Bree made a youth ambassador for Australian Stock Horse Society

A love of horses, particularly Australian stock horses (ASH), has led Jindabyne’s Breanna Arnold to the Australian Stock Horse Society’s (ASHS) Youth Pathways leadership program.

Bree, 23, is one of five young people selected from around Australia to participate in the ASHS program.

It aims to support youth members through their journey into leadership, further education and the workforce.

A further aim is to build leaders and ambassadors for the Australian Stock Horse Society and the ASH breed, focused on developing management and self-improvement skills.

All five ambassadors will take part in a four-day outward-bound leadership workshop in early July.

Bree has had a lifelong association with horses, having started riding when she was very young.

Her family, however, has been involved with breeding stock horses for a couple of generations.

Bloodlines such as Abbey and Abdul, Boxhurst Abbey’s Mark, the Weowne and Alpine prefixes appear in the ASH Stud Book and the Arnolds also established the Warrenbri and Romeo bloodlines.

Bree is a keen advocate of stock horses. She said she was inspired by the versatility of the breed and she loves talking about the horses.

Bree is a regular competitor at local agricultural shows and other ASHS-run events.

She is a former placegetter at the Man From Snowy River Festival in Corryong, riding the family-bred stock horses.

A trip overseas this year prevented Bree from competing at Corryong, but she hopes to return in 2024.

She plans to keep competing for many more years, increasing her education and that of her horses.

As a Youth Pathways program participant, Bree is keen to restart the presently inactive Monaro branch of the ASHS.

She looks forward to being able to highlight the many attributes the breed boasts through ASH shows and competitions.

The Australian stock horse has been specially bred for Australian conditions. It is a hardy breed noted for endurance, agility and good temperament.

Its ancestry dates from the arrival of the first horses in Australia, brought from Europe, Africa and Asia.

It is used in a wide variety of disciplines and is valued as a working horse throughout Australia.

Bree is in her third year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Business Management course at Charles Sturt University, Wagga. She is also studying for her Certificate IV in real estate while working for a local real estate agent.

Ultimately, Bree would love to work in the equine industry, for which she has such a passion.

She is looking forward to increasing her leadership abilities through the program. She has previously been the co-captain of her local League Tag team and a leader at pony club events.

Bree said she liked to set an example when she was either teaching or assisting other people with their horses.

She is happy to represent the Australian Stock Horse Society, which was established in 1971 in Scone, to preserve and promote the bloodlines of the Australian stock horse, recognised for its versatility and superior performance among work and leisure breeds.

The society is Australia’s largest equine recreational and pleasure society, with a loyal and growing membership of more than 9500 individuals and in excess of 180,000 registered horses in the Stud Book.