The first report I have found of a highland Pony on Australian shores, is of a young girl’s highland pony being swam ashore near Melbourne in 1835.
I did not find any recorded actual importations until 1887 which was the importation of the highland pony stallion “Glengarry” by Mr Samual McNaughton.
Glengarry was imported as an aged stallion and much sort after, producing numerous offspring in Australia but unfortunately died in mid-1889.
The pony Glengarry, imported by Mr S. Macnaughton, Maclean, Clarence River, is the type of animal not to be found elsewhere in the colonies, and these animals are now, indeed, very rare in the old country. Glengarry was bred by the Duke of Athole, and was by his celebrated pony Glentilt.
Mr Samual McNaughton then imported the 2-year-old dun stallion “Balranald” to replace Glengarry in 1889. Balranald was also a much sort after stud, and I have been able to find a number of recordings of him over the following years.
(Drawing of Glengarry sourced from trove/newspaper archives)
The next recorded importation of a highland pony to Australian shores was the importation of the stallion “Hyskeer” in 1913 by D.E. Grant of Moonyoonooka, WA.
Hyskeer was breed by the late J.H. Munro Mackenzie of Calgary, unfortunately I couldn’t trace any of his progeny but at the time, breeders were being advised that the highland pony cross, during the Boar War, was far superior to any others and there are records of one of Hyskeers colts being exported to America, from Scotland, for this exact purpose around the same time.
The next importation was of a stallion by the name of “Blair Essan” in 1938 by G.R. Nicholas.
In 1961 the Barrymoor Stud in Victoria imported the stallion Glenearn Brigadier and the mare Penny Farthing.
This combination produced the well-known and influential stallion Barrymoor Grand Final.
In the late 1970s, three mares were imported for the Taranganba Stud in Queensland, Debbiedene, Druid of Croila, Gipsy Melody of Turin Hill along with the stallion, Trooper Macpherson of Croila. Debbiedene was in foal when imported to Glenaylmer, which produced the filly Taranganba Dinah.
Then in 2001 the stallion Maverickdene was imported to Australia by Jim & Myra Currie of the Currie Park Stud in Pinjarra Western Australia.
Scott McGregor imported 10 Highland ponies to Australia in 2006. These ponies included the stallion Fyfedene and young colt Fourmerk Royal Scott, along with the mares Steffiedene, Brodiedene, Jasminedene, Tathradene, Maliboudene, Roslyndene and Ballinton Islay Sky as well as the gelding Ballinton Islay Bruar.
In more recent years 2018 seen the importation of Gillean of Liosmor by Sue Jarman of the Rosemarkie stud in NSW. Gillean of Liosmor not only brings over new bloodline but the rare silver dilute gene yet to exists amongst the highland ponies in Australia.
2019 seen the importation of the NZ stallion, Finnglenny of Hilcrest, by Pamtab Park Highland Ponies. Unfortunately, Finnglenny suffered a breeding injury in Dec 2021 which results in him having to be gelded, only having sired a handful of progeny in Australia.
The lastest importation was at the beginning of 2024, where Katheryn from Corrie of Clova stud imported the Highland Pony stallion Balmoral Jasper and the mare Glory of Gaick.
Amy Young
