Situated on 120 acres in the Perth Hills, Penny Hill Park is a warmblood stud and dressage training facility that has produced multiple state and national champions. Stud principal and founder Michelle James has a passion for producing quality horses here on Australian soil, and it all starts with mares.

Michelle James began riding in England when she was six years old, initially attending a riding school before eventually acquiring a pony of her own. Quickly hooked, more ponies and horses followed throughout her childhood, and she attended Pony Club and started to compete in show jumping, eventing and hacking. It was in 1988 that she moved to Australia, where an interest in breeding developed.

“I was living in Camden, NSW, and Glennis Barrey lived nearby. She was competing two horses, Livius and Leonardo 68, with huge success at FEI at the time. I purchased a Thoroughbred mare by Double Cream (who sired Trade Commissioner that Scott Keach had taken to the Olympics in Seoul), and had her classified with the AWHA,” explains Michelle. “That was the catalyst for my journey into classifying and judging. We moved to Western Australia in 1991 and that mare had her foal in November that year… a beautiful colt called Penny Hill Park Davinci.”

And so began Penny Hill Park Stud. “Penny Hill Park Davinci was the National Premium Colt with the AWHA in 1996 with the highest percentage of all colts classified,” recalls Michelle. Over the past 30 years, Michelle’s passion for dressage and breeding has taken her on an exciting journey of riding, coaching, classifying and judging.

“I started competing in dressage and was very fortunate to train with Harry Boldt. I was very involved in dressage with Harry and his wife Margo, and their association with DRTA (Dressage Riders Training Association) in Western Australia.” Michelle purchased a super mare, Pia, from Harry and Margo and competed her to Grand Prix.

Keen to be involved in all aspects of the sport, Michelle had begun classifying mares for the AWHA in 1991 and became a National Colt Selector in 2001; she is also a national warmblood and all-breeds judge. “I have regularly travelled to Europe to view stallions and their progeny. I love to go to the World Championships for Young Dressage Horses, the Bundeschampionate (Germany national championships for young horses), the Olympics and the World Equestrian Games.”

Michelle was one of the early ones to embrace frozen semen technology here in Australia and was therefore able to breed using some of the best stallions in the world. “I retained the mares that had the highest heritability traits for dressage characteristics and have also retained some of their daughters and granddaughters.” Generations later, Michelle stills breeds with frozen semen and the stud’s mares that are under saddle are flushed and bred via embryo transfer (ET).

‘AMAZING BROODMARES’

“My passion is for the mares and I think this started with the beautiful Pia who I purchased from Harry,” says Michelle. “I have some amazing broodmares, such as Kalimna Andromeda by Anamour, who produced so many foals for me, including the mares PHP Sahara by Sir Donnerhall and PHP Veritas by Vivaldi.

“Carrington Park Wenona, by Weltruhm, produced the mares PHP Sophia by Sir Donnerhall and PHP Legacy by Londonderry. I also have a very special broodmare by Quaterback, PHP Quebec, who has produced three super mares – PHP Siena by Sir Donnerhall, PHP Fascination by Fürstenball and PHP Francesca by Foundation.”

Michelle says the most influential horses she has bred to date are PHP Sophia, PHP Sahara and PHP Veritas. “PHP Sophia has been very successful including, amongst many national and ridden breed championships, six WA state titles and the P.S.I. Dressage With The Stars six-year-old champion title in 2018 with Emma Hayward. Sophia was sold to Caroline Wagner and has gone from strength to strength; they have scored over 70% in every competition. At Willinga Park last year, she almost won every class at Small Tour level that consisted of over 25 high quality competitors!”

“PHP Veritas was WA’s Novice State Champion, Young Horse State Champion and is the current Medium State Champion with the highest percentage of all tests at the 2021 State Championships. Tyla Schou rode her and she has just been awarded Dressage Rider of the Year here in WA.

“PHP Sahara was Medium State Champion in 2019 and State Champion of Champions Young Dressage Horse with Steven Clarke judging in 2017, with Emma Hayward riding. She is a spectacular mare with extraordinary paces and we are very excited to have ET foals due, including an ET with the sensational stallion Total McLaren.”

Michelle is proud of what Sophia, Sahara and Veritas have achieved – and will achieve in the future – and she says there are “many exciting young horses on the horizon” bred at Penny Hill Park who are yet to make their mark. The stud currently has a band of six mares. “PHP Sahara and Veritas are under saddle and have been bred via ET and the remainder are broodmares,” explains Michelle. “I have also retained breeding rights via ET options to some of the fillies that have been sold, so that I can retain the lines.”

Although incredibly busy on the breeding side of her stud, Michelle still loves to get in the saddle when she can and get a feel for what she’s producing. “I really enjoy working with the riders and developing our horses. As previously mentioned, I have Tyla riding PHP Veritas and Steph Spencer has been riding PHP Sahara. I also have a talented working pupil called Tessa McQueen who I hope to work with going forward.”

WAY OUT WEST

For those of us accustomed to life on the east coast, breeding, selling and campaigning competition horses from the west seems a mammoth feat given the vast distances one must travel. For Michelle, it’s a fact of life that she is used to – and sometimes it simply means having a horse based on the east coast for some time.

“I have almost always had horses located both here and on the east coast. Even Davinci was campaigned in the east back in the 90s,” she explains. “Nevertheless, it is a challenge and of course the big competitions are fundamental for the top-level horses. We have an amazing equestrian community here in WA and some fantastic competitions, but increasingly my horses are in demand across Australia and that is exciting. I have had wonderful support from Wayne Kiely from Combined Horse Transport, who provides the most professional service and has been amazing caring for our horses that are travelling. It requires a great deal of careful planning; I am very fortunate to have amazing staff, a fantastic support team and great sponsors.”

BREEDING PHILOSOPHY

“Breeding horses with a willing character and diligent attitude is a prerequisite for performance at the highest levels. Superior paces are critical so that they can work with athleticism, power, balance and suppleness,” says Michelle of her breeding philosophy.

“If I can breed horses that are fit for the purpose, then when they are ridden a beautiful, harmonious partnership can be created. I believe that this goal is very important for the wellbeing of the horse. I focus on functionality, conformation and rideability because of the strong correlation between these traits and successful high performance.”

With numerous horses having already made their mark on the national stage and Penny Hill Park’s young stock in demand around the country, it’s evident that Michelle’s breeding philosophy – developed and honed over 30 years in the industry – is hitting the mark. EQ

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