About
Salerno Stud
Built From the Land, Not a Whiteboard
Salerno Stud is part of Salerno Pastoral, a company founded and run by cousins James and Oli Salerno. What began as a working cattle operation evolved into something more: a breeding program driven by practical experience, not marketing hype.
James grew up riding rough horses at El Questro Station in Western Australia’s remote north, long before there was a stud name or breeding plan. After years of building an earthworks business, he returned to the kind of work that felt natural: livestock, land, and horses with purpose.
When he resecured a lease at El Questro, the pieces finally fell into place. What started as a passion project evolved into a tightly run performance program focused on breeding horses with exceptional cow sense, trainability, and sound minds.
At Salerno Stud, we’re not chasing trends — we’re building a legacy.
Mares First, Always
We believe the mares set the tone. That’s why our program is built around a select group with the structure, temperament, and bloodlines to consistently produce results. Their pedigrees include proven sires like Hazelwood Conman, Acres Destiny, Seligman Spin, and Badboonarising—names that matter, not just on paper but in the paddock.
Every horse we breed is raised with long-term potential in mind: to work cattle, compete in campdrafts, or bring balance to a breeding program of its own.
It’s Not Just a Breed. It’s a Culture.
We’re not chasing trends or trying to win the catalogue game. We’re focused on the kind of horses we’d want to ride ourselves—and often do. Horses that think, move, and hold up through the work.
The Australian Stock Horse isn’t just built for versatility—it lives it. And for us, breeding them is about more than performance. It’s about backing a culture that’s stood the test of time.
“To breed a horse that can turn cattle, compete at the top level, and still have the temperament to be a daily partner on the land — that’s what drives us.”
