1888 Haydon Tester

HAYDON TESTER epitomised the early colonial thoroughbred stallion which made Australian horses renowned on the world stage and especially through the Australian Light Horse where they were regarded as the world’s finest cavalry mounts. Tester was one of the leading and sort after Australian sires of his time.

Tester had pace but also had ability on his feet. He had what was referred to in those early days as the all important “bottom”. That was a horse with strength, that was close to ground, sure footed, could work cattle and could gallop fast downhill in rough terrain chasing brumbies. As Banjo put it  “And such as are by mountain horsemen prized“.  You did not want a  horse that was off the ground with a lot of daylight under him especially through the hindleg and flank area. Barney (BB) Haydon a renowned horse judge, who rode the Tester gelding Polo throughout the entire Middle East Campaign, always pointed this trait out when he was judging, as he had had such first hand expereince analysing it in action. Barney also won many of the early campdrafts on his outstanding mare Thora, out of a Tester mare. Interestingly, Barney is in this photo on his pony as young boy and Tester is being held by his handler Combo in front of the homestead. Little did he know that this peaceful scene would be change forever when he rode this Tester gelding off to five years of war in the desert lands of the Middle East.

Tester maintained his unbeaten record at the quarter-mile race distance. He was never actually trained specifically for these events but would just win on his natural ability. In those early years the short distance “Bridle Spurts” as they were known, were the most popular form of racing, with the winner receiving a bridle, hence how they got there name.

Tester’s popularity is shown by the fact he sired 440 foals, a lot of horses for those days. He sired many metropolitan winners like Harvest Home winner of 20 races, Gentlemen Jim winner of 18, Vixen winner of 21, Santa Claus winner of 19 and Patty Brown winner of 15.

His progency were highly sort after as they where hard to beat in the local Bridle Spurts and were such good riding horses. Even one out of a draught mare won races for her proud owners.

Tester was a very influential sire and his legacy lives on through the Haydon Horse Stud horses today through their main female families the Jewel Family, the Thora Farmily, the Lottie Family and the Romance Family through her leading sire son Hazelwood Conman.

Tester was foaled in 1885, a black stallion bred by “Brumby” Jack Mullins from Nundle. He was purchased by Bernard Haydon as a three year old. His sire The Tester (1870) was imported by Otto Baldwin to Durham Court, Manilla. His dam Phyllis was by the well known sire Yelverton (1862), also imported by Otto Baldwin. He was by Gemma Di Vergy a son of Sir Hercules.

 

TESTER stood at Bloomfield from 1888 to 1904, siring a total of 440 foals;

• 190 foals for Haydon Horse Stud, Bloomfield, Blandford                                                                                                                 
• 250 foals to outside mares      

                                                                                                                                                          

TESTER’S stock were outstanding horses, renowned for their speed but also exceptionally good riding, working and bush horses, showing a lot of cattle ability.

Most of the mares breeding at Bloomfield today go back in a direct breeding line to TESTER.

Some of his more notable stock include-

Guy Haydon on his famous mare Midnight (right).

Three Home Bred horses by Tester took part in the famous Charge of Beersheba. He sired many horses which were sold as remounts for the Indian Cavalry and many went with the Australian Light Horse to the Middle East in WW1 including;

Midnight- this legendary mare was ridden throughout the war by Lt G B (Guy) Haydon in the 12^th Light Horse Regiment. She was selected to represent Australia to compete against the British Cavalier in Cairo, called the Desert Olympics. Firstly she won the quarter mile race, which is not surprising given she was by the champion of the event, the undefeated Tester. Next she won a utility type event and finally winning the

equitation test as Guy was an accomplished horseman. They become the heroes of the Australian Light Horse to win all three events at the “Desert Olympics”. In the famous charge of Beersheba as Guy jumped an enemy trench, Midnight was shot from underneath. The bullet passed through her, the saddle, the bedroll and then lodged in Guy’s back just missing his spine by the smallest of margins. He was later taken to Cairo hospital where five days later the bullet was removed which he sent back to Bloomfield as a Christmas present for his mother accompanied by a very moving letter describing the charge. Their story has been told in books like  “Midnight The Story of a Light Horse”, Peter FitzSimons “The Last Charge” and were included in the 2015 documentary “The Waler”. There is a dedicated Midnight race at the annual Jericho Cup.

 

 

Polo was ridden by Lt B B (Barney) Haydon in the same regiment as his brother Guy. They were the last to be evacuated from Gallipoli and we reunited with their horses back in Cairo. Polo was ridden throughout the entire Light Horse Middle East ridden campaign, a feat achieved by only a few horses.

Hughie was ridden by C L Regg, who was married to Guy and Barney’s sister Madge. He too was ridden throughout the entire campaign.

Fred was given to neighbour Max Wright from Bickham by F B (Fred) Haydon to take to the war. On this return Max gave Fred a piece of his gallant horses’ tail, mounted as a switch, which is still in the Bloomfield Archives today.

 

His son TESTER BAY was used at Bloomfield as a sire from 1905 to 1910. He was from Actress by Somnus and sired many good horses including Puss the fourth dam of Hazelwood Romance, Bubbles, Cinderella, Lorn Tester and the sire Billycan. He won races and Champion Blood Horse awards.

 

• Click here for Tester pedigree (PDF)