Forest Dale Arabian and Thoroughbred Stud reflects the culmination of close to thirty years of selective breeding, dedicated to producing horses capable of excelling in performance.

Located in the picturesque town of Tarago, NSW (situated between Canberra and Goulburn), the Stud is presently run by Marie and Bob Hutchinson, together with their two children Nicholas and Laurie. Forest Dale is very much a team effort, with family members participating to ensure the functioning of the stud. Marie and Nick do the showing, while Laurie and Bob work behind the scenes to ensure the horses are presented in peak condition.

The stud name ‘Forest Dale' was chosen for the forest that grew on the property where the stud was originally founded. Forest Dale began in 1979 with three horses, including the Arabian colt 'Wagga Kintata (Wagga Deakin x Traviata) and the non-arabian palomino mare The Aztecs Princess Sasha'. These two horses were later mated together to produce the stud's first foal - a chestnut part Arabian gelding by the name of Forest Dale Amir. The Hutchinsons later acquired the handsome bay stallion Arabian Park Excellancy (Ansata El Hakim x Arabian Queen). Excellency was bred in the purple, combining renowned Egyptian bloodlines with Arabian Park's famed ‘Queen' family.

Forest Dale also purchased a number of purebred mares over the years, including: Pharette (Pharaon x Phoebus), Talquah Holly (Arim x Pimpala Akoolah) and Milands El Sharina (El Shareef x Milands Magnafique), all of who have left breeding lines in the stud. Another acquisition was the beautiful mare Arabian Park Sahara Queen (Ansata El Hakim x Arabian Park Persian Queen) who sadly bred no offspring for Forest Dale. The latest purebred Arabian acquisition is an exciting purebred filly Nevertire Christiana (Maf-ue Enticer x Nevertire Lyonesse) bred by Narelle Kinnear of Nevertire Arabians, NSW.

Currently, Forest Dale focuses on breeding Arabian derivatives and thoroughbreds. The stud's senior Arabian sires Aloha Apostrophe (Aloha Telesmon x Aloha Rismal) and Aloha Olympic (Talquah Lucas x Aloha Zetra) both hail from supreme performance bloodlines, and have sired many ‘AA' class Champion Arabian Derivatives. Aloha Olympics' Anglo Arabian son Forest Dale Firestorm was recently sold to a successful young Western Australia rider, who aims to compete in Dressage and one day - the Australian National Arabian Championships.

When I asked Marie to recall her favourite Forest Dale-bred horses, she initially found it difficult to respond. She recalled the successful Arabian saddle gelding Forest Dale King George (Arabian Park Excellancy x Pharette) and the high percentage Crabbet mare 'Forest Dale Radiant Diamond (Golden Band x Oxford Harmony), whose name was given to her because she had a diamond on her near foreleg. The rest of her legs had huge white stockings, and she also sported a big baldy face! No one else could ride this mare but Marie. Other memorable Forest Dale-bred Arabians included the top dressage winning Anglo Arabian gelding Forest Dale Neptune (x Lindall Zeke x Rhythm Babe) and the partbred Arabian gelding Forest Dale Aztec Prince (Arabian Park Excellancy x The Aztecs Princess Sasha) was shortlisted for the 2000 Olympics in Eventing.

At Forest Dale, visitors are always welcome by appointment.

- written by Amy Gorman.

Forest Dale Bronsan

(Aloha Olympic x Omegative)

Supreme Junior Anglo Arabian

2006 National Capital Horse Show

Photo by All Creatures Photography