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Taranaki farmer looking on the Brightside in retirement

After more than half a century of milking cows, Edwin Sheather decided he needed to pick-up a hobby to keep him occupied outside of tending to his beef cattle on his 58-acre property. The Taranaki farmer happened across one that could prove to be nearly as lucrative as slicing up his Taranaki farm – breeding thoroughbreds. “I have given up milking cows after 50 years of doing that. I have only got 58 acres left as I am one of those mongrels that have cut their farm up and sold lifestyle bloc...

Mr Brightside in for bumper spring

New Zealand-bred galloper Mr Brightside (Bullbars – Lilahjay (Tavistock) has started his new campaign in winning style, with the five-year-old gelding pulling out too many stops to land the Gr.2 P.B. Lawrence Stakes (1400m) at Caulfield on Saturday. The son of Bullbars has been a winning machine since crossing the Tasman and joining the stable of Ben and JD Hayes, with eight wins from 13 starts for the brothers and A$2.6 million in prizemoney, highlighted by his win in the Gr.1 Doncaster Handi...

BLOG | George Chittick

Keith & Faith Taylor Equine Trust Scholarship recipient George Chittick gives an update on his time in Ireland.We have now entered the final 6 weeks of the Irish National Stud Course of 2022, and I'm confident in saying we did not waste any time or miss any opportunities in the last month. The season slowing down meant that we were able to go on more trips and experience other thoroughbred businesses throughout Ireland. Some places we visited were Tally Ho Stud, Kildangan Stud, Giltown...

Meeting McAnulty- A conversation with the new Minister for Racing

Michelle Saba recently caught up with Kieran McAnulty, who has been in his new role as Minister for Racing since June. As a politician with a lifelong exposure to racing, it was a portfolio he has always hoped to hold and he is delighted to be in the role. He is loquacious as a politician should be, seems to have a dry sense of humour and is quick to share a laugh and a joke. Regardless, he does come across as very genuine in his enthusiasm and his understanding of the industry he is representin...

Stallion Parade Schedule

Click below to get the schedule for the Stallion Parade...

Cheers Brothers

Another Derby win, Cheers Brothers Cheers Brothers (Deep Field - Balmoral Baby) added himself to New Zealand Bloodstock’s growing honour role of Derby winners when taking out the M$2.3m Macau Derby (1800m) on Sunday. The son of Deep Field was purchased out of Kilgravin Lodge’s 2019 New Zealand Bloodstock Book 1 Yearling Sale by trainer Glenn Old and his brother Mark for $150,000. He did his early education under Glenn Old and was sold to Macau after several trial placings.&nbs...

Wilsons celebrate thrilling win

Winning a group race is a great thrill for any owner, but when that owner also bred and trained the horse in question, that thrill is even more exhilarating. No one knows this better than Ashburton-based Bevan Wilson and his wife Robyn who bred, train and race Lord Darci (Darci Brahma – Madam Victoria), winner of the Gr.3 CJC Winter Cup. “It really was a great thrill for us,” Wilson enthused. “I held my breath a wee bit as he came down the straight, it’s been a bit of a trick of his to...

Proposed drinking water regulations seminar on Wednesday

The New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association is inviting industry members to join Federated Farmers for an exclusive presentation on the proposed human drinking water regulations. Federated Farmers Regional Policy Group Manager Dr Paul Le Miere will present the facts linked to legislation for those providing consumable water to others. Proposed changes to the National Environmental Standard for Sources of Human Drinking Water will affect most land owners and users, including fa...

Lord Darci breaks Canterbury hoodoo in Winter Cup

A rails-hugging ride by Terry Moseley paved the way for local runner Lord Darci to break a 22-year hoodoo for local Canterbury stables when he took out the Gr.3 Winning Edge Presentations 125th Winter Cup (1600m) at Riccarton on Saturday. Bred, raced and trained by former All Black Bevan Wilson and his wife Robyn, the five-year-old son of Darci Brahma turned the tables on his last-start conqueror Summer Festival as he out-finished the former Italian Derby winner to win going away by two lengths ...

Waikato branch stallion parade

The annual Waikato stallion tour, organised by the Waikato branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and sponsored by gavelhouse.com, will take place on Saturday August 20 and Sunday August 21, with all welcome. Saturday August 20th 10.00amStud: Mapperley StudAddress: 107 Matai Road, MatamataStallions: Armory, Complacent, Contributer, Savile Row, Vespa and Puccini 11.15amStud: Waikato Stud (lunch provided)Address: 521 Tower Road, MatamataStallions: Ardrossan, Banquo, Noverre...

Vale Alan Burnet

Alan Burnet was an extraordinary man who lived an extraordinary life according to many who crossed his path both professionally and socially during his long life. A great man who was highly respected in every field he was in, Burnet died peacefully in Whanganui in late July at the grand old age of 101. Born in Whanganui in 1921 and educated at Whanganui Collegiate before taking a job at the Whanganui Hospital as a clerk and training to be an accountant in the late 1930’s. World War II saw him ...

Tittletattle adds to Frizzell’s season of highlights

Jovial Hawkes Bay racing identity Johnny Frizzell has always been a fan of jumps horses, right from the time he was a youngster competing in the show ring. It’s therefore no surprise that racing and breeding Tittletattle, the upset winner of last Saturday’s Grant Plumbing Wellington Steeplechase, was a great thrill.   “She’s a little beauty isn’t she?” enthused Frizzell, who bred the Faltaat mare with his late wife Jan and is now a small shareholder in the Chase A Fox Racing Syn...

Miss Chrissie crosses the Tasman

Promising Per Incanto 3-year-old filly Mrs Chrissie has transferred to Melbourne trainer Ciaron Maher for her future racing following two gallant runs at Caulfield this month. After nearly 4 months between races, at her second start Mrs Chrissie ran a fresh up 4th at Caufield on 9 July in the Neds Bet Live 3yold fillies Handicap over 1100m. Back on 11th March, when on debut for Mornington trainer Paul Rocke, Mrs Chrissie put on an emphatic display of speed at Cranbourne, winning on a good ...

Goodwin in the spotlight as Verry Elleegant honoured at Breeders’ Awards

It’s fair to say Auckland-based breeder Don Goodwin has loved every minute of breeding and owning a champion racehorse. The octogenarian stole the show at Saturday night’s National Breeding Awards, sponsored by AGrowQuip, where his star mare Verry Elleegant was named the Seton Otway Horse of the Year, while her dam Opulence shared the honours for Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year with Galileo mare Baggy Green. For good measure, Goodwin was also named New Zealand Small Breeder of the Year. A...

Kiwi horse the talk of the town

A Kiwi horse with humble breeding is starting to make waves in Australia. Cross Talk, a son of Keano, recorded his fifth win and first at stakes level in the Listed Winter Challenge (1500m) at Rosehill on Saturday for trainers Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott. “He is an exciting galloper,” Bott told RSN. “He has probably progressed through the grades a little bit quicker than I anticipated. We didn’t originally have him down to run in stakes grade just yet but with the change in the weath...

Chitty recognised for industry contribution

Mark Chitty credits his parents and his biggest veterinarian mentor as key figures in his efforts to improve the lot of New Zealand racing through voluntary work. The head of Haunui Farm was recognised at the weekend for his years of work in the thoroughbred industry by being bestowed the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association’s Personality of the Year Award to recognise his outstanding contribution to the industry. The list of organisations that Chitty has been part of is a long one...

Stellar season for Almanzor

Almanzor had New Zealand first season sire honours in safe keeping some months ago before he was officially bestowed the prestigious title at the season’s close.He claimed the crown with unsurpassed progeny earnings for a freshman stallion and to cap a sparkling start to his career also earned the Champion Two-Year-Old title.The son of Wootton Bassett enjoyed a multiple Group One-winning career on the racetrack and has quickly turned stallion potential into performance with his first crop of A...

Vadamos crowned champion second season sire

Rich Hill Stud stallion Vadamos saw off a quality line-up to be crowned New Zealand’s Champion Second Season Sire.The Monsun entire was part of a strong intake of stallions to the New Zealand market in 2017 and Rich Hill Stud Managing Director John Thompson has been pleased with the success his shuttle stallion has achieved.“It was such a good intake of stallions that year with the likes of Tarzino, with his couple of Group One winners in Australia (Gypsy Goddess and Jungle Magnate), Tivaci,...

Waikato Stud named Breeder of the Year while Savabeel dominates yet again

Outstanding stallion Savabeel’s dominance has translated into yet another clean sweep of stallion titles for the 2021/22 season, headlined by an eighth consecutive Grosvenor Award as Champion New Zealand Sire.Waikato Stud’s superstar resident also claimed his seventh Centaine Award for worldwide progeny earnings and sixth Dewar Award for combined Australian and New Zealand progeny earnings, while the late O’Reilly, also a lynchpin of the Matamata nursery, claimed another Champion Broodmare...

Time Test’s Rocchigiani lands Goodwood Group Three

Little Avondale Stud stallion Time Test enjoyed another good result in the northern hemisphere as German Guineas runner-up Rocchigiani showed his class to land the Gr.3 Bonhams Thoroughbred Stakes (1600m) at Goodwood. Last term's Gr. 3 Zukunfts Rennen (1400m) victor, who ran fifth in the Gr. 3 Jersey Stakes (1400m) at Royal Ascot last time, was positioned in second as Norway's Norsk 2000 Guineas hero Hotline Bling established a clear lead through halfway in an international affair.The well-...

2022 Irish National Stud Recipient - George Chittick

George Chittick talks about his time at the Irish National Stud on the Keith and Faith Taylor Family Trust Scholarship....

Early Haunui arrival doing well

Mother Nature works to its own timeframe and Haunui Farm was swiftly in sync to welcome an unexpected arrival this week and lavish the early comer with special treatment. Breeding is an inexact science and the Karaka nursery was ahead of the game to be ready and waiting for the safe delivery of a healthy and happy daughter of young boom sire Almanzor. The filly was the first of up to 150 to be foaled at the farm when she was born on Tuesday afternoon with mother Respect and daughter doing just f...

Breeders backing mental health

Mental health has become a growing concern in New Zealand and the New Zealand breeding industry is doing their bit to try and address the issue. As part of the AGrowQuip National Breeding Awards on Saturday, the Waikato Branch of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association are holding an auction to raise money for a number of mental health initiatives the association is introducing. “Mental health and wellbeing in our industry is something we think needs to be addressed,” Waikato Br...

Breeders set to celebrate success at national awards

Thoroughbred breeders from around the country will gather at the Sir Don Rowlands Event Centre at Karapiro on Saturday for the much-anticipated National Breeding Awards.For the last two years the awards, sponsored this year by AGrowQuip, have been without a public celebration, now finally the recipients can be honoured by their peers.Amongst the awards to be presented are the Sir Patrick and Justine Lady Hogan Breeder of the Year Award, the Broodmare of the Year Award sponsored by Arion Pedigree...

Echoes Of Heaven heads south

South Island breeders will welcome the addition of Echoes Of Heaven to their stallion ranks this coming breeding season. The brother to Manhattan Rain and half-brother to the remarkable Redoute's Choice will join Group One winner Jon Snow at Clearview Park near Timaru. Previously standing at Newmarket Stud, a deal was brokered with Aaron Tapper to stand the stallion down South, and the Clearview Park principal is looking forward to the challenge. “I went to have a look at the stallion when I w...