Please call him Russ! Russ is the founder of Artisan Equine and has been working in the thoroughbred industry for over a decade, using his mechanical and engineering background dealing with a wide range of equine equipment, primarily treadmill, walker and fabrication related.
Prior to that, Russ held an operations role managing the aftersales and customer service division for a very well-known automotive brand in Australia where the customer satisfaction index (CSI) was the number one priority. At that time, the brand enjoyed a CSI rating of number one over all categories measured.
Russ believes that customer satisfaction through having a great product, and level of after-sales support is absolutely key to the success of any business, including Artisan Equine. In many ways, Russ is old school, preferring to talk to people face-to-face with a good old fashioned handshake.
He’s also renowned (by the team) as loving to have a chat with his customers, suppliers or anyone who might be walking past. Interestingly, Russ is also a part time beekeeper and is always happy to give honey away to Artisan Equine customers.
Susanne (she prefers to be called Shane) supports Artisan Equine as a digital marketing assistant, working behind the scenes to help keep the brand active and engaging online.
Her role includes managing social media content, updating the website, writing blogs, and supporting the team with email marketing and other digital tasks. With a background in content creation and admin support across a range of industries, Shane brings a creative yet practical approach to every project.
Outside of work, Shane enjoys slow mornings, family time with her two toddlers, and anything that involves good coffee and quiet moments.
James is our leading hand fabricator and the longest serving member of the Artisan Equine team.
James is the kind of guy who gets in and gets the job done – whatever job you throw at him, he’ll get it sorted. A qualified joiner with a natural knack for pulling things apart and building them better, he has been fixing, modifying, and making things work since he was a kid.
It is a joy to have James in our team. He brings not just experience, but a solid work ethic, a cool head, and the kind of loyalty that keeps a team running strong.
When he’s off the clock, you’ll usually find him off-road in his 4×4, camping in the bush, or sharing a few laughs around the fire with his mates. He’s into the extreme stuff too – 4×4-ing that pushes the limits.
Ryan is our resident Mechanical Engineer and all-round top bloke from Cambridge, England.
Ryan’s the kind of guy who’s enjoyed taking things apart since he could walk – and luckily for us, he knows exactly how to put them back together even better. From repairing motorbikes to fine-tuning treadmill builds, he brings precision, curiosity, and a genuine love for the job into everything he does.
He’s also big on travel, loves a good chat, and never misses a chance to hear someone’s story.
We’re lucky to have him on the team – bringing brains, heart, and a whole lot of mechanical know-how to Artisan Equine.
Noah is a qualified mechanic by trade.
His role includes on-site work where he carries out routine maintenance and repairs on walkers and treadmills, and is also one of the kingpins with installations.
Noah has a great and positive personality and enjoys getting out onsite and just getting jobs done.
When not out onsite, Noah is busy in the workshop, getting his hands dirty with maintaining and refurbishing the second-hand and rental fleet of treadmills, plus fabrication duties for brand new Artisan Equine machines and equipment.
Meet Darren – one of our skilled welder fabricators here at Artisan Equine.
Darren brings over 30 years of fabrication experience to the team, with a strong background in MIG welding, chassis builds, and precision work across steel, aluminium, and stainless. He’s been on the tools since the early ’90s and knows his way around a workshop like the back of his hand.
Outside of work, Darren’s a family man through and through – he’s got a loving wife, two boys, and a love for golf, fishing, and cheering on the footy.
We’re stoked to have someone with his experience, work ethic, and easygoing nature on board.
Meet James, a qualified Boilermaker with over 25 years of fabrication experience under his belt. From structural steel to truck bodies and everything in between, James has worked across a wide range of industries and knows his way around the tools.
He’s efficient, motivated, and always brings a positive, team-first attitude to the workshop. Whether he’s welding up a complex build or helping sort things in the yard, James is someone we can count on to get the job done right.
Outside of work, James is big on cars, motorbikes, music, and the great outdoors. He’s just as comfortable on the drums or guitar as he is behind a welding mask – and if he’s not in the shed, you’ll probably find him out boating or fishing on a day off.
We’re happy to have someone with his skills, passion, and good energy on the team.
Ian is a skilled coach builder by trade with a solid background in the vehicle and metal fabrication industries. Over the years, he’s worked on everything from Melbourne’s rail and tram cars to interstate coaches and domestic buses – a true craftsman with a passion for building things that last.
Originally from Sydney, Ian spent his younger years in country NSW’s Great Lakes region before making his way to Melbourne.
When he’s not on the tools, you’ll find Ian behind a drum kit or out in the bush. He’s big on fishing, gold prospecting, camping, and bushwalking – a born outdoorsman with a love for the land and a good yarn around a fire.
We’re proud to have Ian on board, bringing years of hands-on experience, a steady approach, and a true appreciation for quality workmanship.
Gareth sub-contracts to Artisan Equine and is pretty much a full-time team member and considered a permanent fixture of the team.
Gareth’s role is to take care of all of the electrical equipment on our treadmills and walkers, plus where possible, carry out electrical repairs to equipment out in the field. Gareth is also responsible for creating brand-new operating programs and spends a lot of his time working on the new proto-type machines we have in the pipeline.
Weekends for Gareth are generally enjoyed with his family.
Rob and Russ met when he worked for Horse Gym some years ago.
Rob was installing a water treadmill and Russ was installing a walker. The two stayed in touch ever since, and when HorseGym pulled out of Australia in 2021 and Rob found himself without employment, it was a no-brainer to bring Rob into the team.
Rob has an absolute wealth of knowledge on treadmills in general, particularly the HorseGym brand. He also has an extensive knowledge of the various horse industries from thoroughbreds, to trotters to performance horses.
Rob is based in Queensland and is truly skilled when it comes to treadmill maintenance.
If you would like to learn more about our products and services or have a specific engineering need that requires a quote please fill out the attached form.
