matter what he is doing, he is with you, and he wants to please.”

Beyond his softness and ability to read a cow, an asset for challenges has been his jumping ability. Like most things, he has needed little training.  His preparation for The Man From Snowy River Challenge involved being shown a few bareback obstacles.

Emma says her approach with Westy is to keep things varied and enjoyable. Rather than following the same routine day after day, she mixes up his workload to keep him engaged. One day he might be out mustering through the hills, the next working bison, buffalo or the mechanical cow, or heading off on a paddock ride.

Westy’s oldest progeny are 2yo’s as of 2026. His first sale progeny will go through the Nutrien Classic sale in 2027.

“His progeny are very much like him; they are lively and always looking for what you want from them, but they have no dirt. They pick things up quickly.”

For the Webbs, the ultimate goal is to breed horses that are both competitive and enjoyable for the family to ride.

“Now we can just wait with excitement and see where his progeny can go,” Emma says.

Western Acres in his short life has accrued more results than many top performers will accrue in a lifetime.  They are staggering.  His skill set extends very much beyond the norm, as his extensive photo collection attests.  Make sure you look under his “IMAGE GALLERY” tab.

Western Acres’ oldest progeny are 2yo’s as of 2026.  Emma & Morgan say they are very much like him, he stamps them with exceptional presence, trainability, and temperament. They have no dirt in them and pick things up quickly.

His first sale progeny will go through the Nutrien Classic sale in 2027.  They are excited to see what the future holds for them.

WATCH THIS SPACE!

2025

2025 Nutrien Classic Challenge

2025 Rosewood Stockmans Challenge

2025 Man From Snowy River

2025 Coonamble Stockmans Challenge

2024 Battle On The Bidgee

2024 Coonamble Stockmans Challenge

2024 Horse of The North Stockmans Challenge

2024 Greenvale Stockmans Challenge

2026

• Cloncurry Stockmans Challenge Interview with Emma Webb [View Video on Facebook]
• Cloncurry Open Challenge Dry Work Rd1 [View Video on Facebook]
• Man From Snowy River Wild Horse Catch.  [View Video on Facebook]
• Horse of the North Open Dry Work.  [View Video on Facebook]

2025

• Nutrien Classic Challenge Final.  [View Video on Facebook]
• Man From Snowy River:
  • Wild Horse Catch.  [View full video on Facebook]
  • Freestyle Section.  [View Video on Facebook]
  • Bareback Section.  [View Video on Facebook]
  • Wild Horse Catch & Finals Presentation.  [View Reel on Facebook]

A weekend of pack saddling and swimming with the kids!  [View Reel on Facebook]

2024

• Nutrien Classic Challenge Rd1 Wet work.  [View Video on facebook]