CM Sporthorses - About Us! Get to know us a little!

The History Of CM Sporthorses! - 2001 to 2011

Craig and I met on an American
based horse forum on the internet.
It was quite funny, as we were the
only two aussies on there and were
living 2000km apart.

We were both
in other relationships and even
though we struck up a friendship
through the forum, that's all it was!

Down the track when both our
relationships that we were in broke
up, we were chatting and things
developed from there!

When we eventually announced that
we were an item to our American
forum friends, a number of them said
they could see it coming - well, glad
they could, we couldn't!!

Craig and I both come from a very horsey background.
My grandfather got me into horses at a VERY young age and I have never
been without at least one pony or a horse throughout my entire life.
Craig has been into horses most of his life too and even while he was at
sea, had a horse on dry land!

Craig was in the Police Force in NSW for a few years, and left to escape the
city and pursue a life on the water, which he had always been attracted to.

He then went north to QLD and started on boats and gained his Master
Mariners Ticket and worked extensively around the top end of Australia. He
ended up doing security work at a pearl farm for a while among other things,
like driving water taxis, commercial diving, salvage work, commercial fishing
and delivery runs.

He sailed south in his own boat, a salvage that he rebuilt, the Reef City One,
and while skippering a tug had an accident, which put him off the water
permanantly, and very nearly ended the use of his legs.

He has a permanant problem with his shoulder and back now as a result but
works around it and puts up with the pain. Craig worked as a Private
Investigator for some time after recovering from his accident.

It was because of his accident and injury that he was spending time on the
computer and we got to know each other as posters on the horse forum.

He left the Private Investigation job to go manage a Thoroughbred Stud,
which we actually got while looking for a pony for a friend of mine as I was
taking my old pony off her to move to NSW at the time! We didn't find a
pony, but found a job that came with a house instead!

I went through Art College, majoring
in Photography.

I started freelancing as a
photographer at a fairly young age
doing Weddings, Portraiture, Equine
Photography (including Shows), as
well as doing some Design work and
Pencil Portraits, which I have sent all
over the world.

I worked at the Whyalla News in SA
for a while as a photographer, and
darkroom operator, before starting at
a photographic shop as a manager.

I built the shop up from being a very
low rollage, low income shop to quite
a thriving business in a short space
of time. After a few years I decided
that I would head to Adelaide for a
while, and managed another
photographic shop down there, but
lived in the Adelaide Hills so I could
have my horses comfortably.

Eventually I moved back to Whyalla and stayed there for a few years again after some pretty severe health
problems, which are ongoing and havent been sorted out as yet, and more health problems that have popped up
since. It is most frustrating to say the least. I haven't been able to get back into the regular workforce since.
VERY annoying, not only for me, but for Craig and everyone else around me!

I got involved with Riding For the Disabled, and was helping out there as a volunteer for some time, as well as
leasing one of their horses who was a bit harder to place with a leasee as he was fairly strong willed (though on
the lead was an ideal RDA mount).
I have been involved with Pony Club all my life, and have been instructing kids for many years at Pony Club.

Craig and I lived on a Thoroughbred Stud, as I previously mentioned, in the Upper Hunter Valley in NSW for a
couple of years, and got married in the paddock alongside the house under a big old gum tree, on the horses.
We had a small wedding - about 55 people there, and then headed over to Whyalla and had a 'reception' there for
family and friends from SA who it would have been just too dificult for them to come over to NSW!
Click HERE to see our Wedding on Horseback!

We moved to South Australia when we bought my Grandparents property when they moved into a nursing home. I
had grown up here in the area - at Wudinna and Minnipa, and had always loved my Grandparents place and
dreamed of owning it one day. I honestly didn't think it would become a reality! Since being here we have bought
some extra properties, and while we dont have as much space as what we would like, we make what we do have
work for us. It has taken a lot of work, but Craig has done wonders with the place getting the entire place
refenced and yards built. We have a grand total of 38 acres now, that is broken down into 19 or so paddocks
which allows us to rotate the horses around, give paddocks a bit of a spell, sow some of them, cut hay off a couple
at times and effectively manage the space quite well.

We are breeding Cleveland Bay, Warmblood and
Coloured Sporthorses. We want to provide a sane,
sensible, sound horse for people who want something a
little bit special. With both Craigs and my history with
horses, we make a good team and are able to handle
most situations.

Being 300km from the nearest Vet, we need to be able to
handle pretty much everything ourselves. Craig is great
at stitching up too if its required! We keep a fridge and
cupboard stocked full of anything that we may need and
have a vet kit that would make any travelling vet proud!

While we are quite some distance from Vets and quite a
lot of other services, we can easily get whatever we need
out here on the bus, or just zip over to Whyalla, Pt
Augusta or Pt Lincoln for anything we may require.

Our latest property that we bought has converted into a
Veterinary Consulting room/clinic, Artificial Insemination
Centre, and a Fodder/Saddlery/Pet & Ag Supplies.

We are no where near done yet, but we are getting
there. It all takes time!

We dont have any human children yet, and it doesn't
look like its going to happen for us - but have plenty of
fur kids....When people ask if we have children, we say
with a laugh "Yes, lots - but all ours we can legally shoot
or sell" - Parents of toddlers or teenagers often say
"Why didn't we think of that?".......

The lifestyle is just what we need. I get too stressed out
in large crowds of people and can't cope, so the very
quiet life suits me best, and thankfully Craig is a bit the
same - he's not keen on big crowds or traffic!

I have Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome
(Yellow Wiggles Disease is what we call it - it's what the
Yellow Wiggle had and had to leave the kids
entertainment group from), as well as Bi Polar Disorder
and Anxiety and Stress issues.

The horses are great 'therapy' even though I can't
physically do anything with them these days - It's been
ages since I have even been ON a horse for more than 5
minutes, let alone actually try to ride properly... But just
knowing they are in the paddock is all the therapy I
need! It's most frustrating because I have to do
everything from a sitting position, and if I try to do
anything standing, I end up passing out - NOT good
when you are around horses!

I have gotten back into driving, and have a wonderful
harness pony, Beau, a lovely little Palouse, who takes
good care of me when we are out in the cart!

We are fairly well involved with the local community
here - Craig is the local SES Unit Manager, I am the
units Admin Officer, we are both involved with Pony
Club - as instructors, and I am also Vice President of
our local club. We supply horses/ponies for those
who want to have a go and don't have their own
horses. I am also on the Minnipa Progress
Association Committee, and we are involved with the
CBHSA in various capacities.

Even though CM Sporthorses is winding up, and Craig and I have gone our separate ways - we are very proud of
what we achieved together with our breeding program and our animals.

Below you will find a bit of history about CM Sporthorses and how it came about - and what we were trying to
achieve. We hope that you enjoy our story and thank our clients over the years and hope to keep in contact
with all those we have met along the way and who have become 'family' - either through friendship alone or
friendship and horse sales!

Warm Regards,
Shell Williams, Reigate Cleveland Bay & Sporthorse Stud
Craig Coburn, Highrail Sporthorses