Photo: Christine Cornege
White Robe Lodge’s Jack Stewart was recognised with the Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award at Saturday’s National Breeding Awards in Karapiro, highlighting his growing impact on New Zealand’s breeding and racing landscape.
Stewart represents the next generation of White Robe Lodge, carrying forward the proud legacy of his parents Wayne and Karren Stewart, and grandparents Brian and Lorraine Anderton at the iconic North Taieri stud and racing operation.
Involved across all areas of the business — from foaling and yearling preparation to stallion management and sales, Stewart is a familiar face at Karaka and has increasingly taken on a leadership role in both the family enterprise and through his own bloodstock interests, which include racing Group Three winner Out Of The Park.
His international experience, including time at Juddmonte in the UK, has helped shape his vision for the future of the farm. Additionally he has played a major role in securing new stallions to White Robe Lodge, including impressive Dark Angel entire Alflaila.
“Although it is great to be singled out, it’s really a team effort down at White Robe Lodge,” Stewart said at Saturday’s awards.
“Granddad sets the tone. He stood his first stallion at 18 and he is now 88 and we have Alflaila launching a stallion career this season.
“That’s 70 years of standing stallions so he must have done something right along the way after following in his father’s footsteps.
“I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to carry on the legacy and I’m trying to grab it with both hands.”
Stewart marvels at his grandfather’s work ethic, with the octogenarian still involved in the hands on running of the stud and racing stable on a daily basis.
While Stewart admitted working with family had the odd testing moment, the support of his parents was paramount to the drive he has to take White Robe Lodge and the industry forward.
“Mum, Dad and I have bought a few mares and off the track fillies from Australia in the last few years and Mum’s not always happy when I tell her I have clicked that mouse again, but funnily enough, every time a horse arrives there is a new rug or halter there waiting for it,” he said.
“Working alongside Dad is massive. He is the backbone of the place. He is twice the horseman I will ever be and just the respect he has earned for the stud in the last couple of decades, selling stock to Australia, particularly stayers and building such a strong link with clients, I am very proud to be working alongside him and learning off him.”
Stewart also paid tribute to long-time family friend Marcus Corban whom he regularly leans on for advice, with the former Cambridge Stud manager instrumental in the stud’s stallion acquisitions.
“I try to pick his brain all the time and it’s incredible to get insights from a guy with his experience,” Stewart said.
“I love the comradery and banter in the industry and talking to a lot of the people at studs and in racing.
“I also get a big kick out of seeing a Kiwi horse go to Aussie and give it to them. And we’ve seen that with the volume of New Zealand-bred Group One winners acknowledged in the room tonight. We’ve got an amazing industry here in New Zealand and a lot to be proud of.”
