The story of Ace of Spadz began with a long-held ambition of Robert Parish, who, from his younger years in Australia, had dreamed of competing at the highest level in America and one day bringing home a stallion capable of making a lasting contribution to the Australian performance horse industry.
Finding the right horse was a job Robert entrusted to his good friend and trainer, Hayden Upton. Having grown up competing on Australian Stock Horses, Hayden understood the type of horse Australians valued and the qualities needed to succeed across the disciplines. When he came across Ace of Spadz, he immediately recognised him as the horse Robert had been searching for. Robert had complete confidence in Hayden's judgement, knowing he would only recommend a horse he genuinely believed would suit the Australian industry.
By High Brow Cat, a sire Robert had long admired, Ace of Spadz is out of Uno Del Rey, a mare whose progeny have earned more than US$750,000, including 2016 NCHA World Champion Stallion NRR Cat King Cole. With multiple successful full brothers also demonstrating similar qualities, Robert saw the strength of the family and the likelihood of those traits carrying through to the next generation.
Ace of Spadz had been trained and campaigned by Matt Miller through the major American Futurities, where he had already established himself as a consistent performer and won multiple go-rounds. Matt and Hayden were good friends, and Matt spoke highly of the horse, particularly his soundness and temperament.
The original plan was to bring Ace of Spadz straight to Australia, however, he was already entered in the Brazos Bash at Bosque Ranch, one of America's respected aged cutting events. With the purchase effectively finalised, Matt told Hayden, "He's your horse now." Hayden guided him through to the finals.
With the Australian shuttle flights finished for the season, Robert decided to leave him in America a little longer. At the Abilene Spectacular, Hayden returned from the second go-round with the words to Rob, "Somebody bought a good horse." Ace of Spadz made the finals once again, continuing to justify the decision to keep campaigning him in America. He remained there throughout his four, five and six-year-old seasons, competing against some of the best horses in the country.
In 2023, he was Reserve Champion of the $35,000 Novice Classic Open at the Abilene Spectacular. Across 2023 and 2024, he continued to feature as an Open finalist at major events, including the Brazos Bash, Abilene Spectacular and Breeders Invitational. For Robert, his performances were particularly significant given the level of competition he was facing, consistently holding his own against some of America's leading cutting horses.
His ability also attracted attention beyond the cutting arena. At the Brazos Bash, Reined Cow-Horse trainers who were in town for the Snaffle Bit Futurity watched the five and six-year-old finals and were impressed by the way he stopped and moved. Their interest quickly turned to enquiries about breeding opportunities, recognising qualities that could translate well into other performance disciplines.
Interest in Ace of Spadz extended to Australia before he had even made the journey home. Frozen semen was shipped across while he was still competing in America, with 86 mares bred in his first Australian breeding season.
Today, he stands at Beljay Performance Horse breeding facility in Queensland, where Belinda Staib and her family have welcomed him as one of their own.
His first Australian progeny are now early two-year-olds and have recently commenced their education under saddle. The early feedback from owners has been remarkably consistent, with his offspring being described as easy to handle, trainable and naturally inclined to stop. Several owners have already expressed their intention to retain their young horses, recognising the qualities they are seeing develop.
For Robert, temperament is perhaps one of the most important qualities Ace of Spadz can contribute to the Australian industry. It is a trait he believes is deeply established throughout the Uno Del Rey family and one that is already becoming evident in his progeny.
Combining the influence of High Brow Cat and the proven producing strength of Uno Del Rey with his own record against elite American competition, Ace of Spadz offers Australian breeders a pedigree backed by performance, strength and exceptional temperament. As his first progeny begin their careers, Ace of Spadz represents an exciting addition to the Australian breeding industry, bringing together proven American bloodlines and the qualities Australian breeders value.
