03/04/2026
From Larry Cutler CEO of the ASHS:
Firstly I am writing this as a fellow member and long time breeder of ASH horses and I am not a journalist so my response will be more from the facts as I know them in an effort to stop the wild accusations currently going around. I have had so many text messages, emails and phone calls asking me to put up the correct version of accounts as I know them. I will declare that I am a passionate Stock horse breeder of almost 50 years who primarily breeds HSH horses but I also have an exceptional thoroughbred mare in the broodmare band and a genuine first cross mare being 50% HSH and 50% quarter horse as well as my HSH broodmares.
I am a fifth generation horseman with a sixth and probably seventh generation following me. I have spent my entire adult life in the stud cattle industry breeding cattle and understanding breeding principles, genetics and studbooks so more than happy to debate any of those issues. I have worked with establishing pure bred studs, and cross breeding programs as well as composite breeds and the need to stabilise those composites or you get too much genetic diversification. Droughtmaster, Santa Gertrudis and Gelmaster are great examples of composite breeding. ASH and QH are equine examples of composite breeding.
When animals stop becoming a type and become a breed is with the introduction of a studbook and a standard of excellence which ultimately determines the type.
I currently manage a multi million dollar business working with farmers covering the area East of Melbourne to the NSW border and from Bass Straight to the Snowy Mountains. My clients are farmers with purebred, crossbred and composite herds of beef, dairy and sheep. I am involved in consulting on breeding and management programs as well as being an animal nutritionist. I am involved in importing and exporting genetics through embryos and semen to a number of countries. My reputation for honesty (although sometimes brutal is appreciated by most but some find it intimidating) and my integrity in all of my business dealings has seen my business grow enormously.
The ASHS was formed in 1971 but we have been breeding stock horses in Australia for over 150 years and the society was formed to recognise those horses that were not purebred any breed other than stock horse. Radium, Abby, Rivoli Ray, Reality, Elliotts Creek Cadet, Leo Grey, Trec, just to name a few were all bred for stockwork but weren’t purebred anything. The establishment of the ASHS allowed them to be recognised and they became the foundation Heritage horses that many of todays HSH horses go back to 5,6 or more generations back.
The recognition of HSH was to identify bloodlines that could be traced back to horses that were in Australia prior to 1945 which saw our Whaler horses shipped over seas and never to return. I have relatives who were part of the light horse and some old photos show hundreds of horses lined up that were primarily thoroughbred based for riding and the big gun horses often had some Shire blood in them.
There are two ways of destroying a breed with the first being closed studbook that prevents any outside genetics from being used. Those breeds disappear quickly as they become in**ed and usually end up with a lot of genetic disorders. The second way is to lose the reason for the breeds existence in the first place and allow genetics into the breed that should not be there. Anything that involves genetics can be managed. Maintaining and managing the core genetics of the breed are paramount to its continued success.
Quarter horse genetics have always been available to introduce into the ASH breeding programs if you wanted to. I personally used some and went back to the HSH bloodlines as I couldn’t breed what I wanted using the quarter horses. The HSH studbook allows for the introduction of Quarter Horse genetics through a first cross which is happening in a big way and whilst the fillies and geldings are being registered as first cross the colts are left languishing in Base Register. If the proposal goes ahead then these 1st cross colts can be elevated from base register to first cross where they belong.
Going back to my cattle breeding I cannot think of any breed that would register an animal that is less than 25% purebred in that breed and especially if they are 100% another breed. The proposal clearly states that you can cross Quarter Horse or Warmblood or Pony into our gene pool through the first cross categories. We actually encourage people to cross breed as this keeps our gene pool open and growing whilst maintaining breed integrity.
I have had a lot of phone calls around this proposal and I don’t believe I was wishy washy in any of my answers to the questions asked. Whilst some members are painting the proposal as a negative I believe the proposal is the right way to move ahead and to elevate first cross stallions to be where they belong in the stud book as first cross along with their full sisters and gelding brothers. If members want to argue that this is a bad thing then I am up for the debate.
I had a member ring me who wanted to use Scott David in her program and how could she do that under the proposal. I asked if she had any HSH mares to send to him and she said most of her brood mares were QH but she had 2 HSH and was looking at another one. I suggested she send the HSH mares to him and breed a genuine first cross horse and if she supported the proposal the resulting foal could be registered as first cross and would be more sought after as a breeding prospect than if he were in the Base Register. I think it would be great to have his genetics in our gene pool.
Another member rang and said he bred QH but they were registered as stud book ASH and I was able to tell him that this proposal will have no effect on him being able to continue breeding stud book to stud book and registering them as before. We had a respectful conversation where he was able to be reassured that he could continue to breed full brothers and sisters that were studbook and 100% QH as the proposal does not effect studbook to studbook breeding.
I was a classifier in the early days of the ASHS and it was always envisaged that the QH would blend with our stock horses but there was never any thought that we would be wanting to breed pure bred QH in the ASHS 50 years later, as whilst they cross well they are different breeds and as far as I know the AQHA still exists. We have lost a number of ASH breeders through them thinking we were becoming the default QH society.
I am happy to talk to any member about any concerns they may have around this proposal and certainly how it will directly effect their breeding programs. Genetics are not as complicated as some people would like you to believe especially when you apply the common sense principles to breeding which I will admit is not as common as it used to be. I recently spoke to a member about genetics and explained that a HSH cannot be a QH and a QH is not a HSH stock Horse. And because I call things as they are I was able to explain that Conman whilst the most successful campdraft sire in modern times cannot be a Quarter Horse and Metalic Cat a champion QH also can’t be a stock horse as they are 2 different breeds.
At the end of the day members just need to decide whether they want to breed QH or ASH or both and I firmly encourage members to find mares and stallions that suit what they want to do with horses and whether that is showing, polocrosse, pony club ,campdrafting or challenging provided 50% is HSH, cross away, and bring into the gene pool lots of great new genetics while maintaining the integrity of the HSH Studbook.
HSH STUDBOOK Horse to be registered AQHA
HSH 87.5% 3rd cross ………………………… Fluffy …………………………………………….. Foundation
HSH 75% 2nd Cross ………………………….. Fluffy ………………………………. 25% QH Base Register
HSH 50% 1st Cross ……………………………… Fluffy …………………………..……….. 50% QH 1st Cross
HSH 25% Base Register ……………………… Fluffy ……………………………………….75% QH 2nd Cross
HSH < 25% not registerable ……………… Fluffy ……………….. 3rd cross QH Stud Book
0% ASH HSH ………………………………….. Fluffy ………………..……..…93.75% 4th cross Pure bred
ASB Thoroughbred = 75% HSH Fluffy ………………………………………………….Foundation
As I am writing this I have just received a phone call from a member at Sydney Royal where a petition of some sort was shoved in her face and she was told she should sign it and she was intimidated. Let me just say to all members if you are asked to sign something and you are not sure of just what you are signing or don’t fully understand what it is about don’t sign it. Also if you feel you were coerced or intimidated into signing you have the right to ask to have your name removed. If this has happened to you or anyone you know please contact me or the CEO as this would be conduct unbecoming a member.
Well that’s my say on things so over to the real keyboard warriors to tear me down while I go and handle some weaner fillies over the Easter break and spend some valuable time with my family and especially my grandkids. Hope everyone has a safe and enjoyable Easter. I have stayed with the facts here and won’t be abusive or personally attack anyone as I was brought up to be better than that. I always say that while people are attacking me at least they are leaving some other poor bu**er alone.
I encourage people to be respectful of each other in this debate and stick to the facts. If you don’t want to elevate first cross stallions to be first cross then put your argument forward and if you don’t want to allow breeders to continue breeding studbook to studbook or second cross please put your argument forward. If you don’t think a first cross animal is 50% one breed and 50% another please put your argument forward as these are the issues. The lead in time will allow people to make breeding decisions well in advance of any changes so please stick to the proposal and stop being disrespectful to fellow members of our great ASHS.
Cheers Larry Cutler
Karraba Park ASH Stud.
