Merv & Susan Carlson would like to welcome you to Scrubby Creek Paint Horse Stud.
 
Scrubby Creek is located in Harvey Siding and was part of an old dairy farm. In those days there was a railway siding in the area, but like many railway sidings in the area, it has long been defunct. Merv and Susan Carlson purchased the property in October 2002 at an auction. The property was rented out for two years and then the Carlsons moved to their home in April 2004. They have been slowly working on repairs to fences and yards, a crush, troughs, water to paddocks and electricity to the shed! It all takes time and money and the couple look on it as a ‘work in progress’.

Merv was born in Gympie and was the third child of seven children. His parents August and Doris lived on dairy and crop farms at different areas within the Gympie and hinterland region. The children all had chores to do and milked their herd by hand. At 12 he was did some part time farming work in the district. And it is no surprise that his first job was on a farm in the neighbouring area. Merv used to live on the property and every Sunday he’d ride his bike back home for Sunday lunch with the family. He also worked in the forestry helping with the snigging of logs from rough country with a team of heavy horses. Merv was taught to harness them and to shoe the gentle giants. It was not like work for Merv because he loved workhorses. His fondest memory is of the farm workhorse Miller. As a teenager, Merv worked out west and was part of a droving team. He can tell many tails about his life as a drover and the horses they rode. He was also employed as a stockman on vast cattle and sheep properties.

One of his favourite occupations was that of stud groom to show cattle. He worked for Dr Lindsay at South Meadow Red Poll Stud, Nev Shanon of Crow’s Nest and in later years John and Jill Mawhinney (d’ced) of Currajon Stud. At Currajon Stud there were Brafords, Charbrays and Limousin cattle shown throughout South East Queensland. He achieved major successes with all the studs he work for, but one of the biggest thrills for Merv, was winning Best Beef Exhibit at Sydney Royal, Brisbane Exhibition and Gympie shows for three years running with Braelyn Beau Wonder, a Red Poll bull owned by Dr Lindsay. Merv continued to work for the Mawhinneys until their deaths and now works for Jim and Val Mawhinney of Durram View Gunalda, a property that he helped build with John Mawhinney Snr.

Susan Carlson loved horses and loved working with them. This led to a jillaroo position in the Julia Creek area on a sheep station. Susan also worked on a cattle property. But finally got her dream job as a racehorse strapper for Mr Alf Sands on the Gold Coast. Susan strapped such horses as top racer Legal Tender, Prince Reveller, a well know winner at Albion Park, and Black Shar, to name only a few. Susan’s own first horse was an old black workhorse gelding, given to her by the Grimshaws. He was very old but she would take him bread and carrots every day and give him a groom. On her 20th birthday, she was given a yearling colt by the Grimshaws. It was one of the best days of her young life. This horse she called Wanjina and he was part of the family until he died at her parent’s small acreage at Gympie in 1993 at the age of 27.

It was during her time with the Grimshaws that she met her first paint horse. It was a 14.2 hh mare called Jenny. She was a top stock horse and could turn on a three-penny bit and could work cattle or sheep. Susan showed horses at Gymkhanas, Ag shows and jumping events, but it was as a stud groom for Poinciana Park Nerang, that she was re-united with the Paint Horse. Susan never lost her love of Paints and is still breeding and riding them today.

Both Merv and Susan are involved with horse associations but in different areas. Merv is an Honorary Life Member of the Gympie Show Society and is the Grand Parade Marshall and Susan is an Honorary Life Member of the Paint Horse Association of Australia and often assists the PHAA with historical photographs and records. These days Merv and Susan are still playing around with their horses but have cut down the size of their herd. They have concentrated on their colt Hot Shu Shuffle (aka Ben) and hope that he returns to showing after the 2008 breeding season.

Ben was broken in and trained by Scott Sutton of Sutton Reining and was entered in the National Reining Horse Association’s 2008 Futurity, however Ben hurt himself and was prescribed six months rest. He is currently eating us out of house and home and we’re looking forward to his return to Scott for further training.
 
Merv & Susan Carlson
Harvey Siding,   Queensland
Ph   07 5483 1885   ·    Mob   0427 485 597
email    carlson@ozwide.net.au
 
 

visitors since 5th April, 2010.
 
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