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Hannah’s Blog - February 2016

This month I finished my week in the office which I thoroughly enjoyed. It was great to see another side of stud life and to be in an office working on nominations, vet repots and mare profiles. The following week, I was in the Sun Chariot yard, which is the foaling unit on the farm. This year they are looking at foaling around 250 mares. My role at this yard was to look after the mares and to keep an eye on them as they grew close to their due date. All of us that were working on the yard wou...

Leading NZ horse stud helps own staff grow into workplace champions

When your job is to breed foals that will become the Usain Bolts of the horse racing world, every little advantage helps. That's why most staff at Little Avondale Stud in Masterton are currently undertaking Primary ITO National Certificates in Equine Breeding while working on the 260 acre property. Little Avondale is one of the leading boutique studs in Australasia and is the oldest commercial stud in New Zealand. Owner Sam Williams is now paying for staff to complete their Level 3 and Level 4...

Dream double for Wigley family

Inglewood Stud savoured a champagne afternoon after a memorable black type double for their resident sire on Saturday. The North Canterbury farm celebrated royal results for Zacinto with the Dansili stallion's daughter Zigwig successful at Riccarton and a little over 15 minutes later it was the turn of his son Ugo Foscolo at Te Rapa. Inglewood Stud is a family operation and managed by Gus Wigley, who was handed the reins in 2012 by his father Nick, who also trains Zigwig. "This is just huge ...

Gold Rush wins the Matamata Breeders' Stakes

The win by Gold Rush (So You Think- Gold Rocks) in the Group Two J Swap Contractors Limited Matamata Breeders' Stakes may have been a surprise for punters, but not Waikato Stud's Mark Chittick. Chittick had tipped the horse to Te Akau Racing's David Ellis when Ellis bought that filly's half-sister by Savabeel (AUS) at the Gold Coast Magic Millions Sale last January. Ironically it was a Te Akau filly Sassy'N'Smart who was the hot favourite for the event and finished second to Gold Rush. Next ye...

Magical run for Mana Park

Group One times are continuing to roll for Mana Park with their trio of star graduates picking up where they left off last season. The efforts of Suavito and Volkstok'n'barrell, the respective winners of the Futurity Stakes and the Rosehill Guineas last year, earned Dominic Li the New Zealand Breeder of the Year award and they have already added to their tallies this term. The Hong Kong-based Li, whose thoroughbred interests are managed by Mana Park principals Maryanne and George Simon, has mo...

Milestone Stakes win for Nick Wigley

Winning the Listed Southland Guineas with Replique (Darci Brahma-Mystique) was the perfect end to a holiday for Inglewood Stud proprietor Nick Wigley. According to Gus Wigley, the now manager of Inglewood Stud, his father had been holidaying in the south during the week leading into the Guineas, and he had been the surrogate trainer. "It was a great way for Dad to end his holiday, and the icing on the cake was that she is the first stakes winner he has trained after having around 13 stakes pla...

Elfee scores a $20,000 Pearl Bonus

Four-year-old Iffraaj mare Elfee was the first filly enrolled in the New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series when it commenced in 2013, and last Saturday when she won at Ellerslie she collected an extra $20,000 Pearl bonus. The rating 65 fillies and mares 1600 metre race she won was one of ten $20,000 bonus races included in the series each year, almost doubling the stake money for the $25,000 event. The New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series is managed by the New Zealand Thorough...

Big Pay Day for Pearl fillies

Last week three lucky sets of owners had their winning stakes increased by $11,500 when they won NZB Insurance Pearl Series fillies and mares races. And the timing couldn't be better for the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders' Association who are the promoters of the scheme. "Right now is the time to register your current yearling fillies in the scheme," according to NZTBA Administration Manager Nicola Griffiths, "as Early Bird entries close on February 28th." "Happy owners winning $18,500 for...

Hannah's Blog - January 2016

On the 17 th of January I set off on a new adventure to Ireland where I was lucky enough to be attending the 2016 Irish National Stud course. I was eager to get started and was excited about seeing the stud and who I would be living and working with over the six month course. I was excited about learning all aspects of the thoroughbred industry in more detail and the different ways the northern hemisphere conduct their breeding season. On the 18 th of January I arrived in Dublin where I was gre...

Flavigny wins the Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders' Stakes

The team at Windsor Park took great delight in the recent success of Flavigny (Mastercraftsman[IRE]-Sharp Point[USA]), when she won the Listed Wairarapa Thoroughbred Breeders Stakes. "It was a big thrill and nice to see her win a black type race as she has had a few little issues, including a couple of wind operations earlier in her career," enthused Windsor Park General Manager Steve Till. "Originally we owned the mare with Helen-Gaye and Graham Bax, and Flavigny was bred by that partnership,...

Young blood welcomed into successful family operation

Robert Dennis is adding his international experience to four wise heads of New Zealand racing. He has settled into life as the fifth member of a Southland partnership with his father Tony and his uncles Joe, Martin and Ray, who have enjoyed outstanding success for many years on both the breeding and training fronts. The first winner for the family quintet came at Gore last month with The Gallant Girl, who will be part of a seven-strong team they will have in action at their local meeting on Th...

Madam Victoria continues her winning streak for Bevan and Robyn Wilson

The impressive win by Madam Victoria (High Chaparral[IRE]-Royal Madam) in the recent 1400 metre listed Timaru Stakes was a relief for her connections NZTBA Canterbury/Marlborough/Westland branch members Bevan and Robyn Wilson. "It was an exciting win and proves that she is back on track," said Bevan Wilson about the lightly raced five-year-old Teri Rae, Riccarton Park trained mare. "Obviously she likes the sting out of the ground and we were lucky to get a track that suited her so close to hom...

Auction adds to Hall of Fame evening

A service to Haunui Farm's successful young stallion Showcasing will go under the hammer in Hamilton next week. It will be auctioned during the sixth New Zealand Racing Hall of Fame induction dinner at the Skycity event centre on Friday, February 12. "A glamorous event is being planned to honour another group of outstanding contributors," Chairman Chris Luoni said. "The New Zealand thoroughbred industry has a rich history of outstanding high achievers on the local and international stage and i...

Skyweka providing smiles aplenty after winning her second NZB Insurance Pearl Bonus

Wairarapa couple Les and Janine Wallace are loving every minute racing their talented mare Skyweka. The Wallaces bred the daughter of Pentire who has now won three of her eight starts from the Tony Pike stable, including a runaway victory at Otaki on 4th January, picking up a New Zealand Bloodstock Insurance Pearl Series bonus of $11,500 along the way. Last January Skyweka also collected a midweek $11,500 bonus when she won a 1600m maiden at Avondale. The biggest thrill is sharing the victo...

Dulcie’s influence continues on

The nice run of recent form by Consensus (Postponed[USA]), highlighted by her win at Ellerslie on Melbourne Cup day in the Sofitel Stakes (Gr.3, 2000m) plus a solid second to boom galloper, Hasselhoof (Tavistock [NZ]), in the Rich Hill Mile (Gr.2, 1600m) is, perhaps, a reminder to never dismiss the bloodlines or descendants of the Stud Book's "Blue Hen" mares. Consensus is a perfect example as she descends from the great matron Dulcie (Duccio[ITY]). During the sixties and seventies, Dulcie's i...

Breeders' Bulletin - Spring/Summer 2015

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Barbara Perry passes away peacefully aged 82

A stalwart of the thoroughbred industry Barbara Perry passed away peacefully in the Waikato Hospital this week after a short illness, she was 82. Perry was born in Masterton the only daughter of Roland and Mary, she had three brothers and grew up on the family's sheep breeding farm. Her forefathers were among the first settlers in New Zealand and they were renowned Cheviot breeders who settled in the Wairarapa in the mid 1800's, in fact one of her grandmothers was a Masters, whose family Master...

NZTBA Wellington Branch Newsletter - WellBred

Click here to download - NZTBA Wellington...

Chief Executive’s Blog - December 2015

Dear Branch Committee Members, I hope you're looking back on a successful 2015 as we head into Christmas and the Yearling Sale season. I'm pleased to update you on a number of issues since the Council meeting of 29th November: MEMBERSHIP At the end of last week we had 252 subs still in arrears, 60 of whom are 2 years in arrears. That's down from 273 (69 - 2 years) a month ago. We have followed up with branches with lists of overdue members and Nicola is helping with some branches. B...

Three generations of the Rogers family rejoice in Stolen Dance

Stolen Dance(Alamosa-Songbird) is a real family horse as was evident by the crowd on the presentation dais after her win in the Group Two Cal Isuzu Stakes 1600 at Te Rapa recently, with three generations of the Rogers family revelling in the glory. Not on the dais but looking on very proudly at his daughter Jackie Rogers, grandchildren and great grandchildren, was former Waikato Racing Club committeeman and racing stalwart Gerald Shand, who also shares in the ownership of the mare and had a han...

NZTR launches improved mobile site

To view the press release click here - NZTR...

NZTR Circular Briefing Notes – Support for Race Fields Legislation

11 December 2015 NZTR CIRCULAR 2015/16 – No.8 TO EACH TOTALISATOR CLUB, SECTOR ORGANISATION, TRAINER AND BREEDER With the busy summer racing season upon us there will no doubt be opportunities for your local MPs and Ministers to attend race meetings around the country. The attached Briefing Note provides you and club committees with the information required to advocate and explain the importance of the work carried out by the Offshore Racing and Sports Betting Group, the report they produced ...

Blandford pair set to shine at Sha Tin

Graham Bax is pinching himself ahead of Sunday's Hong Kong International races at Sha Tin. The studmaster at Matamata's Blandford Lodge can hardly believe that two runners in the blue riband Gr.1 Hong Kong Cup were nurtured on his farm. Many of the world's most powerful breeding establishments aren't represented at all, so for Blandford to have prize graduates Criterion and Lucia Valentina representing the farm at such a prestigious international meeting is a source of immense pride for Bax...

Longlands Stud continue their success on the track

"Leading Role was a lovely yearling, and we are absolutely thrilled to see him win the Group Two Wakefield Challenge Stakes," enthused his breeder Waikato branch NZTBA member Vicki Pike. "It's been a little while since we had a new stakes winner, we have been a little bit spoilt over the last couple of years with Chintz (Savabeel[AUS]-Charmed), Waterford (Darci Brahma – Crystal Hailey) and Kelly O'Reilly (O'Reilly – Grace), and it was a great win, even though he is still very green. "I hav...

Dream day at the races for breeder Tim Harrison

NZTBA Auckland branch stalwart Tim Harrison is no stranger to breeding stakes winners, but the win by Alamer (Alamosa-Clerio[GB]) in the listed Trevor Eagle Memorial at Ellerslie was very special as it was the first stakes winner that he has raced. Just to make the day at Ellerslie even more special was the fact that Harrison also bred and raced the winner of the first race Castle Bee (Castledale [IRE]- Might Be), and the third place getter in the last race Prince of Passion (Castledale[IRE]-Hi...