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AQHA FEATURE: A LIFE IN THE SADDLE- THE WEBSTER JOURNEY WITH QUARTER HORSES
Lucy at the AQHA Youth World Show and KJ American Made( Imp) Q-95985 with the Webster and Walquist families
consideration, particularly with their children riding and competing. This emphasis on temperament has become a cornerstone of their breeding philosophy, especially in the Australian context, where many owners do not have access to full-time professional trainers as they might in the United States.
A major milestone in their program came five years ago with the importation of their stallion, KJ American Made Q-95985, known as“ Yankee.” Proving to be an exceptional cross over their mares and others, Yankee has already made a significant impact, with approximately 40 progeny now spread across Australia and New Zealand.
His offspring have achieved national success both inhand and under saddle, with many more just beginning their show careers. Consistently, they demonstrate the quiet, trainable temperaments and natural ability that the Websters prioritise in their breeding decisions.
Central to the success of Heriot Park Stud is a clear set of guiding principles. The welfare of their horses always comes first, and every breeding decision is made with both performance and practicality in mind. Their goal is to produce horses capable of winning futurities, while still being suitable for amateur and youth riders.
As a rule, they rarely breed from mares that have not proven themselves under saddle. Many of their mares are either imported following success in the United States or have achieved futurity wins within Australia. Above all, they believe in quality over quantity and are committed to matching each horse with the right home even if that means selling their very best. For the Websters, success is measured not just in ribbons, but in long-term partnerships between horse and rider.
One horse that exemplifies the program’ s success is HPS Diana The Diva Q-10037. A striking mare with presence, movement, and versatility, Diana has proven herself both in-hand and under saddle. She was bred after the Websters twice accessed the exceptional mare Man What A Diva(“ Daisy”), whose own, show record and production of champions made her an ideal match. Diana was the result of that first breeding, followed by her younger half-brother, HPS What A Yankee(“ Boston”).
Diana’ s career has been carefully developed by an outstanding team. She was initially started by Olympian Shane Rose before moving into western training with Holly and Kane Skopp. Her debut was nothing short of impressive, taking out the 2025 Summer Sizzler
AUSTRALIAN QUARTER HORSE ASSOCIATION- www. aqha. com. au