Where Are They Now?

In our latest ‘Where Are They Now?’ feature we speak to former Tweenhills alumni Ryan Arnel, now the owner and manager of Stonehouse Thoroughbreds in his native Australia…

From Oz to the UK and Chile

“I moved to Tweenhills in 2010, I think! And worked there for 3-4 years or so – it feels like a lifetime ago! Prior to Tweenhills, I had been to university twice: Melbourne University for a degree in Ag and Marcus Oldham for Equine Business Management. Let’s just say sitting in a classroom wasn’t my thing.

“I started as a jackaroo and moved up to Livestock Manager at Banongill Pastoral in the Western Districts of Victoria. We ran 32,000 sheep and about 6,000 head of cattle. It was a great time but I had to scratch the horse bug so I moved to the UK and started out as assistant manager to Richard Kent at Mickley Stud in Shropshire.

“It was great experience, a real workers’ farm and a great start into the UK pedigrees as Richard is one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve come across in terms of pedigrees/ breeding. Here I was asked to take a stallion, Multiplex, to Chile so off I trundled to South America for a few months. That didn’t come without it’s issues but was a great experience and I highly recommend it!

Back in Blighty 

“On return to the UK is when I started with David and the team at Tweenhills. I think I learnt a lot there without realising it! Which I think is the way to be – sucking up information and knowledge from everyone around you and then working it out for yourself.

“David really showed me the commercial side of our industry and I’m forever grateful. Without David’s leading hand I would never have been in a position to come back to Australia, buy my own farm and run a successful business. David/ Tweenhills put me in positions that I would never have had the opportunity to do so anywhere else.

“Dealing with clients, people skills, staff communication, these are all massive areas of expertise in this industry. Most people in our industry work with animals because they shy away from those important areas so it was invaluable that I could connect these areas in my time at Tweenhills.

Stars on your doorstep

“I had a stint living in down at the polo farm; I can’t remember what we called it. The log cabin. I remember one morning opening my bedroom blinds, looking out on to the yard that is immediately in front of you and realising that every single horse (maybe 6-8 in total) looking straight back at me were Stakes performers, ranging from spellers, rehab horses and horses retiring to breeding. There wouldn’t be too many places where you would see that. Then I thought I better put some pants on in front of such royalty!

“The standout horses for me specifically from Tweenhills have to be Makfi and Harbour Watch. Makfi was the foundation for Qatar Bloodstock and a magnificent horse to work with and look at. I was there from ground zero so to be associated from the start with him was special.

“From his time in training, Harbour Watch had an injury that required close management and I was there from the start with him too, working with him daily to comfort and rehab him to teaching him to perform in the covering barn.

Lasting impressions 

“The comradery we had at Tweenhills was brilliant, though if I say too much here, I’ll definitely be getting myself and others in trouble, even if it is 10 plus years ago! My time there was one of my best lifetime experiences and it’s the people and circumstances around you that make that. I was an Australian lad in his mid-20’s living across the other side of the world. I’m pretty sure we all made some fond memories.

“The pond in front of the stud office at Tweenhills is a well-known birthday treat for all; I hope that tradition still carries on [editor: it does]. There was one time a few of us had to re-paint a staff accommodation; in a nutshell it was far easier to start from scratch than trying to fix it up. We’ll leave it at that!

Going it alone

“Starting my own business was always on the cards for me; to be honest, my original plan was to buy land near Tweenhills and develop a ‘feeder’ agistment farm to Tweenhills. But when border control stepped in and sent me on my way the next logical step was to build everything I learnt from across the globe into a business plan and execute it in Australia – welcome Stonehouse Thoroughbreds!

“I keep in touch with as many as possible and as much as our busy lives allow us – but still have lifelong friendships from Tweenhills. I had a brilliant time seeing everyone again in 2022 when I was able to make it back to my second home to visit. David, Hannah and I have also dabbled in a few horse ownerships together in Australia. Maybe it’s time I get some ownership in UK, so I have another good excuse to travel back. David and Sheikh Fahad were also very supportive in my early years as the business was getting it’s feet.

“Regards my ambitions, as we are about to start our breeding season here in the southern hemisphere that seems to be the only thing on my mind at the present. My short-term aim is equine conception and foaling success. Repro work is an odd passion of mine; I think it comes hand-in-hand with breeding of any animal and pedigrees etc. I’ve been lucky to learn off some top repro guys including John Newcombe in the UK.

High strike rate

“Since starting Stonehouse, on average we breed 60-80 mares a year and we haven’t yet dipped below 92% conception rate at the end of the season, so I want to keep that ball rolling. I want to keep making my print on our industry, worldwide. Currently I sit on the board of Thoroughbred Breeders Victoria as well as Agrifutures Australia and we have some exciting projects to start focussing on, strengthening our industry via research and development.

“Hobbies wise, I’m a sport tragic. Five knee reconstructions and still stubborn enough to try again: boxing, Australian Rules Football and cricket have been my go-to, with my last time in the ring being in 2022. It won’t be my last but I can’t say when!

All creatures great and small

“In the last 12 months I’ve fallen in love again with working sheep dog trials. This is something I did in my late-teens/early-20s and have finally been able to manage my time to jump back in again. Currently I have 8 working kelpies and have been lucky enough to see my fair share of success and ribbons in my short stint back.

“I’ve also taken up the fine art of pigeon racing! I have no idea what I’m doing and so far, I’ve worked out that Australia has a very high population of hawks and falcons. Something different and weird I know, but I think a lot of what I do all relates back to one thing: animal husbandry, specifically breeding and studying genetics. I find that regardless of the animal the same rules still apply.

One for the future

“I’ve been asked to give you a horse to follow. It’s a hard time in Australia at the moment to pick a horse as we have just finished one season and beginning the next racing season, so we haven’t yet seen the new crop of 2yos and the 3yos will only just be starting to come back.

“One horse that has recently taken my eye is a 3yo colt by Justify called Ndola. He had two runs as a 2yo at the back end of the season and now a 3yo win as our season just ticked over to 2024/25. I liked his style, sat out the back after an awkward jump and came home very strong wide.

“I could see him doing the Caulfield Guineas which is a traditional stallion-making race here but has probably lost a little of that in recent years. Hopefully this year a strong 3yo crop can change that. He could also be a 3yo that could make a Cox Plate run, which is not so common over here but the light weight in weight-for-age class is always attractive to owners/ trainers.”