Nine-year Australian stock horse ambassador, long-time entertainer and bush poet Guy McLean was at Beef2024 with four of his 34 stock horses.
Performing for the fourth time at Beef Australia from Monday 6 to Friday 10 May, the 49-year-old horseman taught attendees his tips and tricks of the trade, all with his wicked sense of humour.
Driven by passion, Guy and his wife Emily travel the world, exploring, teaching and connecting with other horsemen and agricultural enthusiasts.
“When I come to these events and I look out in the audience and see men, women and children who live on the farm, I say to myself those are the people I am trying to represent when I entertain and travel the world,” Guy said.
“It’s great to share my passion with people and I love what I do.”
Being the youngest of five boys and having an age gap compared to his siblings, Guy said he felt left out.
Growing up, Guy’s brothers were very hands-on and talented sportsmen who were useful on the farm with machinery and mechanics.
Guy was restricted in the areas his brothers thrived in as he was required to wear glasses throughout his younger years, making it difficult to play ball sports.
After feeling negatively overshadowed throughout his younger years, Guy never would have thought that his internal passion would turn out to be his incredible talent.
“I am grateful that I felt a little lost in my younger years because I soon found that when I was with my horses I didn’t feel this way,” he said.
“Horses have helped me grow and overcome many challenges I have faced in my life, and I am greatly thankful for that.”
Guy was born in Melbourne, Victoria in 1975, and raised on his parents’ 1600-acre property near Hervey Bay.
Over two years, the McLean family formed Susan River Homestead, a holiday ranch resort.
Wanting a life away from the city streets, Guy’s mother and father searched for numerous opportunities to provide for their family, hence sparking Guy’s passion for horses at just 16 months old when he was seated on one for the first time.
From there, his passion flourished into a lifelong dream.
When he was just four years old, Guy would ride his Chestnut mare, Sunny alone on rides with the guests’ of his parent’s homestead resort.
Towards the end of these rides, Guy would tend to fall asleep on the last mile home and Sunny would carry him safely back to the yards.
When he was 15 years old, Guy began working and eventually took over the trail riding duties at the homestead, along with training and educating the general public’s horses.
Guy was in charge of and training all of the guest’s horses, totalling to 50.
On top of this, at the age of 21, Guy discovered his sentiment with poetry and would perform it while on horseback for the homestead guests.
“I would ride in on my horse with my ‘Dry as Bones’ jacket and perform for them,” he said.
“Even though I can perform in front of thousands of people, I am still very shy.
“I have wanted to be a horsemen for as long as I can remember and when the other kids all wanted to be firemen and police officers, I wanted to be a horsemen.”
Although Guy’s biggest weakness is creating a personal and mutual connection with every horse he rides, it is also one of his biggest strengths.
“I develop a special bond with all of the horses I ride,” Guy said.
“I could be a breeder but I get too attached to them.
“I had to sell four of my best horses when I was 20 and it was like a nightmare.
“The poetry people wanted to pay to see me and I thought this is a way I can keep my horses.”
Soon after Guy began performing his poetry, many guests complimented his horsemanship and asked him to do demonstrations for them, which he has done for 28 years.
“I became an entertainer because I knew I wanted to be a horseman from a young age,” he said.
“It could be three minutes until I die and I will still be riding a horse.”
Guy’s first horse and to this day, his best mate, is a then four-year-old Golden Dun Colt he called Nugget, who was bought for $200 out of a bush paddock an hour away from the homestead.
Once Guy finished his job and left the homestead, he became an entrepreneur and started his own horse training business with Nugget, Quietway Performance Horses.
The pair were then in the bridle and saddle for the next 12 years, travelling across the globe, and leading their equine team in Australia.
In 2002 and 2006, Guy was appointed as the official Ambassador of the Outback through his horsemanship, bush poetry and whip-cracking.
Guy was awarded the inaugural winner of Equitana’s and Way of the Horse competitions in 2005.
For many years, Guy and his beloved Nugget have been recognised as a national treasure and living legends, having performed in front of over one million people.
“I am an introvert in an extrovert’s world but I love what I do,” he said.
Now at the next stage of his fantastic career, Guy continues to go global with his business Quietway Performance Horses, with Nugget being the sire of three of his international horses.
As time continues, Guy said that although he is ageing, he believes it is important for the younger generation to understand the importance of horses and how to ride them.
“They close the box on you but you never stop being a horseman,” he said.
“I think horses are incredible for teaching our kids honesty and humility and to have a hard work ethic.
“The very best-bred horses all have the same thought mentality, you can’t look into a mirror and frown and expect a smile in return, the horse is the same.”
