Southern Cross Celestial Pearl, 8 months pregnant, arrived in June 2008 and despite being our first Shire horse on site, it didn’t stop her from dominating all that lived here. Pearl was never overtly aggressive, a flick of her ears, stamp of her foot and a fierce expectation of compliance and it just happened. Pearl never tolerated being pushed to do anything, things were done when she was ready, helpful non-Shire persons offering to ‘make’ her comply, soon handed the task back, her passive defiance bested many and made us laugh when finally completing with a swish of her tail and I swear a smirk on her face. Pearl was a stunning black beauty; her three white socks and striking blaze were a sight to see as she galloped toward you, a very attentive mare to all her foals and produced two colts for Deacons Gate Shires. Sadly our beloved Pearl passed during a surgical procedure in 2016 and we will always miss her gorgeous presence. The eight precious years Pearl was in our lives keeps us motivated, we breed Shire horses to conserve an endangered species, but more than this, we hope to enable others in beginning their own magical connections and journey with their Shire horses.

Southern Cross Celestial Pearl
Purebred Shire Mare 16.2 hands
Date of Birth: 03/11/1999
Dam: Loncopy Sovereign Pearl
Sire: Nottage trump Card

Deacons Gate Quantum Rebel was our first Shire foal born at our stud, a beautiful black colt with 4 white socks and a textbook birth for us being first time breeders. Having a Shire colt about the place was delightful, he soon presented as a thinking personality, carefully considering his options before stepping forward, his dam’s personality clearly evident. He was a striking colt and as we proudly exhibited our first ‘Deacons Gate’ Shire in those early years, we learnt more as we guided him into a respectful stallion, testament to his nature, he shared his paddock with the weanling colts as they transitioned until he headed to NSW to become one of many stallions on a working property and from all reports he sires excellent heavy set foals each season that his new owners are very happy with.

Deacons Gate Quantum Rebel
Purebred Shire stallion 17 hands
Date of Birth: 09/09/2008
Dam: Southern Cross Celestial Pearl
Sire: Trelow Father Abraham

Arcadian Duchess, a beautiful black filly was our second Shire mare to arrive at Deacons Gate in January 2009. Duchess was like a large puppy, not concerned with human activity until food was imminent, no idea about personal space and seemed to be genuinely surprised at events unfolding around her that she had created jumping in without a moment’s thought. Thankfully over the years Duchess’s ‘opposite of Pearl’ personality matured and she has produced some stunning foals. We still struggle with her mindless determination to trash feed bins and fences but she has mellowed, she experiences less surprising outcomes and is truly content with her position as head of the herd since Pearl’s passing.

Arcadian Duchess
Purebred Shire brood mare 17.2 hands
Date of Birth: 07/09/2006
Dam –Arcadian Lucky Star
Sire – Wyee Archer

Deacons Gate Kytan, Duchess’s first foal, was a skinny, leggy colt and initially we thought there had been some mix up with the semen, thankfully Kytan, with much of his dam’s personality, matured into a hulk of a Shire horse standing well over 18 hands.  He is a striking black beast, 3 white socks, kind and gentle and was mostly unaware of his size until he matured. Kytan now lives in North QLD and is known locally as King Harold and is his master’s treasure under saddle and soon in harness just because he can.

Deacons Gate Kytan
Purebred Shire gelding 18 hands
Date of birth: 19/10/2010
Dam: Arcadian Duchess
Sire: Luscombe What’s Wanted

Deacons Gate Salazar, Pearl’s second colt born at Deacons Gate was a chunky, active dark bay, 3 and a half socks and a distinctive solid blaze like his dam. Zar, as we affectionately call him, was always a companion Shire, always wanting to be in the thick of the action but never overpowering or challenging despite being a colt. Shown extensively because he is just so easy to trot around the country, this beautiful Shire meets so many of the breed specifics we aim for and we are proud to note, he was 2015’s Australian National Shire Horse Show Supreme Shire Champion. Sadly his capacity as our stud stallion proved to be infertile and Zar was gelded in 2016. Zar being our only gelding on site has surprisingly moved into a star foal minder role, providing protection, instruction and control. Zar is broken to saddle, is such a delight to ride, follows direction even though he is well aware of his size and strength, has the most exceptional movement that is an absolute joy to watch.

Deacons Gate Salazar
Purebred Shire gelding 17.1 hands
Date of birth: 25/02/2010
Dam: Southern Cross Celestial Pearl
Sire: Arclid Minshul Monty

Deacons Gate Cerefin, Duchess’s second foal presented with issues from the moment of birth, but this black filly with the question mark blaze, was tenacious and never gave up. With each dire circumstance there was an outcome, a semblance of being on the other side of that worry and a period of growth and health only to be knocked sideways with another diagnosis just as rare or devastating. For years this beautiful girl pulled through and fought for every breath and we fought so hard beside her. Her last year was amazing, free of all past pain and medical issues, she towered at 17.1 hands, we had successfully tested positive for her first foal and life was relaxed and peaceful. Cerefin was a stunning mare, 3 white socks and a spot, fantastic hooves, a soft inquisitive personality despite the years of difficulty. Finally we were moving forward and we had stopped looking for signs of distress or presentation with every breath, so we were totally shocked when Cerefin passed suddenly 12/07/2016, a heart attack attributed to her weakened heart after surviving endocarditis two years before. This graceful filly was such a joy to know and speaks so much for the steadfast qualities of the Shire breed.

Deacons Gate Cerefin
Purebred Shire mare 17.1 hands
Date of birth: 15/11/2011
Dam: Arcadian Duchess
Sire: Luscombe What’s Wanted

Deacons Gate Aurora, Duchess’s third foal and Deacons Gate’s fifth foal, is a gem and definitely an old soul. This big grey filly, 4 white socks, stripe blaze and a little belly splash, was self-sufficient from the get go, she was into everything but never seemed to be surprised with any outcome, always calm and if she did get stuck, she would wait patiently for help to arrive. Aura as her new owners affectionately call her is simply the most laid back foal we’ve ever produced, supremely confident but thoughtful in all that she does.  We marveled at Deacons Gate’s first grey Shire, one of only 150 registered Grey Shires in the world and whilst the odds are 1 in four in producing a grey from her parentage, it was still a surprise. But what a filly, adorable, trainable, meets all Shire breed specifications and has moved to WA where she continues to mature and impress her new family with her swift achievements.  Aura has big kind eyes that say, I’ve done this before, I got this, even though you know she has never been asked to complete the task before.  Aura is a stunning filly already turning white having just turned 3.

Deacons Gate Aurora
Purebred Shire filly 17.1 hands
Date of birth: 14/09/2013
Dam: Arcadian Duchess
Sire: Luscombe What’s Wanted

Shandell Park Lucius, Our magnificent Shire Stud Stallion arrived at Deacons Gate 30/03/2016.  He is an amazing example of the Shire breed, 17.1 hands, jet black, 3 white socks and hair that Fabio would be envious of.  Awarded Sydney Royal Shire Champion of 2016 and brings exceptional blood lines into our stud as we move forward. He comes to us having successfully sired a number of cracking foals in NSW and was on the job within the first week at Deacons Gate with Cerefin’s confirmed pregnancy. Currently the big fluffy cruises the boundary reminding the girls he’s ready to work anytime and happily ignores the snaky replies from already pregnant mares residing in the paddocks around him. Next season our Fabio is going to be busy with our 3 mares up for action in 2017.

Shandell Park Lucius
Purebred Shire Stallion 17.1 hands
Date of birth: 22/01/2013
Dam: Wyee Olympic Rose
Sire: Bewholme Edward

Deacons Gate Fiera, Duchess’s fifth foal and Deacons Gate’s seventh foal, is a cutie, typically inquisitive, black, 3 white socks and a knee cap splash. Fiera has a huge independent streak that has got her into trouble with her dam many times.  Fiera is feisty, she was eager to display her double barrel kicking trick from day 2, fought everything from a lead rope session to being contained, but despite all of her excessive physical attributes, she has proven to be a quick learner and usually complies on the first repeat. Fiera is a cracker, playful and runs everywhere, her very first exploration, once she got her feet together after birth, was to run around for over 30 minutes causing Duchess some consternation in having to keep up.  Exploration consumes her days, peppered of course with flop down snoozes as foals do and has settled into an alternating sequence between Zar’s protection and mum for feeds and has learnt not to dally should mum call.

Deacons Gate Fiera
Purebred Shire filly will mature to 17 hands
Date of birth: 09/10/2016
Dam: Arcadian Duchess
Sire: Luscombe What’s Wanted

Mingara Charlotte, our latest Shire mare to arrive, a beautiful black mare, full face blaze, 4 white socks and a delightfully canny personality that presents far younger than she is, was delivered at noon 14/12/2016. Charlotte brings vital duties to our herd, a successful brood mare for many years, she comes to Deacons Gate already confirmed pregnant and we excitedly await this foal’s arrival and hope for many more with our luscious Lucius. Charlotte is a sweetie, loves a cuddle, is adjusting well to the heat and is slowly winning her place in the herd.

Mingara Charlotte
B Grade Registered Shire Mare 16 hands
Date of birth: 18/09/2005
Dam: Jeanal Jean (Registered Clydesdale)
Sire: Mingara Masterful