"Memphis Park Australian Stock Horses aims to breed some of Australia's best performance horses - breeding for quality, versatility and athleticism."

Hi! Welcome to the Memphis Park ASH performance Horses website. I Crystal Durak with the help of my parents Jenny and Don,  run 'Memphis Park ASH performance Horse stud. We are located near Strathalbyn in South Australia (approximately 70 Km from Adelaide).

Crystal Durak (right) with mother
Jenny Scheepers at an
ASH Judge's workshop, May 2006.

I started riding at the age of 8 years and attended Riding and Pony Club from 1990 – 1996. During this time I competed in Eventing, Show jumping, Novelties, Endurance, Hacking and Dressage. Since then I have gone on to break and train my own horses and competed mainly in Dressage and ASH events at local, royal and state championship level with great success.

Here at Memphis Park we pride ourselves in our horses, every horse is part of a succession plan and is given the best opportunity to be a champion. This is achieved by carefully planned breeding, correct nutrition and management (worm, dental and hoof) and handling.

A bit of history!

In October 1997 I purchased ‘Urrbrae Stockade' as a yearling. Urrbrae Stockade was bred at Urrbrae Agricultural High School, where I attended as a student. I had taken great interest in this young horse as he was sired by Chalani Mystic, owned by Peter and Jeanette Gower of Chalani Australian Stock Horse Stud. I had spent many school holidays at the Gowers' riding with their daughter Kim, learning how to handle youngsters, break them in and train them.

So ‘Urrbrae Stockade' aka Harley was to be my own future competition horse who I would handle, break in and train for myself. As a yearling in January 1998 ‘Urrbrae Stockade' was winner of the Australian Stock Horse Futurity, and repeated this again as a 2 year old in January 1999. In late 1999 I broke in ‘Urrbrae Stockade' and since then have been the only one to ride and train him, with very little tuition over the past 5 years.

Having been quite successful breaking in and continuing to educate ‘Urrbrae Stockade', at the end of 2002, I decided that I would like to breed and train my own competition horses. I chose the Australian Stock Horses because of their intelligence, athleticism and great temperament.

So in January 2003 I purchased my first broodmare ‘She's Ideal' from the Gowers. She's Ideal was a proven broodmare and was in foal to Chalani Toy Soldier. In October 2003 ‘Memphis Park Memory' was born and is now the last colt from the ‘Chalani Pacesetter' line.

‘Chalani Pacesetter' was one of South Australia's leading Australian Stock Horse sires. He was well known for his outstanding movement and reliable temperament. He was a consistent sire of performance horses in all disciplines!

How it is now!

Memphis Park is a small stud where we are more conscious about breeding quality rather than quantity. Our aim is to breed horses with the "whole package". This is why we chose the Australian Stock Horse, as they truly are "THE BREED FOR EVERY NEED!"

Memphis Park horses are bred with athleticism and versatility in mind, only breeding from horses which have the attributes we believe a horse with "the whole package" possesses. These attributes being a good temperament, conformation & movement. We aim to breed a stylish horse that is easy on the eye, calm and responsive. A horse which is not only suitable to use as a pleasure horse but also one that has the presence and courage we all look for in a top level performance horse.

This is all achieved by choosing horses to breed from that have "the whole package" as well as proven bloodlines and a natural ability that is adaptable to many different disciplines.

We feel this allows you more freedom to choose the equestrian discipline you wish to excel in. Whether it be Dressage, Eventing, Show-Jumping, Hacking, Polo / Polocrosse, working classes or Endurance, here at Memphis Park the bloodlines are proven!

We hope you enjoy our website!!