Photo: Supplied
Following the announcement of this year’s Sunline Scholarship stallion auction, another major name has thrown its support behind the next generation of New Zealand industry leaders – Australian powerhouse Yulong Investments.
Yulong, one of the most influential and ambitious breeding operations in the Southern Hemisphere, has joined Rich Hill Stud, Windsor Park Stud, and Cambridge Stud in offering a service nomination – this time to their exciting young stallion Lucky Vega.
The nomination will be auctioned at the National Breeding Awards on Saturday 26 July, with all proceeds going to the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship.
The scholarship provides an elite nine-month global experience for emerging Kiwi leaders, helping them build skills, confidence, and connections to strengthen the future of the thoroughbred industry.
Jun Zhang, General Manager at Yulong, said that “Yulong has a strong working relationship with a long list of Kiwis, and the Sunline Scholarship has played a crucial role in the development of these key industry professionals shaping both the New Zealand and global thoroughbred industry, including Jamie Richards and Bruce Slade. As our own team includes many talented young New Zealanders, it made perfect sense for Yulong to support this initiative.
“We’re proud to play our part in the evening, offering a nomination to leading first-crop sire Lucky Vega – whose own career was kicked started with a first winner across the Tasman – and hope the funds raised contribute to the next generation of New Zealand’s industry leaders.”
Harry King, Sales and Nominations Manager at Yulong, said the team was proud to play their part: “This is a great opportunity for Yulong to show our support for the New Zealand breeding industry and its future. Some of the most elite broodmares in our band have come out of New Zealand, and our inaugural stallion Grunt, as well as recent Group One-performed two-year-old colt Hidden Achievement, were both New Zealand-sourced.
“We’ve long seen New Zealand as a powerhouse for producing not only quality horses but also top-tier horsemen and women. Many young Kiwis have played a big role in our farm, and we’ve benefited immensely from their skill and work ethic.”
Lucky Vega, the Group One-winning son of Lope de Vega, made an immediate impression with his first yearlings in 2025, selling up to eight times service fee and praised for their precociousness and quality.
His addition to the auction makes the offering even stronger and underscores the cross-Tasman respect for the Sunline Scholarship’s legacy.
Nick Johnson, CEO of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Association and a trustee of the Sunline Trust, welcomed Yulong’s involvement:
“To have an operation like Yulong join this cause speaks volumes about the esteem in which the Sunline Scholarship is held. Jun Zhang and his team recognise, like we do, that investing in people keeps our industry vibrant and competitive.
“With Yulong now alongside Rich Hill, Windsor Park, and Cambridge Stud, this auction reflects the generosity and vision that makes this industry so special.”
With four elite stallions — Proisir, Sword of State, Circus Maximus, and Lucky Vega — now represented, the auction promises to be a highlight of the awards evening and a crucial fundraiser to ensure the scholarship continues to deliver life-changing opportunities for young Kiwi horsemen and women.
For more information about the Sunline Scholarship and the National Breeding Awards, visit www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz or contact nick@nzthoroughbred.co.nz.
