PG . 36
AQHA FEATURE
AQHA SPONSORED NUTRIEN CLASSIC CAMPDRAFT - 3RD PLACE
BRADLEYS ROMANCED A1-12759
$ 1000 BREEDERS INCENTIVE - RUSS & REBECCA BRADLEY
ARTICLE BY : LYN HOFFMANN © 2022 • PHOTOS BY : KATE JONES PHOTOGRAPHY Exhibiting lovely conformation , a beautiful length of rein and a sweet temperament , Bradleys Romanced is a lovely 2016 bay mare , by Hazelwood Conman FS-22426 .
Breeders , Russ and Rebecca Bradley of R & R Livestock , purchased her dam , Hazelwood Romantic Acres , as a yearling , from Terry & Christine Hall .
‘ I trained and competed on Romantic Acres as a Novice mare , until we bred her to Conman ,’ Russ Bradley says . ‘ From that breeding we got the lovely Bradley ’ s Romanced . She grew nicely , was broken in and I rode her for about 12 months . We sold her for 30K , as a 3yo , to Tania and Phillip Curr , through the 2020 Nutrien Sale . I talked with Phillip and said Romanced needed to go out and do a bit more work and mustering . So , Philip got her going , did a lot of mustering , a bit of slow work and some cutting out , before sending her over to Will Durkin , about a week before the draft . Her first start was at the Classic where she ran a 90 in the first round , then an 88 and eventually came 3rd overall .’
Russ says that her dam , Hazelwood Romantic Acres has always been a beautiful , kind , soft mare , and everyone likes her . She ’ s also a full sister to Hazelwood Mantic , a stallion that many people know . Both mother & daughter , Russ explains , are equally kind , nice flatrunning mares that really stretch out and very cowy horse .
‘ Romanced was the type that really just needed a bit more of that steady work , prior to competing , and Philip did a really good job with her , got her going , did that extra work and put in the bigger miles on her . So , I think with the three parties that had her , myself , Philip Curr and Will Durkin — it all just worked .’
Russ says that Romanced is going to grow out into a big mare and she ’ ll be very competitive , and by the time she ’ s 7 or 8yo , she ’ ll be a good one . The Bradley ’ s are pleased to also have Romanced ’ s full-sister to look forward to .
‘ From a breeder ’ s perspective ,’ Russ concludes . ‘ I really think this sale works in a very beneficial way . You know , to breed and then sell a horse and it falls into the right hands , gains a good rider , the mare performs , and we ’ re pretty sure she ’ s going to perform in the future — that ’ s very good , and it ’ s exactly the situation you ’ re looking for , as the breeder . We ’ re proud of this mare — we bred her right and she went to a really nice family who we ’ ve now become friends with . We keep in touch , and it ’ s just been a good all round experience for everyone , and we appreciate that .’
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION - WWW . AQHA . COM . AU