Peter and Jackie Hill of Dawsonvale, Taroom QLD, purchased Kneipps Talisman as a three-year-old from Darrin Jones for $25,000 at the 2024 Tamworth Nutrien Classic Sale. Although the purchase was unplanned, the young stallion has quickly proven to be a valuable and promising addition to their team.
Bred with performance in mind, Kneipps Talisman is by One Stylish Pepto and out of Kneipps Charisma, a mare by the legendary Hazelwood Conman and out of the well-performed campdraft mare Boonal Serenade. With such a foundation, blending renowned cow horse bloodlines with proven campdraft success, it was no surprise that he made an early impression in the challenge arena.
As a two-year-old, he was a finalist at both the 2022 Toowoomba Supreme and the Dalby Stock Horse Challenge, showcasing his potential right from the start.
In 2023, he stepped up again with a strong performance at the ARBC Classic Challenge, finishing in 3rd place. That same year, he took out the Dry Work section of the Dalby Stock Horse Encouragement Challenge with an impressive score of 91 and placed 10th overall in the Classic Challenge Horse of the Year standings, a testament to his consistency and natural ability.
Since transitioning to campdrafting with Peter, Kneipps Talisman has continued to develop into a competitive and reliable horse. In 2024, he impressed at Paradise Lagoons, placing 3rd in the Classic Challenge and winning the Cut Out in the wet work phase. He also earned another 3rd place in the Futurity, opening with a standout 90-point round. His cut-out ability has become a standout feature, with Highest Cut Out awards earned at the Kragra Futurity Draft, Theodore Spindle & Spurs Futurity Draft, and the Warrego Campdraft Maiden B.
He consistently placed across various futurities and maiden drafts throughout 2024, including 6th at both Theodore and the Taroom Golden Horseshoe, where he was also the Highest Scoring Local Rider. He went on to place 7th at the Roma Golden Hobbles and finished as a finalist in the Future Stars Futurity Series at Alpha.
Now in 2025, he continues to gain momentum. He placed 4th in both the Taroom Golden Horseshoe Maiden A and the Warrego Campdraft Maiden B, once again taking out the Highest Cut Out score, this time with a 23.
Standing at 15.1hh, Kneipps Talisman is a striking combination of athleticism, trainability, and quiet temperament. At home, he spends his days as a work horse mustering and continues to mature with more time and miles under his belt. The Hill family plans to retain him as a home sire while continuing his campdraft career.
His first foal is due in the 2025 breeding season, out of their Acres Destiny x Chevin Ivory mare “Beyonce Black Betty.” Excitedly, Peter and Jackie are eager to see the type of foals he produces and hope he’ll go on to sire quality performance horses across a range of mare lines.
With natural talent, and the kind of results that speak for themselves, all achieved at such a young age, Kneipps Talisman is shaping into a genuine all-rounder with a promising future as both a performance horse and sire.
