Photo: Christine Cornege
The New Zealand breeding industry has once again demonstrated its commitment to the next generation, with an outstanding fundraising result at the National Breeding Awards securing the future of the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship.
Held as part of the 2025 National Breeding Awards, the fundraiser raised well over six figures - an outcome that not only ensures the scholarship’s continuation, but gives it the capacity to thrive into the future and provide more young leaders with the opportunity of a lifetime.
At the heart of the evening was a live auction of stallion nominations, generously donated by Rich Hill Stud and the Proisir Syndicate (Proisir), Cambridge Stud (Sword of State), Yulong Investments (Lucky Vega), and Windsor Park Stud (Circus Maximus). All proceeds will go directly to the Sunline Trust to support future scholarship recipients, enabling them to gain international experience and return with the knowledge, confidence, and connections needed to lead the New Zealand industry forward.
NZB Insurance also contributed significantly by offering Unborn Foal Insurance Packages for three of the nominations, a generous gesture that added value for buyers and underscored the wider industry’s support for the scholarship programme.
Live auction buyers Phillip Brown, Sam and Dame Catriona Williams, Ben Kwok, and Judith Mulholland each made a meaningful investment in the future of the industry. Their backing, along with the generosity of the donating farms, was central to the success of the fundraiser.
Additional support came through a silent auction, with Benji King and several leading Australian stud farms donating service packages, which were purchased by Te Akau Racing and John and Colleen Thompson. A number of individual pledges were also made on the night, each one playing an important role in achieving the final result.
Earlier in the year, at a Waikato Breeders’ Day held at Te Aroha, a stallion nomination to Highview Stud’s Mr Mozart was raffled, with Steve Davis’s name drawn as the winner. In a generous gesture, the nomination was subsequently sold, and the funds donated to the Sunline Trust.
NZTBA chief executive and Sunline Trust trustee Nick Johnson said the response exceeded expectations.
“We were absolutely thrilled with the result,” he said. “The level of generosity and goodwill from across the industry was just incredible, from the farms who donated nominations, to the buyers, the bidders, and everyone who contributed on the night.
“This scholarship has already helped launch the careers of more than 20 young New Zealanders, and this kind of support means we can keep doing that, and doing it well. We’re investing in people, in their confidence, their experience, and their leadership. It was really special to see that shared belief in the room.”
The Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship gives emerging New Zealanders the opportunity to work with leading thoroughbred operations across Europe, North America, Asia and Australia. Many alumni now hold senior roles across the global industry, both at home and abroad.
Thanks to the success of this year’s fundraiser, that legacy will not only continue, but grow stronger in the years ahead.
For more information or to explore ways to support the Sunline Trust International Management Scholarship, visit www.nzthoroughbred.co.nz or contact nick@nzthoroughbred.co.nz.
