Craig Vincent swoops on Regional Business Award

While it was “just a chat over a beer with a mate”, Mr Vincent ran with it.

Now Portable Horse Stables is literally off and running, recently taking out the Startup Superstar gong at the Quality Tamworth Business Awards, before going on to pick up the same award at last Friday’s Regional Awards.

“It was a huge surprise, I was very excited just to be in there amongst it all,” he said.

“At the end of the day I am just enjoying doing what I am doing.”

The success of the Portable Horse Stables brand could be put down to a combination of a keen business mind, and a series of fortunate events after he chose a passion for Japanese studies over agriculture in year nine.

The boy that grew up in the Moonbi Hills, went to Bendemeer Public and then TAS eventually found himself trading wool for global giants Itochu in Japan, before moving back to Sydney in 2000.

When Itochu bought the starch factory in Tamworth Mr Vincent had gone full circle.

He had also met his wife Gretel, a Tamworth girl, in Sydney, and started a family.

While Mr Vincent continues to trade commodities for Itochu most days, in his spare time he is holding the reins of the Portable Horse Stables juggernaut.

“I got a sample made up in China in March last year, inspected them and ordered a container full,” he said.

“It took me two or three months to sell those 40 stables, but I am on to my fifth container now, and they are selling before they even arrive here – I have sold 150 stables in the last 12 months.

“It really has exceeded all my expectations, I just found a whole in the market and now I am starting to get some bigger commercial customers coming in – it is very exciting.” 

Having the AELEC in his backyard, and plenty of local contacts in the equine industry has also been critical to his success.

“To have the best equine facility in the southern hemisphere here is great, and I have also had lots of great local support to help me startup,” he said.