John Bolstad spent 30 years working as a stockman on cattle stations in Australia where he learnt the value of heritage stock horses.
''They are a unique breed with a calm nature, he says. ''They are incredibly versatile, reasonably new to New Zealand, and can be used for farm work, polo, polocrosse, dressage, eventing, pony club events and recreational riding.
''Their temperament is absolutely impeccable,'' he says.
John returned to New Zealand in January after being given the choice of a ''lengthy jail sentence or being deported'' for owning an unlicensed firearm.
The .22 rifle was part of a licensed collection and not registering it was a simple oversight, he says. ''OK, I should have had it licensed. It was a blunder on my part.''
He moved to Balcairn first, then to a small farm in Fernside and decided to import two heritage stock horse stallions, Stranraer Response HSH and Bolstad Super Smooth HSH, to establish his stud farm.
He has already had interest in the stallions and is hoping they will attract a wide range of mares.
''Both my stallions are well behaved and easy to handle and both have thrown the same traits in their progeny.''
People interested in checking out the stallions can do so on John's Bolstad Stock Horses Facebook page.
