21/08/2021
Thank you to The Australian Heavy Horse Association for writing and sharing this article about The History of the Gypsy Cobs in Australia. Our wonderful Boharn Horses are in the spotlight
Australian Heavy Horse Association INC....
History of the Gypsy Cob in Australia
The Gypsy Cob was originally bred by Romany Gypsies to pull their wagons across England and Ireland. These horses were bred to be hardy, fearless, intelligent, and powerful animals, yet docile and patient enough for the whole family.
The Gypsy Cob was first brought to Australia by Glen Booker of Boharn Gypsy Cobs. At that time Glen was looking for a safe realisable heavy set coloured horse to join his riding school and start a breeding program here in Australia. Glenn first visited England and Ireland in 2002 and travelled both countries looking for that perfect horse. Glen found Laharden Gent in 2002, but his owner would not sell him. Glen persisted as this was the horse he wanted. Everything about him was what Glen had been looking for. Glen returned to Ireland in 2002 and purchased Laharden Gent, a 16hh tank of a stallion with 10½ inches of bone around the knee.
PHOTO: Laharden Gent First Gypsy Cob imported in to Australia
Laharden Gent was a registered Irish elite first premium stallion and had all the qualities to be the very first Gypsy Cob to enter Australian soil.
Tiny as he was affectionally known came into Australia in 2003 – arriving on Australian shores on November 25th.
On a return trip to Ireland Glen found his second import - a Mare named Penny Lass. Boharn Penny Lass landed on Australian soil in December 2004 in foal.
This foal was the very first Pure Gypsy Cob to be born in Australia. Boharn Bonny Lass was born 11th March 2005. Boharn Bonny Lass Australia’s first filly - wow what an amazing girl! Born from 2 Irish cobs - Boharn Penny Lass and Connors Black and White Horse.
Penny Had 2 foals - both were the very first pure-bred Gypsy Cobs to be born in Australia
Boharn Bonny Lass 11.3.06 by Connors Black and White Horse IRE
Boharn King 04.10.06 by Laharden Gent
Boharn’s next import was another stallion called Boharn Prince. Prince landed in Australia in February 2009. Princes Sire was world renowned - The Davey Wards Black Stallion. Prince was born in the UK and later sold to Ireland, and then Boharn Prince was brought into Australia. In the time Glen owned Boharn Prince, he sired 24 foals.
Then came Boharn Sheila and Boharn Abb, Sheila landed in Sydney, Australia on the 19th Dec 2009. Sheila went on to have 1 pure bred foal a c**t by Boharn Prince, name Boharn Comet who later went on to work in the circus - born 18.03.2014,
Boharn Comet 18.03.14 by Boharn Prince
Boharn Abb, Abb landed in Sydney Australia on the 24th May 2010, Abb was in foal to an Irish stallion Called Liberty Lament, Abb foaled a healthy c**t on the 23rd August 2010. Glen named him Boharn Warrior, Warrior was retained by Boharn and ran on to be one of the stud’s major stallions, who consistently produces quality offspring.
Boharn Abb produced 5 foals for Boharn stud
Boharn Warrior 23.08.10 by Liberty Lament
Boharn Maggie 11.11.11 by Boharn Prince
Boharn Dixie 7.12.13 by Boharn Prince
Boharn Street Fighter 26.12.14 by Boharn Prince
Boharn Romany 30.11.19 By Boharn Prince
The next person to import the Gypsy Cob into Australia was Mark Creuse who lived in Sydney. He brought in a stallion called Cahirmee - an English-born stallion, Unfortunately I cannot find any information other than that he was the second import.
He went on to sire 5 Foals
Wyee Tobias 3.10.2006 C**t
Imagine Jazzabelle 8.11.06 filly
Arcadian Mojo 23.1.10 c**t
Arcadian Astra 6.2.13 Filly
Mr Handsome 5.6.17 C**t
Then over the next 10 years came many other people notice the Gypsy Cob here in Australia and so the Australian Gypsy Cob became hugely popular due to its versatility, family orientated temperament and its fairy tale looks.
We as a new association for The Heavy Horse Breeds here in Australia feel that it’s incredibly important for the history of this beautiful breed to be recorded and how Australia’s love story with the Gypsy Cob came to be.
Over the next few years, the following horses were imported from England and Ireland
Tom of Brackenhill came in with a mare called Tia
Then a stallion called Jango Dancer of Brackenhill with him a Mare called Storm of Brackenhill
Then came 2 other mares - Kasali and Domino and a stallion called Wimbalan Harkers Geordie.
The Gypsy Cob numbers continue to grow with breeders all around the country.
The Australian Heavy Horse Association is dedicated to protecting this incredibly special breed here in Australia, and through our Stud Book we aim to record the old established bloodlines and encourage responsible breeding, so that we uphold and build upon the legacy of these horses while maintaining the quality and true to type stamp of cobs.
We have adopted the Traditional Gypsy Cob Association’s breed standard. We are extremely grateful to The TGCA for guiding us and being a huge support.
The TGCA is the breed association approved by DEFRA to hold the Mother Studbook for the Traditional Gypsy Cob Breed in the UK and European Union.
Reference website: Traditional Gypsy Cob Association (tgca.co.uk)