NMS ONE KNIGHT STAND

Few stallions have built a résumé as diverse and accomplished as One Knight Stand. From an outstanding foundation in the Australian Stock Horse arena, through a successful cutting and challenge career, to becoming one of Australia's most consistent campdraft competitors and emerging sires, One Knight Stand has excelled at every stage of his performance career.

His journey began as a long yearling when he entered the training program of Chris Ware at Wungum Training Stables to commence his education. From the outset, One Knight Stand displayed exceptional natural ability, intelligence and trainability. According to Chris, he was a horse that never seemed to have a bad day, making every stage of his development straightforward and enjoyable.

As a two-year-old, One Knight Stand commenced his Australian Stock Horse campaign, competing successfully in futurities and national events. His talent was evident early, highlighted by being crowned Champion Working Horse at the Australian Stock Horse Nationals as a two-year-old. It was during this stage of his career that Chris and Taylor Ware bought into the ownership of One Knight Stand when the opportunity arose, recognising the exceptional talent and future potential he possessed. It proved to be a decision that would shape the future of their program.

Following his success in the Stock Horse arena, he transitioned into cutting, where his exceptional cow sense quickly came to the forefront. Personally shown by Chris Ware throughout his futurity campaign, One Knight Stand won three of the four major Snaffle Bit Futurities during his three-year-old season. Remarkably, these achievements came despite drought conditions limiting access to cattle and reducing the consistency of his training program, a testament to his natural ability and athleticism. Chris has often described him as an extremely natural cow horse whose ability consistently outweighed the opportunities available to him during that period.

At the completion of his futurity year, One Knight Stand was transferred to accomplished horseman Josh Smith to begin a Stockman's Challenge campaign and prepare for the prestigious Cloncurry Stockman's Challenge. Chris believed the stallion's combination of dry work ability and cow sense would perfectly suit Josh's program. Unfortunately, his Classic year coincided with the COVID-19 lockdown period, preventing many horses from contesting the events they had been prepared for. When the Australian Stockman's Challenge Association introduced a Derby division for affected horses, One Knight Stand seized the opportunity. During the season he won five challenges, ultimately securing both Derby Horse of the Year and Open Horse of the Year honours.

Following his challenge career, One Knight Stand returned home to Wungum for stud duties before embarking on the next chapter of his performance journey under the guidance of Steve and Louise Comiskey. Chris believed Steve's competitive nature, extensive travel schedule and exceptional standard of horse care made him the ideal horseman to maximise the stallion's campdraft potential. For Chris, it was important that a stallion with such significant potential was given every opportunity to compete at the highest level while receiving the best possible care throughout his campaign.

That decision has proven highly successful.

Beginning his campdraft career as a rookie, One Knight Stand quickly established himself as one of the most consistent horses on the circuit. He finished Runner-Up ACA Rookie Horse of the Year in 2022/23 before progressing to claim ACA Novice Horse of the Year in 2023/24. Continuing his rise through the grades, he finished third in the ACA Open Horse of the Year standings in 2024/25 before claiming the coveted ACA Open Horse of the Year title in 2025/26.

Along the way he has accumulated an impressive list of victories and placings at some of Australia's most prestigious campdraft events, including wins at the Clermont Gold Cup, Toowoomba Open Campdraft, Paradise Lagoons Open Campdraft, Mt Coolon Open Campdraft, Nebo Bushmans Carnival Open Campdraft, Belyando Performance Horse Campdraft and Twin Hills Campdraft. His performances at Warwick have been particularly memorable, winning the Aggregate Saddle Trophy for the highest aggregate score across the Warwick Gold Cup and Canning Downs Campdrafts before returning the following year to finish runner-up in the Warwick Gold Cup by just half a point. Consistently competitive at the sport's highest level, One Knight Stand and Steve Comiskey have developed a partnership that continues to place them amongst the leading combinations on the Australian campdraft circuit.

While his own performance record continues to grow, One Knight Stand is simultaneously building an equally impressive reputation as a sire.

His breeding career began strongly, attracting a quality book of mares from his first season at stud. Today, his earliest progeny are already proving themselves in competition, validating the confidence breeders placed in him from the beginning. Across campdrafting, Stock Horse competition and challenges, his offspring are already claiming victories and major placings, including success at Australian Stock Horse Nationals, futurity campdrafts and challenge events.

Chris and Taylor continue to breed many of their own mares to the stallion and are continually impressed by the consistency he stamps into his offspring. His progeny are recognised for their attractive type, smooth movement, big stride and natural cow ability while maintaining the trainability and temperament required to succeed across multiple disciplines. Chris believes consistency is one of the most important traits a stallion can offer, and One Knight Stand continues to demonstrate that quality year after year. From weanlings and yearlings through to performance horses, his offspring display a recognisable look and style that has become synonymous with the stallion.

In recent years, Kempsey Quarter Horses have also returned to utilise One Knight Stand over their own elite broodmare band, further strengthening confidence in his future as a sire. The fact that breeders who knew him from the beginning continue to invest in his genetics speaks volumes about the faith they have in what he is producing.

Still actively competing and only ten years of age, One Knight Stand remains firmly focused on adding to an already remarkable performance record. Under the guidance of Steve and Louise Comiskey, he continues to campaign at major events throughout Australia while pursuing the sport's biggest prizes. With numerous years of competition still ahead of him and his progeny already making their presence felt across multiple disciplines, the future appears exceptionally bright for both the stallion and those breeding to him.

One Knight Stand has already proven himself as an elite performer, a versatile athlete and an emerging sire of significance. Yet perhaps his greatest contribution to the industry is only just beginning. As his progeny continue to follow in his footsteps and his own performance career reaches new heights, he is shaping the kind of legacy that has the potential to influence Australian performance horse breeding for generations to come.

"Everybody needs a One Knight Stand." — Chris Ware