AMAROO MARLAS ROSE

Amaroo Marlas Rose is a remarkable mare sired by Cat N A Hat, a Highbrow Cat son out of Spin N Roses, and out of Sanjo Marla, a well-performed mare with imported genetics. Bred by Robert Wing and John Mitchell, Marla carries a pedigree that combines proven performance and strong breeding potential. Before joining the Benalla Stud string, she had already proven herself in the cutting pen and later in the campdraft arena. Under the ownership of Ben and Kylie Tapp, she excelled as a cutting mare, and when Peter and Carolyn Doonan purchased her, she was sent to Hugh Miles for drafting, culminating in a win at the Toowoomba Supreme Novice Draft. She continued to be successfully campaigned in Hugh Miles’ hands across multiple seasons, producing consistent results and demonstrating her natural talent.

At the beginning of 2024, Drew and Sally purchased Marla privately from Pete and Carolyn Doonan, renowned performance horse breeders from Charters Towers. They were particularly drawn to her as the Stevensons had already owned a filly foal out of her and were extremely impressed with the filly’s natural ability and type. Recognising the opportunity to secure such an exceptional mare, they moved quickly to make the purchase. Since joining the Benalla Stud string, Drew and Sally have both campaigned Marla successfully, achieving strong placings and reaching more finals than you could count.

Marla’s strengths lie in her quickness and cowy nature in the yard, her extremely competitive mindset, and her natural ability to track and chase cattle outside. Sally drafted her at Warwick in 2024 and was consistently impressed by her reliability in the camp, noting her cut-out ability is definitely her strength; even on the toughest cattle, Marla always proves her value through try and grit.

In terms of breeding, the plan is to initially embryo transfer Marla before allowing her to carry her own foal. It is a common practice for Drew and Sally to let mares carry a foal during the middle of their competition career to maintain fertility and a competitive mindset. Her progeny on the ground are already performing in the cutting pen, and there is great excitement about both their performance careers and the future progeny she will produce for Benalla Stud.

Marla’s performance history highlights her versatility and talent. With her exceptional pedigree, proven performance, and exciting progeny, Amaroo Marlas Rose is a cornerstone mare for Benalla Stud, exemplifying the qualities Drew and Sally seek in their competition and breeding program.