Owned and campaigned by Morgan and Emma Webb, Western Acres has developed into a reliable and consistent performer across both the Stockman’s Challenge and Campdraft arenas.
He is sired by Acres Destiny out of One Moore Diva, a mare well regarded for her toughness and ability in both Cutting and Campdrafting. Before purchasing him, Morgan and Emma spoke with a number of people in the Industry about One Moore Diva and consistently heard how genuine and durable she was. Alongside their own positive experiences with Acres-bred horses, it gave them confidence they were buying into a solid, performance-based pedigree.
Western Acres was purchased as a two-year-old at the Nutrien Classic Sale in Tamworth from Russ Bradley. From early on, they felt he was a very natural type of horse. He was broken in by Will Durkin before heading north, where he spent time mustering as a young horse. That experience as a two and three-year-old played a big role in shaping his work ethic and toughness and set him up well for a career in the Campdraft and Challenge arenas.
He showed ability early, winning the Battle on the Bidgee Stockman’s Challenge as a three-year-old, which was a nice result for a young horse starting out. Since then, he’s gone on to build a strong and consistent record, with wins across several major challenges and standout performances at the Nutrien Classic Challenge, going Reserve Champion in 2024 and Champion in 2025. For Emma, that Classic win was a special milestone, being the first she’d achieved with a horse she’d purchased out of Tamworth.
One of the more memorable moments came in the brumby catch final at Battle on the Bidgee. After drawing a tough brumby and finding themselves slightly out of position early, Western Acres stayed composed, used his natural speed and athleticism, and worked his way through it to get the job done. It’s a good reflection of his makeup, very fast, athletic and tough, with a willingness to keep trying no matter the situation.
Emma describes him as one of the nicest horses to ride, whether that’s out mustering or in the competition arena. He’s a horse that stays with you, keeps his mind on the job, and gives you a consistent feel each time you ride him. His natural speed, athleticism and toughness allow him to cover all aspects of the job, from jumping in challenges to handling cattle and brumbies with confidence.
His time spent working in the north is still evident in the way he travels and handles stock. He’s quick across the ground, light through the sand, and has the strength and toughness to back up his runs and keep performing.
At home, he’s a very genuine, good-natured horse to have around. He’s easy to do anything with, straightforward to handle, and fits in with whatever’s asked of him, whether that’s a day’s work or time in the arena. He’s the type that makes himself a pleasure to have in the team.
As a sire, he’s already showing plenty of promise. His foals are proving to be very athletic, with good minds and a trainable nature. They’re consistent in type, with a neat front, quality head and good rein, and appear to be early developing. Morgan and Emma feel he will suit Stock Horse mares particularly well, adding speed, toughness and practicality into their breeding program.
Looking ahead, the plan is to keep campaigning Western Acres at the major shows while continuing to build a team of young horses by him. The focus remains on keeping him sound, happy and performing, while giving him every opportunity to keep improving. He’s a horse that’s been genuine from day one, he’s already put together a strong record and looks to have a big future ahead of him.
