History of Santa Park
In September 1967 Cecil Reilly purchased Yarrawonga Casper for $4000.
A further two S bulls were selected from Yarrawonga and together with AI programs using mainly Goonoo Barrington Semen over 230 Hoganthulla Shorthorn cows the foundations of the stud no 484 were formed and registered in 1969. The Stud adopted the brand of ORY which was registered in Queensland on February 3rd 1908 by Andrew Reilly, grandfather of Lois for 10 shillings.Andrew left his family property in Donald Victory and joined a group of Victorians moving north seeking fortune in the new lands being opened up by the government. The result was settlement in the Condamine district with Santa Park Studs original home at Rippon Lea. Pictured here is stud founder Cecil Reilly with his Toowoomba show winning "Golden Bullock" along with the carcass and t-bone cuts.
In the beginning the entire draft was purchased by Graham Oliver on behalf of C.S.R until the company properties were disbanded. From that time until the first on property sale September 5th 1988 major buyers of the draft included Mr Arthur Bassingthwaighte on behalf of Q.N.T and King Ranch and Mr Des Stevenson of "Cubbie Station". Mr Bass became and remained until his death a very great friend and most welcomed advisor. Upon the retirement of Cecil in 1981 the stud moved to Mirri Mirri under the principal of Doug and Lois, though Cecil continued an active advisory role. Throughout the years Santa Park has incorporate blood lines from Cumberland, Kerwee, Coolanya, Del Rio, Bilkurra and Innisplains studs. The move to publicly sell the draft saw Santa Park pioneer the practice of selling rising two year old bulls. The following picture shows the original advertisements for the sale complete with Doug and Lois's handwritten version with the cardboard cut out of the Santa Gertrudis bull that was photocopied at the school for distrubution to cattlemen in the local area. A nervous and thrilling time indeed with pre-sale jitters still giving the adrenaline a work out 14 years later.
This time also saw a focus on sires of influence that included King Ranch (KR) Flying Dutchman by High Range Estapol. and KR Lieutenant who was purchased for $45000 at the King Ranch dispersal sale and has shown a remarkable ability to throw length and muscle which has dominated his progeny. Mt Ty Boxer has established himself as solid fertile sire whose offspring have combined well with an on going AI Programme including KR Jancourt, the then SydneyGrand Champion.
The current climate has seen the stud focus on the direction of the ever evolving cattle industry. To this end sires displaying strong, early maturing characteristics and known trait leaders have been selected. Semen packaged in Cumberland Leopold and Canawindra Ockernuey have ensured the success of our AI programme along with solid performers such as Silvia Krikby's Warenda F21, Strathmore General and Rosevale Puggles V81. Of particular note is the pleasing dominance of Waco Gaucho who time and again packs the meat on his progeny. To date his 25 sons presented for sale have grossed $120 500, with an average of $4820.
From the very beginning Fertility has been held in the highest regard and has featured as a theme from the first sale. Now as the Stud continues to expand and consumers demand a quality product it is our mission to provide bulls that meet those demands in the best possible health and ready to work. To this end each year the entire draft is semen tested which has lead to the culling of otherwise perfectly fit bulls every year. As a result of these stringent practices Santa Park has not had a fertility claim since 1997.
Our four daughters are of fifth generation rural background with the Fields family being involved in Dairy farming in Killarney and contracting in South East Queensland. In them we see the future direction of technology and development that rural Australia is taking and look forward to the part that our family and stud will play.