Guntawang has a colourful past - and bright future

Guntawang, near Gulgong, is a colonial-era property that was formerly owned by the pioneering Rouse family.

From those early days, for a fledgling nation on horseback, it quickly became known for its quality bloodstock, as referenced by Banjo Paterson in his poem "A Bushman's Song".

This old black horse I'm riding - if you'll notice what's his brand,

He wears the crooked R, you see - none better in the land.

The 'R' being the Rouse family's brand at Guntawang.

Perusing through the property's 200-year history is akin to a chapter of the Australian Thoroughbred Hall of Fame, having been home to legendary names like Poseidon, the first horse to win both the Caulfield and Melbourne cups.

Poseidon, along with Guntawang, was owned by Sir Hugh Denison, and under his ownership the property was, for a while, called Eumaralla.

In later years the property was also owned by John Foyster, who stood the Golden Slipper winner John's Hope at stud, along with other notable sires.

Guntawang's colourful history continued when another former owner, Brian Yuill, a Spedley executive, was gaoled.

So emerged an opportunity for racing enthusiastic and investor Charles Cropper to purchase the property when offered by the liquidators in 1992.

Under his tenure the 2005 filly De Lightning Ridge, by the USA sire Tale Of The Cat and out of Nanny Maroon, was born and raised before being sold as a yearling at the 2007 Australian Easter Yearling Sale for $260,000.

She was a top performer among many horses bred and sold through that period, and went on to break a 35-year track record in the 2010 Group 2 Challenge Stakes at Randwick.

In 2022, the property changed hands again, this time moving into the ownership of Peter and Louise Pethe.

And Thoroughbreds remained front and centre, this time under a new business operated by Caitlin Eather.

Ms Eather moved to the property in 2021 to work for Mr Cropping, who had Shorthorn cattle and a lucerne business, as well as Thoroughbreds.

But six months later Guntawang was on the market, and Ms Eather recalls the uncertainty following the change in ownership.

At the time it was expected the Pethes would bring their own staff to the property and she was trying to come up with a plan for her future.

It was during an early conversation with Mr Pethe, who noted they had not yet made any plans for Guntawang, that she began to consider how her own equine business could look.

"I put together a little business proposal. I look back at it now and oh God it was just so basic, but I just never actually thought it was ever going to eventuate," she said.

Her proposal noted the services that could be offered thanks to the existing facilities, which included numerous paddocks with shelters, a gallop track, and stable blocks.

"There's so much scope for a huge variety of services and they looked at it and they were like, 'yep, go for it'. I think I cried, it was just it was so overwhelming," she said.

From there, Kalil Equine was born. Ms Eather said most of her clients came through word of mouth, with Dubbo trainer Clint Lundholm an early supporter.

Most of the client's horses were spellers, either established racehorses or young Thoroughbreds which been in work, but were ready for a break.

But the business also caters for horses that need rehabilitation, which could range from bone chip surgeries to tendon injuries, along with mares coming to foal.

It was a common misconception that spelling horses were simply tipped out in the paddock, she said.

Horses were weighed and photographed as soon as they arrived so owners and trainers could be updated on their progress.

She aimed to keep the environment as stress free as possible and each horse had its own dietary requirements and was closely monitored in all aspects.

Ms Eather said about 93 per cent of spellers so far had won or placed in their first three starts back. She said it was also a privilege to work at such an historic property that was beloved by the community.

"You'll never find anywhere like this place. To be able to say I live here and to run my business out of it, it's just unbelievable. It's more than I could ever dream of," she said.