Breeding Matters June 2016

BREEDING June 2016

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Contents Feature Articles 6:

Looking back to 2009 and forward with

Kiwi Ingenuity

8:

The frustrations of frozen semen

12:

Wai Eyre Farm

14:

NZSBA

16-17: Hoy Report 20-21: Investing in bloodstock, recent tax issues 22:

Shares in a runner at this year’s Harness

Jewels anyone

24-25:

Month of Foaling - does it matter?

26-27: Mare Age at Foaling 28-29:

Australian breeding industry concern

30:

Equine Health Association Report

34:

Events

36:

Predicted Starters 2016/19

38-40: Leading North American Families

World leader in

FIBER NUTRITION

42-47: Elite Mare Theory 48-50: The Raks of Rakauhauka 51:

Keeping your foals safe - routine blood testing

52:

NZMTC supports breeders and others with

innovative rewards

53-54: Rumour has it 56-57: L - Carnitine improves stallion fertility 58:

Yearling sales tops $13 Million

Cover:

John Mooney, The Breeders’ Chairman Mary Kenny, owner; Dream About Me; Mark Purdon, Trainer; Paul Kenny, owner, and Brad Reid, The Breeders Executive Manager after the filly’ s stunning win in The Breeders Group 1 NZ Oaks

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From the Executive Manager’s Desk Hello and welcome to our June edition of Breeding Matters!

The theme for this issue is around animal husbandry and best practices for breeders. We have covered a number of topics through our fantastic team of writers ranging from foal bloods to taxation and we trust you will derive enjoyment and benefit from each page.

Thank you to our advertisers and sponsors who ensure these publications continue to be received.

A special mention to Steve Gallop and the team at Inkwise in Rolleston.

Is it too early to say that the 2016 New Zealand Oaks is the greatest performance by a filly in our country, ever?

You could be forgiven for thinking the hairs standing on the back of my neck were simply because of the arctic conditions. But standing on watching The Oaks from the Addington Birdcage (shivering), I walked away questioning what I had seen.

Since its inception in 1948 when won by Perpetua, it’s been a race fitting for champions and many a champion has won this race. Armalight, Hilarious Guest, Mainland Banner, Carabella and Adore Me to name a few.

In many ways it feels only fitting that we as The Breeders support this time honoured event for three year old fillies. Yet there are those who will question why The Breeders are contributing to races such at The New Zealand Oaks?

We have an obligation under our current Business Plan to ensure financial returns for breeders in New Zealand are maximised. Ensuring our premiere race for fillies (as well as fillies and mares racing at grassroots) is supported is just one of the many ways in which we are able to fulfil that obligation.

We recoup most of the contribution by hosting a breeders function at the meeting, something that was well supported again this year despite the ‘Oaks’ meeting falling on a Saturday afternoon.

To my second point.

Since the 17th of January 2014, The NZMTC has paid an astounding $220,000 to financial members of the NZSBA under their Breeder Bonus Scheme.

The scheme is open to any financial member of the NZSBA (paid prior to August 31st) who breeds the winner of a totalisator race, excluding premier race days, held at an NZMTC meeting at Addington Raceway, subject to conditions published on the NZSBA and NZMTC websites.

Page 4

Breeding Matters

In sponsoring the New Zealand Oaks, we not only support the breeders who have worked hard to breed a filly good enough to line up on the day. We also support the club which provides the largest financial contribution to breeders annually throughout the country.

The money hasn’t come out of thin air. We applaud the introduction and ongoing preservation of this scheme by The Met, and challenge other clubs to follow suit. The $80,000 annual budget is just a small part of the $7.5 million in stakes paid by The Met, But it is $80,000 of recognition for breeders.

It is a small component in the desperate need we have to revitalise the breeding industry in New Zealand and reverse the trend of declining numbers of mares being bred and resultant lack of numbers on our racetracks.

Since its inception, the Cheviot and Amberley Racing Clubs have come to the fore and implemented the scheme at their own race meets and for this they must also be applauded.

The argument for what cog is the most important part of the racing product is largely a moot one.

The product that clubs rely on and punters enjoy is a direct result of horses being bred. What is certain though is that the breeders are the front-line investors and the first risk takers in a fickle market.

Sixty Five percent of our current foal crop is provided by those breeding from one to four mares.

A $500 reward for the many of us in this bracket is a great thrill.

Rob Carr recently applauded The Met and the scheme in an article on the Breckon Farms website where he shared how he felt the benefits of such a scheme have had a positive effect on breeders and have gone some way to addressing the real need for breeder’s incentives nationally.

It’s fair to say the impact is being felt widespread.

If this recognition of the breeders with a small token financial return encourages them to continue within our industry and feel part of it, then we must continue to support these initiatives.

Enjoy the Jewels, I will see some of you there. We will see you soon with the next Breeding Matters in September, a bumper breeding issue.

Brad Reid Executive Manager

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Looking back to 2009 and forward with Kiwi Ingenuity

Kiwi Ingenuity with her trainer and regular pilot, Robbie Holmes

In November 2009 Hamish Scott and Kim Lawson were pinching themselves as the owners of New Zealand Cup favourite Kiwi Ingenuity. Scott, who shifted from Invercargill to Christchurch in 1995, was amazed at the high level of interest in his mare’s bid for the $1 million race. The mare finished 7th in the Cup and was retired immediately after the 2010 Cup. At that time Kiwi Ingenuity had won 10 of 19 starts and earned $388,041 from the Leithfield Beach stable of Robbie Holmes.

She ended her career with 27 starts, 11 wins, eight placings and career earnings of $523,200.

Scott was encouraged by former Southland driver Simon Pavlovich to buy Kiwi Ingenuity’s dam, Kiwi Express, off Alan and Sarah Donaldson, of Invercargill. Kiwi Express won twice in five starts before injury forced her retirement. ‘’Simon thought she (Kiwi Express) would win the Southland Oaks and NZ Oaks.’’ Kiwi Ingenuity was the third foal Scott and Lawson bred from Kiwi Express.

The great mare had no luck in her first season as a broodmare losing a Bettor’s Delight foal. The 2012 return service has produced Kiwi On Show. From the Robbie Holmes barn the 3YO filly has produced a win and two placings from seven starts.

The Kiwi Way is the 2013 colt by Mach Three. He was entered for the sales but withdrawn after a couple of niggles. He has been in work with Robbie and will be raced by the Lawson/Scott partnership Kiwis Are Flying by Bettor’s Delight is the 2014 yearling. The colt has been syndicated with Hamish and Kim retaining a quarter share.

Hamish and Kim are retaining the 2015 Bettor’s Delight weanling filly to race and for their future broodmare band.

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WOODLANDSSTUD.CO.NZ

The Frustrations of Frozen Semen Dr Petra Hazlitt (Stud veterinarian at Woodlands Stud)

It is getting near the end the busy stud season as I write this article from Woodlands Stud. There are always a few difficult to get in foal mares left lingering in January. We have been trying to get some of these mares in foal to frozen semen which can be very frustrating for both owners and veterinarians alike.

Using frozen semen is a more intensive process than fresh/chilled semen. Compared to fresh/ chilled semen the chances of a mare getting pregnant during each cycle are considerably lower.

Most standardbred mares in NZ are inseminated with fresh chilled semen. This semen is collected from stallions on the same day as insemination for NZ stallions or the previous day for Australian stallions. The pregnancy rate for each cycle using fresh/chilled semen is about 68% for standardbred mares*[3] in Australia. Recent confidential research for the Breeders indicates our major studs are achieving in foal rates around 85% from chilled semen.

Pregnancy rates using frozen semen are considerably lower than fresh/chilled semen. There is a large variation in pregnancy rates with frozen semen primarily due to differences in the freezability of semen between stallions. It is quoted that the “key to successful cryopreservation (freezing) of stallion semen is the individual stallion itself” [4].

The average pregnancy rates that can be expected per cycle using frozen semen are approximately 40% [2].

We go to great lengths to try and achieve the best possibly pregnancy rates with frozen semen. his includes the use of drugs to make the mares’ ovulation more predictable. The mare is then scanned every six hours until ovulation is detected as studies have shown that the highest pregnancy rates are achieved if mares are inseminated within 0 to 12 hours before ovulation or within 6 hours post ovulation [1]. We also inseminate the mares using a deep horn pipette which places the semen as close to the site of ovulation as possible so that no semen is lost in transit in the uterus.

Page 8

Breeding Matters

Some important factors to consider if you want to send your mare to a frozen stallion: • The age of the mare, as older mares inherently have poorer fertility.

• Is the mare dry or wet? (Frozen inseminations are not performed at foal heat – so this needs to be taken into account if the mare foals late in the season).

• The nature of the mare (The mares are often scanned on a 6 hourly basis once they have produced a dominant follicle so this can be difficult in fractious or maiden mares).

• Does the mare have a history of being difficult to get in foal?

• The costs involved in getting the mare in foal to a frozen stallion are higher due to the time involved If you are thinking about sending your mare to a stallion that only has frozen semen available in NZ it is worth considering or discussing with your veterinarian if she is a suitable candidate before the start of next season. If your decision is frozen semen it is a good idea to have a fresh/chilled stallion as a back up to call upon later in the season. * (data taken from n=4455 mares at stud in Australia)

1 Loomis, P.R and Squires, E.L. (2005). Frozen semen management in equine breeding programs.

Theriogenology, 64(3), pp 480-91 2 Morris, L.H.A. (2004). Low dose insemination in the mare: an update. Animal Reproductive Science, 82-83, pp 625-632 3 Nath, L.C., Anderson, G.A., McKinnon, A.O (2010).

Reproductive efficiency of Thoroughbred and Standardbred horses in north-east Victoria.

Aust. Vet. J. 88(5), pp 169-75 4 Sieme, H. (2011). Freezing Semen, In: Equine

Reproduction 2nd Edition, Wiley-Blackwell, West Sussex, UK, pp 2972-2986

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•Sire of triple Vicbred Trotting Champion, Claudys Princess, 20 wins, $354,852.

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From 59 Australian starters; Sire of 41 winners of 237 races, 400+ places and over $1.77 million in stakes.

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Phone: 03 314 9029 - Email: karameafarm@gmail.com

NZ Breeding Scene Analysis NZ NZ SSires. ires. H History istory o of f n number umber sserved erved

Pacers

P PACERS ACERS

A A R Rocknroll ocknroll D Dance ance Alta Alta C ChrisBano hrisBano Always Always A A V Virgin irgin American American IIdeal deal Art Art M Major ajor Art Art O Official fficial ArBscape ArBscape ArBsBc ArBsBc FFella ella Artsplace Artsplace AYorney AYorney G General eneral Atua Atua W Whiro hiro Auckland Auckland R Reactor eactor Badlands Badlands H Hanover anover BeYerthancheddar BeYerthancheddar BeYor's BeYor's D Delight elight Big Big JJim im Buy Buy KKiwi iwi M Made ade Cammander Cammander SSteel teel Captain Captain R Rufus ufus Changeover Changeover Charles Charles B Bronson ronson ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen ChrisBan ChrisBan FFire ire Courage U nder Courage Under FFire ire Dali Dali Enony N

I vory Enony N Ivory Elsu Elsu Extreme Extreme TThree hree Falcon Falcon SSeelster eelster Flashing R ed Flashing Red Four Four SStarzzz tarzzz SShark hark Gold Gold A Ace ce GoYa G o C ullect GoYa Go Cullect GoYa GoYa G Go o C Cullen ullen Grinfromeartoear Grinfromeartoear Haughty H i Haughty Hi LLord ord He's He's W Watching atching Highview T ommy Highview Tommy Holmes Holmes H Hanover anover Jereme’s Jereme’s JJet et Justa T iger Justa Tiger Klondike K Klondike Kid id Knight Knight R Rainbow ainbow Kurahaupo Kurahaupo LLord ord Lislea Lislea Lis M ara Lis Mara Live Live O Or r D Die ie Lord Lord FForbes orbes Mach T hree Mach Three Magic Magic R Rule ule Major Major IIn n A Art rt McArdle McArdle Mister Mister B Big ig Mr Mr FFeelgood eelgood NaBves NaBves R Royal oyal A Affair ffair Net Net TTen en EEom om Ohoka Ohoka A Arizona rizona P-­‐Forty-­‐Seven P-­‐Forty-­‐Seven Panspacificflight Panspacificflight Peruvian Peruvian H Hanover anover Prodigal Prodigal SSeelster eelster Raging Raging B Bull ull Real Real D Desire esire Rocknroll Rocknroll H Hanover anover Rock Rock N N R Roll oll H Heaven eaven Roll Roll W With ith JJoe oe Santanna Santanna B Blue lue C Chip hip Shadow Shadow PPlay lay Shadyshark Shadyshark H Hanover anover Shark Shark G Gesture esture Sir Sir LLincoln incoln Smiling Smiling SShard hard Somebeachsomewhere Somebeachsomewhere Spirit O f Z Spirit Of Zeus eus Sportswriter Sportswriter Stonebridge Stonebridge R Regal egal Stunin Stunin C Cullen ullen Sunshine B each Sunshine Beach Sweet Sweet LLou ou Terror Terror TTo o LLove ove ThefasterthebeYor ThefasterthebeYor TinBn I n A merica TinBn In America Tomahawk Tomahawk Vintage Vintage M Master aster Washington Washington V VC C Well S aid Well Said Western I deal Western Ideal Whatagain Whatagain Pacing Pacing SServices ervices

2015/16

2015/16 2015/16

Rocknroll Rocknroll H Hanover anover ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen Western Western IIdeal deal Western Western IIdeal deal Artsplace Artsplace Art Art M Major ajor Artsplace Artsplace Pacific Pacific FFella ella Abercrombie Abercrombie Falcon Falcon SSeelster eelster Whiro Whiro Mach Mach TThree hree Western Western H Hanover anover BeYor's BeYor's D Delight elight Cam's Cam's C Card ard SShark hark Western Western IIdeal deal PresidenBal PresidenBal B Ball all Cammibest Cammibest Soky's Soky's A Atom tom In In TThe he PPocket ocket ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen In In TThe he PPocket ocket ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen In In TThe he PPocket ocket Real A rBst Real ArBst CamtasBc CamtasBc Falcon Falcon SSeelster eelster MaY's MaY's SScooter cooter Warm B reeze Warm Breeze Echelon Echelon Cam's Cam's C Card ard SShark hark BeYor's BeYor's D Delight elight ChrisBan C ullen ChrisBan Cullen ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen Artsplace Artsplace Highland S now Highland Snow American American IIdeal deal BeYor's BeYor's D Delight elight Albatross Albatross Western Western H Hanover anover ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen Admirals G Admirals Galley alley Tuapeka K night Tuapeka Knight Lordship Lordship Cam Cam FFella ella Cambest Cambest Die L aughing Die Laughing Live Live O Or r D Die ie MaYs MaYs SScooter cooter Starship Starship Art Art M Major ajor Falcon Falcon SSeelster eelster Grinfromeartoear Grinfromeartoear NaBve NaBve SSnow now W Warrior arrior Somebeachsomewhere Somebeachsomewhere ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen The The PPanderosa anderosa The The PPanderosa anderosa Life Life SSign ign Camluck Camluck ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen Life Life SSign ign Western Western IIdeal deal Rocknroll Rocknroll H Hanover anover Cam's Cam's C Card ard SShark hark Art Art M Major ajor The The PPanderosa anderosa Cam's Cam's C Card ard SShark hark Mach Mach TThree hree Grinfromeartoear Grinfromeartoear Mach Mach TThree hree Soky's Soky's A Atom tom Artsplace Artsplace Artsplace Artsplace ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen Somebeachsomewhere Somebeachsomewhere Yankee C ruiser Yankee Cruiser Western Western TTerror error BeYor's BeYor's D Delight elight McArdle McArdle ChrisBan ChrisBan C Cullen ullen Western Western IIdeal deal PresidenBal PresidenBal B Ball all Western Western H Hanover anover Western H anover Western Hanover In In TThe he PPocket ocket Number Number & & D Decrease ecrease ffrom rom p previous revious year year

90 90 17 17

Aust Aust

148 148 189 189

Aust Aust

22 112 112 88 57 57 289 289 26 26 22

Frzn Frzn

Frzn Frzn

11 38 38 11 45 45

33 23 23

Frzn Frzn

46 46 12 12

Aust Aust

108 108 18 18

11

12 12 121 121 77 22 22 23 23 22 30 30

Frzn Frzn

20 20 77 18 18 11 11

Frzn Frzn Aust Aust

51 51 12 12

Aust Aust

101 101 88 87 87

Aust Aust Frzn Frzn

35 35

Aust Aust

13 13 56 56 86 86 82 82 22 13 13 42 42 11 11 11

2,091 2,091

-­‐5.6% -­‐5.6%

2014/15

2013/14

2012/13 2012/13

2014/15 2014/15

2013/14 2013/14

161 161 88 55 125 125 174 174 17 17 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 55 11 33 156 156 13 13 70 70 301 301 41 41 -­‐-­‐ 33 11 142 142 77 56 56 -­‐-­‐ 22 22 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 66 33 43 43 -­‐-­‐ 11

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn

xx xx 10 10 141 141 94 94 72 72 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 77 13 13 -­‐-­‐ 212 212 66 102 102 249 249 46 46 11 -­‐-­‐ 11 142 142 66 83 83 33 19 19 -­‐-­‐ 11 16 16 33 55 55 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐

18 18 -­‐-­‐ 10 10 55

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐

34 34 15 15 34 34 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

120 120 47 47 29 29 -­‐-­‐

21 21 44 -­‐-­‐ 55 33 11 -­‐-­‐ 11 77 35 35 -­‐-­‐ 130 130 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 20 20 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐

xx 33 -­‐-­‐ 15 15 11 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 22 22 45 45 -­‐-­‐ 160 160 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 20 20 16 16

Frzn Frzn

11 -­‐-­‐ 20 20 20 20 22 22 -­‐-­‐ 51 51 52 52 11 147 147 44 44 55 55 25 25

33 32 32 29 29 -­‐-­‐ 23 23 xx 20 20 18 18 -­‐-­‐ 11 11 20 20 99 -­‐-­‐ 60 60

-­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn Aust Aust Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

22 xx 45 45 -­‐-­‐ 28 28 xx xx 32 32 -­‐-­‐ 47 47 41 41 15 15 -­‐-­‐ 80 80

-­‐-­‐ 69 69 12 12 35 35 44 76 76 -­‐-­‐ 31 31

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ 114 114 14 14 88 88 22 17 17 22 67 67

13 13 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 75 75 41 41 99 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

32 32 11 xx 90 90 24 24 77 22

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

2,214 2,214

-­‐7.6% -­‐7.6%

2,397 2,397

-­‐6.5% -­‐6.5%

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ ?? ??

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn Aust Aust Aust Aust Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust Frzn Frzn Aust Aust Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐

2012/13

187 187 95 95 62 62 33 -­‐-­‐ 14 14 10 10 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

56 56 -­‐-­‐ 329 329 76 76 xx 11 11 113 113 -­‐-­‐ 118 118 55 42 42 30 30 33 33 33 21 21 54 54 44 23 23

52 52 44 56 56 109 109 29 29 12 12 22

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust Frzn Frzn Aust Aust Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

48 48 -­‐-­‐ 300 300 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐

55 11 137 137 10 10 100 100 88 45 45 xx -­‐-­‐ 69 69 47 47 48 48 23 23 14 14

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

101 101 32 32 73 73 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

Frzn Frzn

66 82 82 26 26 16 16 11 66 -­‐-­‐ 55 55 58 58 xx 132 132 13 13 99 48 48 26 26

Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ ?? ??

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

46 46 -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 20 20 Frzn Frzn 11

-­‐-­‐ xx xx 75 75 -­‐-­‐ 18 18 44 xx

127 127 64 64 112 112 11 99 33 11 11 -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐

11 -­‐-­‐

xx 50 50 49 49 31 31 14 14 114 114 17 17

2011/12

2011/12 2011/12

Frzn Frzn Aust Aust Aust Aust ?? ??

Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ ?? ??

-­‐-­‐ Aust Aust -­‐-­‐ Aust Aust

xx 28 28 -­‐-­‐ 55 -­‐-­‐ 44 44 Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

212 212 56 56 52 52 xx 62 62 14 14

Frzn Frzn Aust Aust ?? ??

Aust Aust

57 57 -­‐-­‐

Aust Aust Frzn Frzn

Frzn Frzn

11 55 xx 28 28

Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

40 40 -­‐-­‐ xx 98 98 xx 11 22

-­‐-­‐

2,564 2,564 -­‐0.3% -­‐0.3%

2,571 2,571

-­‐-­‐

-­‐-­‐ Frzn Frzn -­‐-­‐

NZ Breeding Scene Analysis NZ Sires. History of number served NZ Sires. History of number served

Trotters

2015/16

TROTTERS TROTTERS Anderberg Anderberg Andover Hall Andover Hall Angus Hall Angus H all Armbro Invasion Armbro ILnvasion Barcardi indy Barcardi Lindy Brylin Boyz Brylin B oyz Call Me Over Call Me Over ConBnentalman ConBnentalman CR Commando CR Commando Crazed Crazed Dejarmbro Dejarmbro Diedre Don Diedre V DacaBon on Dream Dream VFacaBon Federal lex Federal Flex Great Success Great Success Imperial Count Imperial Love You Count Love YCou Lucky hucky Lucky CAhucky Luxury s Luxury AsSon MajesBc MajesBc on Master GSlide Master Glide Mel Gibson Mel Gibson Monarchy Monarchy Monkey Bones Monkey HBillones Muscle Muscle H Muscle Mill ass Muscle Mass Muscleman Muscleman Muscles Yankee Muscles Yankee Now Another Look Now OAver nother Look One Da M oon One O ver D a M Orlando Vici oon Orlando V ici Peak Peak Spur Pegasus Pegasus Jet Spur Quaker Quaker JJuillet et Quatre Quatre Juillet Raffaello Ambrosio Raffaello Ambrosio Repeat Love Repeat L ove Revenue Revenue Sam Bourbon Sam Bourbon ShakennotsBrred S ShakennotsBrred S Skyvalley Skyvalley Sundon Sundon Stuart Superfast Superfast Stuart Thanksgiving Thanksgiving The Best Madrik The PBress est Madrik The The Press Trixton Trixton Sunset Waterloo Waterloo Sunset Wishing Stone Wishing Stone Yield Boko Yield Boko

Andover Hall Andover LHobell all Garland Garland LLobell obell Garland Garland CLrown obell Speedy Speedy Crown SJ's Photo SJ's PhotoImage Balanced Balanced Image Call Me Now Call Me NMow Malabar an Malabar Man Royal Troubador Royal TW roubador Credit inner Credit W Winner inner Credit Credit Winner Sundon Sundon Pine Chip Pine ChipYankee Muscles Muscles Yankee Self Possessed Self Possessed Angus Hall Angus HJet all Coktail Coktail Jet Legacy Windsongs Windsongs Pine Chip Legacy Pine Chip Angus Hall Angus HGall Yankee lide Yankee GSlide Pegasus pur Pegasus SIpur Balanced mage Balanced HImage Andover all Andover H all Muscles Yankee Muscles Y ankee Muscles Yankee Muscles YYankee ankee Muscles Muscles Yankee Valley Victory Valley V Chiola Hictory anover Chiola Hanover MajesBc Son MajesBc Son Quadrophenio Quadrophenio Ganymede Ganymede SJ's Photo SJ's PYhoto Love ou Love ou Love YYou Love Y Valley ou Victory Valley VJictory Coktail et Coktail Jet Reve D'Udon Reve D 'Udon Goetmals Wood Goetmals Coktail Jet Wood Coktail Jet Muscles Yankee Muscles Yankee Arndon Arndon Kadabra Kadabra King Conch King Conch Coktail Jet Coktail Jet Andover Hall Andover Muscle HH illall Muscle H Sundon ill Sundon Hall Conway Conway Hall Viking Kronos Viking Kronos

Trotting Services No TroNng Services No TroNng Services

Number & Decrease from previous Number & Decrease year from previous year

49 49 27 27

Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn

13 13

Aust Aust

8 48 4 14 14

24 24 4 4

Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn

Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn

109 109 19 19 14 14 7 7 36 36

Frzn Frzn

6 6

Frzn Frzn

1 1 66 66 42 42 18 18 4 4

Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn

2 22 12 1 10 10 13 13 20 20

Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Aust Aust Frzn Frzn

5 95 9 12 12 2 22 2 543 543

-­‐6.5% -­‐6.5%

2014/15 2014/15

2014/15 -­‐ -­‐ -­‐ 33-­‐ Frzn 33 Frzn 33 Frzn 33-­‐ Frzn -­‐ -­‐ 9-­‐ Aust 9-­‐ Aust -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ 2-­‐ Frzn Frzn 12 Frzn Frzn 11 Frzn 1-­‐ Frzn -­‐ -­‐ 14-­‐ Frzn 14-­‐ Frzn -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ 5-­‐ Frzn Frzn 175 Frzn 17-­‐ Frzn V V 142-­‐ -­‐ 142 10 -­‐-­‐ 10-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 21-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 21 66 -­‐-­‐ 66 Frzn -­‐ 27 27-­‐ Frzn -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ 2-­‐ Frzn 2-­‐ Frzn -­‐ 2-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ 182 Frzn 18 Frzn 40 -­‐ 40 23 -­‐-­‐ 23 -­‐

2013/14 2013/14

2013/14 -­‐ -­‐ -­‐ x-­‐ x 18 Frzn 18-­‐ Frzn 8-­‐ Frzn 8-­‐ Frzn

2-­‐

122

12

2 Frzn Frzn 62 Frzn x6 Frzn 5x -­‐ -­‐ 65 Frzn 6-­‐ Frzn

11-­‐ -­‐ 11 15 -­‐-­‐ 15 Frzn -­‐ 13 13 Frzn Frzn 10 10-­‐ Frzn 161-­‐ -­‐ 161 -­‐ x 1x -­‐ 511 -­‐-­‐ 51 40 -­‐-­‐ 40 -­‐ 29 Frzn 29-­‐ Frzn -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ 2-­‐ Frzn 2-­‐ Frzn x-­‐ xx xx 26x -­‐ 26 -­‐

1 81 218 21 2 2-­‐ 3-­‐ 43 134 13 39 39-­‐ -­‐

Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn

-­‐ -­‐ Aust Aust -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐

-­‐ 16-­‐ 16 16 16 12 12 12 12 3 133 13 16 16 54 54 1 1

-­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐ Aust Aust -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐

13 13

-­‐ -­‐

50 50

-­‐ -­‐

4 54 25 2

-­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn

x xx xx x

581 581

-­‐4.9% -­‐4.9%

611 611

No Service Certs 2,634 -­‐5.8% 2,795 No ISndividual ervice Certs 2,634 -­‐3.2% -­‐5.8% 2,795 Service No Mares Served 2,512 2,594 Mares Served 2,512 -­‐3.2% 2,594 Individual Mares Served No Individual

Notes Notes cNotes Service erBficate all services and includes 122 double services Service cService erBficate acertificate ll services and all includes 122 dand ouble includes services 122 double services services

3,008 3,008 2860 2860

-­‐4.8% -­‐4.8%

2012/13 12/13 12/1312 Frzn 12 Frzn

2011/12 11/12 11/12 x x

12 12-­‐ 3-­‐ 163 16 1 91 99 99 9

24 24-­‐ 20-­‐ 20 28 28 x 15x 15 9 89 8

17 17-­‐ 3-­‐ 303 30 x 34x 34 x x-­‐ 13-­‐ 13 x 80x 80 50 50 2 702 70-­‐ 28-­‐ 28 3 3

Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐

22 22-­‐ x-­‐ 86x 86

Aust -­‐Aust -­‐ Frzn Frzn

Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ -­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐ -­‐ -­‐

29 Frzn 29 Frzn -­‐ 16-­‐ Frzn 16 Frzn

Frzn Frzn -­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn

60 60 3 43 4-­‐ -­‐-­‐ 15-­‐ 15 3 3

-­‐ -­‐-­‐ -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐Frzn -­‐

39 -­‐ 39 -­‐

90 -­‐ 90 -­‐

2 272 27 4 214 21 11 11 3 63 396 39 x 9x 9

Frzn -­‐Frzn -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐Frzn -­‐ Aust -­‐Aust -­‐

3 163 16 5 75 47 44 164 16 72 72

-­‐ -­‐

17 -­‐ 17 -­‐

80 -­‐ 80 -­‐

60 -­‐ 60 -­‐

642 0.9% 642 0.9% 3,206 3,206 3062 3062

Frzn -­‐Frzn -­‐ Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn Frzn -­‐Frzn -­‐ Aust -­‐Aust -­‐

636 636 3,207 3,207 3184 3184

Breeding Matters Page 11

Wai Eyre Farm

Recently Brad Reid, NZSBA Executive Manager, and Chairman John Mooney met with Darryl Brown, the proprietor of Wai Eyre Farm and Lisa Clark, the Office Manager, to discuss the farm’s future as one of Canterbury’s leading equine bases.

Located on the northern side of Christchurch Wai Eyre comprises of over 800 acres of lush fertile soils.

In the 1960’s Mike Brown set up the original farm which comprised some 226 acres. Mike concentrated on beef and deer farming, and part time harness training. Mike’s son Darryl learnt his basic farming skills from his father. In the 1980’s Darryl took a more pro-active role and in conjunction with Mike they changed direction into its current equine theme.

Darryl and Mike set a goal of “continually striving to be one of the best breeding and agistment centres in New Zealand.” Over the years they have stood a number of stallions including the mighty Christian Cullen.

Darryl told Breeding Matters that Wai Eyre Farm remains confident in the future. Despite rumours to the contrary Wai Eyre will continue to provide specialist agistment services for broodmares (including breeding and foaling), young stock and spelling race horses.

Despite challenging dry weather conditions the farm has a massive advantage over other equine establishments. Its extensive irrigation system ensures stock are well feed throughout the summer. “We do not have to add any surcharge or extra charges on to owners when droughts occur”, said Darryl, adding that feeding the stock well all year round, continues to be a priority for the farm.

Wai Eyre has recently welcomed Nicky Kennedy to the role of stud manager. “Nicky brings a wealth of knowledge to the role with many years of experience behind her. Nicky is loving her role here and is extremely dedicated to the care and welfare of the horses and in particular is keen to ensure communication with owners remains a priority for the stud.

Nicky’s skills complement our current team of long

Mares at Wai Eyre

Page 12

Breeding Matters

serving, experienced staff.”

Nicky will be known to many through her and husband Craig’s involvement in the standardbred industry.

Vet services continue to be provided by Rangiora Vet Centre, with vet Andrew Bailey and his team of vets, working closely with Wai Eyre for the past eight years. Andrew is a young, enthusiastic vet who is very dedicated to getting mares in foal as shown in the stud’s excellent in foal rates.

Andrew is particularly passionate about frozen semen and ET work and this shows in his very successful, above average results obtained on farm.

When reluctantly increasing farm charges for the first time since 2008, Darryl took the opportunity to introduce a new initiative to help keep breeders cost down. “Increasing rising costs meant that an increase in charges was inevitable”, Darryl explained, “however with the introduction of our prompt payment discount, breeders are able to greatly reduce their breeding costs by simply paying accounts on time to get the discount”.

With the discount applying to all agistment, farm charges and breeding costs, this has been very well received by clients.

Darryl is very keen to get the message out there far and wide that the stud is open for equine breeding, and that with a recent increase in the land area, the farm is in the comfortable position of being able to increase mare numbers. “We will continue to offer 24 hour foal watch with experienced staff and our vets on call just minutes away”, he said. “And being a preferred semen base for all the major studs, we can breed mares to their owner’s choice of stallion, fresh or frozen”.

An idyllic 800 acres of lush pasture and quality fencing designed specifically for agisting your valuable broodmares and their progeny, from foals through to racehorses.

• Preferred semen base for all stallions • 24 hour supervised foaling • Excellent infoal rates with fresh and frozen semen • Top class facilities with proven results • Committed to providing the best care for your bloodstock

“Providing the best for the best”

49 Harpers Road, East Eyreton, Kaiapoi, RD 2, 7692 Office: 03 312 6338 Fax: 03 312 6337 E: waieyre@xtra.co.nz Darryl Brown: 027 732 250 Nicky Kennedy: 021 865 796

NZSBA Invests in the Future of Our Young People

We make no apologies for copying from our thoroughbred colleagues the concept of a charitable trust to support the development of young people in harness breeding. The Sunline Trust, established to commemorate one of our countries greatest horses, is the model for the soon to be established New Zealand Breeders Education Charitable Trust.

NZSBA is establishing an education charitable trust.

Named the New Zealand Breeders Education Charitable Trust it will be responsible for advancing:

administrative, marketing and financial services to the trust.

NZSBA’s lawyers are reviewing the draft documents prior to them being lodged with the two • education generally in standardbred breeding; government agencies for approval. It is hoped that • skills development across the industry, especially the trust will be launched in about September for young people; 2016. The Breeders will be approaching individuals • contributions to improving breeding and for donations. The intention is to go outside of the animal health; and traditional approach to the studs. Many people in • promoting and supporting Life After Racing our sport will be able to make a contribution to and animal welfare establishing a significant fund to invest in our young people.

A major objective of the trusts activities will be to The trust first activity will be to fund the course fees support developing both local and international and delivery costs for ten students to study the expertise in breeding and stud management in Industry Training Organisation’s Level 3 Breeding young people. Scholarships will be offered to qualification. NZSBA called for applicants recently participate in industry courses and international and the response was very good. Starting the placements with stud farms. course has been delayed while the relevant The trust will complement the work of HRNZ’s government and industry organisations re-negoEducation Department. tiate their contractual and funding arrangements.

The trustees of the trust will be: But these hurdles will be sorted and in just over a year the first class will graduate.

• NZSBA Chair One of the first donations to the trust will be from • NZSBA HRNZ Board Member a prominent breeder who is keen to support one • NZSBA Executive Manager or two students gain international stud experience.

• Three members appointed at large for three year Graduates of the ITO courses will be eligible for this term for their standing in harness racing. work experience based upon their proven commitment and achievements Once registered the trust will be a recognised We look forward to the further development of this “donee organisation” with the IRD so that donors concept and seeing the education of the breeding may claim a tax credit for donations. sector grow as a result.

N E W Z E A L A N D S T A N D A R D B R E D The trust will actively seek donations and legacies B R EThe E D E R S ’ A Swill S O C I A T Iall ON to support it’s N Ework.

W Z E A LBreeders A N D S T A Nprovide DARDBRED

NZSBA NZSBA NZSBA

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T H E B R E E D E R S ’ E D U C AT I O N THE BREEDERS’ EDUCATION T H E CBHRAEREIDTEARBSL’E ETDRUUCSATT I O N

CHARITABLE TRUST

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T H E B R E E D E R S ’ E D U C AT I O N C HC A RRI ITTAA B HA B LLEE TP RU U SRTP O S E

C H A R I TA B L E P U R P O S E

Advancement and edification of adults & children who are

normallygood Newhealth, Zealand residents throughand the acquisition of history, good management care after racing

knowledge and relating to horse, the who breeding, rearing, education, Advancement and edification of adults & children or breeding of theskills standardbred toare the intent that such normally racing, New Zealand residents through good the acquisition of history, goodwill health, and care after adults and children pass on tomanagement others such knowledge knowledge and skills relating to the breeding, rearing,horse, education, racing or breeding of the standardbred to the intent that and skills. racing, history, health, good management care after such knowledge such good adults and children will pass and on to others racing or breeding of the standardbred horse, to the intent that and skills. such adults and children will pass on to others such knowledge and skills.

A P P R O V E D C H A R I TA B L E A CP TP IRVOI T V IEEDS C H A R I T A B L E A P P RAOCVTEIDV ICTHI AERSI T A B L E Scholarships to enable students to enrol in educational and training programs Scholarships to enable students to enrol in educational and

Organise and/or support theinholding of forums, seminars, Scholarships to enable students to enrol educational and training programs training programs conferences and lectures Organise and/or support the holding of forums, seminars, OrganiseSupport and/or support the holding of forums, seminars, any library and/or museum in the education of conferences and lectures conferences and lectures persons relating to the standardbred horse; Support library and/or in ofthe education of Support any libraryany and/or museum in museum the education Support, financially or otherwise, the carrying out of research persons relating to relating the standardbred horse; persons to the standardbred horse; leading to an increase in the store of knowledge to the Support, financially or otherwise,orthe carrying out research outrelating Support, financially otherwise, theofcarrying of research horse; leading tostandardbred an increase the store ofinknowledge relating to the relating to the leading to anin increase the store of knowledge Receive applications from standardbred industry participants for standardbred horse; standardbred horse; Receive applications from standardbred industry participants for support for educational activities Receive funding applications from standardbred industry participants for support funding for educational activities support funding for educational activities

Breeding Matters

Annual forums on animal welfare, nutrition etc

normally New Zealand residents through the acquisition of CHAR I T A B Land Eand P edification U relating RPOS A C T I V I T I EAnnual S forums on animal Advancement of E adults & children whoeducation, are Targeted scholarships andwelfare, awardsnutrition e.g. knowledge skills to the breeding, rearing,

ACTIVITIES

Page 14

ACTIVITIES ACTIVITIES

etc International Scholarship and Internship at

Targeted scholarships Annual forums on animal welfare, nutrition USA/Canadian Studs and awards e.g. etc Rod International and PartCroon payment of courseScholarship fees for breeding Targeted scholarshipsInternship and awardsate.g.

USA/Canadian Studs and husbandry and animal welfare Rod Croon International Scholarship and Part payment of course fees for breeding Research Internship at USA/Canadian Studsactivities into welfare and and husbandry and animal welfare breeding Part payment of course fees for breeding Research activities into welfare and and husbandry and animal welfare Life After Racing contributions to animal breeding Research activities into welfare–and welfare awards, rugs, trophies Life After Racing contributions to animal breeding Life After Racing contributions animal rugs, trophies welfare –toawards, welfare – awards, rugs, trophies

S TALLIONS A USTRALASIA

MUSCLE HILL tr3, 1:50.2 $3,273,342

Muscles Yankee - Yankee Blondie - American Winner

Southwind Frank setting the current World Record for 2yo Trotting Colts of 1:52.4

• Champion racehorse and now champion sire.

• Muscle Hill has been the dominant sire at the leading yearling sales in USA in the last three years.

• He has served full books every year (140 in USA and around a 100 in Europe).

• Muscle Hill set a record last year in Sweden when he dominated the 3yo statistics and became the first non resident stallion to be the leading 3yo sire.

• Muscle Hill is booked to serve another book of a 100 mares in Europe in 2016.

• From three crops to have raced to date (his 4th crop will race as 2yos in 2016) he sired the Hambletonian winner his first crop, the multiple world record setting and award winning filly Mission Brief from the second crop and the record setting 2yo colt Southwind Frank from his third crop.

2 016 S e r v i c e Fe

e

N Z $1

2 ,000

plus GST

For all enquiries please contact: Peter O’Rourke Phone: 03 3326410 Mobile: 021 346401 Email: pjorourke13@gmail.com PO Box 9361 Tower Junction, Christchurch 8149

www.stallionsaustralasia.com

… and also follow us on Facebook

Muscle Hill is creating a whole new generation of trotters!

HOY Report

NZSBA has put significant effort into having the standardbred classes restored at NZ’s premier horse show, Horse of the Year, held annually in Hastings. With tremendous support from NRM ten competitors and 11 horses participated earlier this year.

The experience gained in 2016 has enabled the list of classes to be refined for next year. It would be great to have 20 competitors from across the country competing in 2017.

Chanelle Dickie, Bronze Jay (Patch) winners of Ridden Standardbred of the Year with Revell Dougal representing NZSBA and Dougal Scott of NRM our principal sponsor

Travelling all the way up to Horse of the Year from West Melton, Canterbury, paid off for Chanelle Dickie, as she and her lovely chestnut have taken the Ridden Standardbred of the Year title.

“It came as a shock. I hadn’t won a single class apart from the rider class, so I wasn’t expecting it. I was wanting it though,” says Chanelle.

Bronze Jay (commonly known as Patch) won three races with David Butt, and has been with Chanelle for several years now.

Claire Madden and Gotham Bromac were runnersup, third went to Amanda Burton on Change of Pace, and Dancing Jonty with Natasha Bol was fourth.

Judge Graham Dore was very impressed with what he saw today. While it was only his third time judging standardbreds, he said he was ‘blown away’ by the level they have reached. “I’m an Arabian judge, but get utilised for all breeds, such as miniature. I’m looking for what you look for in any good horse.

Conformation and movement are important.

Page 16

Breeding Matters

I’ve been very impressed with the presentation of these horses. They are so well groomed and presented. Some of the showmanship has room for improvement but the exceptional presentation and effort that has gone into getting these horses to the show, looking so well, is amazing.”

Best Presented went to Elaine van den Berg on Regal Cullen from Clevedon, Open Standardbred and Open Paced Standardbred were both won by Amanda Burton on Change of Pace. Open Mannered Standardbred was won by Gotham Bromac with Claire Madden, and Chanelle Dickie won the Rider class with Bronze Jay. The in-hand standardbred winners proved a hard job for the judge, Graham Dore from Coatesville, who really made the competitors work.

It was big win for Amanda Burton with her ex-pacer, Change of Pace, who took the in-Hand Standardbred Horse of the Year title, with Nigel Heron with Final Mission winning reserve.

Change of Pace was named by Amanda when she got the seven-year-old a few years ago. Nicknamed ‘Crash’ by his trainer, Gavin Smith of Canterbury, for his way of getting off the truck, the gelding was broken to harness and went into training but never made it to the track. Gavin sent the horse to Michelle Morrison who runs a standardbred rehoming operation, and it was Michelle who alerted Amanda to the horse’s potential.

Amanda had hurt herself falling off her thoroughbred and was on the verge of giving up riding, but decided to try a standardbred because of their ‘awesome temperament’. “They are kind and willing, and with time and patience they are the most amazing riding horses.”

Awareness of how the horses have been trained and utilised in the past is important as they are retrained into riding horses. “The overchecks in the harness keep their head up, and they are shod to get long and low strides. You have to re-educate them as

they use different muscles entirely,” says Amanda.

“Crash’s canter wasn’t flash, it was long and flat and I really had to work to teach him to elevate and have a better canter. He had to develop different muscles and it took time.”

“I discourage Crash from pacing or ambling, although in saying that, he is an awesome ambler and it is so comfortable!” The judge obviously approved of Amanda’s training, commenting that the horse had “beautiful soft movement, the best movement of the day”.

Zoe Cobb had a good win in the Showmanship class with her beloved O’Sheas. Zoe has been the forewoman for trainer Nicky Chilcott for seven years.

O’Sheas won eight races with Nicky and raced until he was about 12 when Zoe took him over and now shows him. He is now 15 and has also recently recovered from colic surgery. “He is a very special horse; he’s the only one I have!”

Amanda Burton and Change Of Pace, Winners of In - Hand Standardbred of the Year, with judge Graham Dore

Breeding Matters Page 17

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goStallions In the 2016/17 Breeding Season, the service fees of these two sires will be lower than they’ve ever been before!

Investing in Bloodstock – recent tax issues This article has been prepared by Hamish Scott who has an interest in the breeding industry. The thoughts are his own and should not be relied on without seeking independent advice in respect of your own position and circumstances.

A decision of the High Court in July 2013 has intensified the Inland Revenue focus on what constitutes a breeding business for tax purposes. The decision whilst relating to a Thoroughbred Syndicate, certainly has implications for anyone establishing a bloodstock breeding business whether it be the Thoroughbred or Standardbred industry.

The case is known as Drummond & ORS v The Commissioner of Inland Revenue [2013] NZHC 1768 (“Drummond case”). Mr Drummond was a Syndicate Member of a Syndicate known as the Te Akau Stallion Syndicate No 1 which had purchased a Colt from the Karaka yearling sales for $550,000 plus GST. The Syndicate was an unincorporated entity and as such each Syndicate Member deducted their share of the costs, including the Stallion Write Downs individually.

The Syndicate Agreement dealt with the acquisition of the Colt, the training and racing of the Colt and the powers of the Manager. There was limited reference to carrying on business as owners of Stallions.

The Syndicate Agreement did suggest that racing the Colt successfully would likely increase its value and therefore increasing its value as a Stallion. The Syndicate Agreement was silent on any other matters relating to the potential stud career.

It transpired that the Colt was too dangerous to be kept a Colt and was gelded.

The Syndicate Members sought tax deductions in respect of their investment by relying on the requirements of section EC 39(1) (c) of the Income Tax Act in that they had bought bloodstock “..with the

Page 20

Breeding Matters

intention of using it for breeding on their breeding business”.

The Court concluded that the provisions contained in section EC 39 required there to be an existing breeding business. Without an existing breeding business, the Court determined that the Syndicate Members could not rely on the provisions of section 39 EC. In the Drummond case the Court determined that no breeding business had been established.

The case seems to follow the long established principles that whether or not a taxpayer is in business requires an inquiry in to what activities are carried on, and as to the intention of the taxpayer in carrying on those activities.

At the time the Colt was purchased there was an absolute certainty that the Colt would be trained with a view to being raced, but there was no fixed intention to send the Colt to Stud, rather it depended on what happened during its racing career.

The Court believed that there should have been a conscious decision made at the time the Colt was purchased for the Colt to have a Stud career, with decisions and plans made at the time of purchase to ensure this possibility was maximised. These decisions and plans should then be administered.

The Court could find no such evidence of this.

It was also noted that only around 5% of well-bred Stallions had a Stud career.

Racing Business - GST As an aside, the judgement made reference to the fact that there was a racing business being conducted. For income tax purposes this makes little difference. The income from racing related activities (stakes) are exempt from tax and the racing costs non-deductible.

The definition of “taxable activity” for GST purposes is different to the definition of a business for Income Tax purposes.

This decision was clearly never going to be acceptable to the Inland Revenue, who have long held that racing is a hobby activity and recreational in nature. This has subsequently proved to be the case with the Inland Revenue looking closely at GST registrations and returns filed – especially the racing Syndicates.

The Inland Revenue were intending to provide further clarification regarding this in the middle part of 2015, but as yet there has been no formal announcement that we are aware of – other than their practice of determining whether or not a breeding business is being conducted at the time a GST registration is made.

The NZ Racing Board is leading deep industry consultations with the Inland Revenue on these tax and GST Policies.

It is expected that clarifications will be available in the third quarter 2016.

We are hoping the September Breeding Matters can provide greater clarity.

As a matter of course the Inland Revenue is holding refunds and GST registrations for what it perceives as racing related activities, unless they are satisfied that the racing activities are part of a breeding activity.

When do you have a breeding business?

For taxpayers (including Syndicates) it is likely that a breeding business is being conducted where Mares are being bred from on a commercial basis. That is that there is the intention to breed from the Fillies and Mares with a view to deriving a profit in the future. In this case the Inland Revenues view is that a deduction can be made for the costs relating to that Bloodstock, other than the direct racing costs.

Based on the Inland Revenues current position, GST can be claimed in respect of all the costs relating to this Bloodstock, including the racing costs. GST is required to be accounted for on the sales of the Bloodstock, their progeny and any stakes earned (which will mean that HRNZ should be advised of the GST status so GST can be added to the stakes earnings).

For taxpayers who acquire Fillies to race with a view to establishing a breeding activity (but no physical breeding activity has yet commenced), then it gets a little tougher.

The Inland Revenue will generally require some evidence that there is a very clear intention that the Fillies have been purchased primarily for breeding purpose (and that racing is incidental to this purposes). This will generally require a detailed plan of how this breeding strategy will play out.

In this is the case you should seek advice to ensure that your affairs are structured so that a breeding activity is being conducted at the time of purchase.

Where the Inland Revenue accepts that there is a breeding business, then income tax and GST should be able to be claimed.

In respect of the purchase of Colts, then the Inland Revenue believes that there is unlikely to be a business until such time the Colt actually commences Stud duties. This is probably quite simply due to the limited numbers of Colts that actually go to Stud, combined with (especially in the Thoroughbred code) the high costs associated with the purchase of yearling colts, which could be treated as tax deductions, with limited chance of there being any assessable earnings derived.

Breeding Matters Page 21

Shares in a runner at this year’s Harness Jewels, anyone?

It’s not often that people get the chance to buy into a potential superstar in the horse racing game, but that’s exactly what goHarness Syndication are offering for a limited time.

Harriet Of Mot is going to be starting at the Harness Jewels in Cambridge on June 4. She’s been a real ‘find’ amongst the trotting ranks in 2015/16, because she only began racing a year ago but has already rocketed into the top grade.

To mark the occasion of having its first ever contestant on the biggest raceday outside of Cup Week, goHarness is offering shares in Harriet Of Mot’s syndicate for sale (see advertisement on the page opposite for details). goHarness is a Christchurch-based syndication company that’s been in operation since 2012, and during that time they’ve very proudly built and maintained a 100 percent record – every syndicate launched, and every horse they’ve selected to race in their syndicates, has been a winner!

Trotting For Fun Syndicate members with Harriot of Mot

Page 22 Breeding Matters

Founded by well-known harness racing identity Noel Kennard, goHarness kicked off with the ‘In It For Fun’ Syndicate and enjoyed three wins with the pacer Franco Harrison; the ‘Trotting For Fun’ Syndicate came hard on its heels and is still in operation to this day, with its Members being able to enjoy the thrill of racing three trotters at the same time: Harriet Of Mot (8 wins to date); Saratoga (12 wins to date), and Eilish Aimee (1 win to date).

Next was the first edition of a ‘Buy, Race & Sell’ Syndicate. It only ran for about a year and did

exactly what its name suggests… bought horses, raced them, and then on-sold them again. During that time, its Members got to cheer home Bettor Than Best (6 Aus wins), Barry (2 wins), All Cash (1 win) and James Castleton (1 win) – plus, all four of these horses were sold for more than what the syndicate paid for them.

‘Double The Fun’ was the fourth syndicate to roll off the production line, and it’ll finish at the end of the current racing season but has already savoured five wins apiece from its pacers Astro Boy and Western Art (2016 Nelson Cup, now retired). goHarness has just launched two new syndicates over the last couple of weeks as well, so there’s plenty of opportunities available if anyone’s interested in becoming part of New Zealand’s largest and most successful harness racing syndication company.

Join the ‘Trotting For Fun’ Syndicate today, and you’ll be cheering for Harriet Of Mot at the Harness Jewels is less than a month’s time.

John Robinson For goHarness

Advertorial

Harriot of Mot

Wouldn’t it be great to own a share in one of this year’s Harness Jewels horses?

Well, you can …

HARRIET OF MOT is a trotter of real class, and will be a big chance in the $100,000 4YO Ruby on the day.

She belongs to the goHarness Trotting For Fun Syndicate, and a handful of shares in this syndicate are being offered for sale to mark the occasion of our first Harness Jewels contestant.

There are three horses in this syndicate, so in addition to racing the star Harriet Of Mot you’ll also share in the success of Eilish Aimee (1 win to date) and Saratoga, the ex-Kiwi trotter who’s now based in Queensland and taken his career tally to 12 victories – five of those wins coming since January this year.

And the best part?

These horses are still ‘young’ considering the average racing life of a trotter – so the thrill of cheering them on as your own should continue for many years yet!

Shares in Trotting For Fun can be purchased for $3000 + GST each, plus an ongoing payment of $50 per month from May 2016 onwards.

For further information contact: Johnny Robinson Phone: 021 883-713 Email: john@goharness.co.nz

Month of Foaling - does it matter?

Jasmine Tanner

In research commissioned by The Breeders I have been able to establish that early born foals in New Zealand were statistically more likely to get to the races, were more likely to win a race, and in some cases more likely to win a Group or Listed race than those born later in the season.

Traditionally having a month of birth early in the years except 2004 there was an association between season has never been a major requirement in birth group and getting to the races. the breeding of Standardbreds. This is unlike the A regression analysis was then run which showed thoroughbred industry which places much more that across all years, except 2004, foals born in emphasis on breeding “early” foals. Studies in Finnish December - July had much lower odds of racing Standardbreds have shown trotters born earlier in than their counterparts born in August - November. the breeding season were faster, had more earnings, The same analysis was run for the outcome of and a greater number of wins and placings than winning a race or not. In all 17 years of data foals born in December - July had much lower odds of their racemates born in later months.

With the help of data supplied by Noel Kennard winning a race than their counterparts born in (www.harnessworld.org) I looked at all Group and August - November.

Listed winners for the last 10 years. At a quick glance The two foal groups were finally tested with the horses born in September - November appeared outcome of winning a Group or Listed race and the results are shown in Table 3. This time we could more frequently in these winners lists.

Using Noel’s data in conjunction with foal crop only use data from 2003 - 2011 foal crops. As there data from the previous 17 years we came up with are very low numbers of Group and Listed winners a project that involved identifying month of birth compared to the entire foal crop it makes statistical of all New Zealand born foals from 1995-2011 foal modelling difficult. However, we can prove that crops and the association with racing, winning and foals born in August - November had significantly becoming a Group or Listed race winner. Birth greater odds of winning a Group or Listed race than month was identified for all foals that had a date of those foals born in December - July in the 2005, 2007 birth recorded (so unregistered foals were left out), and 2011 foal crops. these were then categorised into two groups: those In the other seasons you can see that the late born in August - November (early) and December - born foals are around 10 percent or less of Group July (late). Somewhat surprisingly there were quite a and Listed winners whilst the early foals are 15-20 few foals born in February and March and a handful percent of Group and Listed winners.

This study only looked at New Zealand born foals. born in the April to July period.

Table 1 shows the number of foals in each category Horses like Smolda and a few others born in Australia for each foal crop. From 1995 until 2007 foals born were omitted. As with all things in racing there are from December onwards made up one-third always exceptions to every rule as Sky Major, Venus TheGold foal Ace cropwere is categorised those f Serena1:and December into foalstwo andgroups, the from the foal crop. This drops to one-quarter of Table mare Carabella was foaled in January. the foal crop from 2008 to 2011. This may be due tolovely November and those foaled from December to July with th to the reduced exports to the United States and shown compared to the total foal crop. therefore Northern Hemisphere-bred horses were less desirable. It may also be due to the cull of older Total Foaled Aug-­‐ Foaled Dec-­‐ non-performing mares in recent years with breeders Nov Jul deliberately trying to breed foals earlier in the Season Foals 1995

3296

2164 ( 66%)

1132 (34%) season.

The two foaling groups were then analysed with 1996 3283 2227 (68%) 1056 (32%) whether the foals raced or not using Chi-square 1997 3063 1963 (64%) 1100 (36%) analysis with the results shown in Table 2. Across all 1998 2958 2038 (69%) 920 (31%) 1999 2764 1808 (65%) 956 (35%) Table 1: The foal crop is 2000 2855 1840 (65%) 1015 (35%) categorised into two groups, 2001 3085 1955 (63%) 1130 (37%) those foaled in the period from 2002

3067

2000 ( 65%)

1067 (35%) August to November and those 2003

3048

2031 ( 67%)

1017 (33%) foaled from December to July 2004 2898 1894 (65%) 1004 (35%) with the percentage of each 2005 2627 1708 (65%) 919 (35%) group shown compared to the 2006 2649 1792 (68%) 857 (32%) total foal crop.

2007 2611 1742 (67%) 869 (33%) 2008 2716 1966 (72%) 750 (28%) 2009 2500 1817 (73%) 683 (27%) 2010 2579 1932 (75%) 647 (25%) 2011 2127 1627 (77%) 500 (23%)

Page 24 Breeding Matters

shows the statistical significance with those marked in bold type being statistically significant years and those in italics approaching significance.

Foal date v Raced or Not

Foaled Aug-­‐ Foaled Dec-­‐ Season Foaled Nov Aug - Nov FoaledJul Dec P-value Table 2: The two foal groups Season - Jul Total Total P-­‐value 1995 Raced 960 426 3296 <0.001 are tested with the outcome of having raced or not. The

Unraced 1204 706

1996 Raced 974 425 3283 0.059 P-value shows the statistical significance with those marked

Unraced 1253 630

in bold type being statistically 1997 Raced 884 446 3063 0.016 significant years and those in

Unraced 1079 654

italics approaching significance.

1998 Raced 952 395 2958 0.056

Unraced 1086 525

1999 Raced 900 427 2764 0.01

Unraced 908 529

2000 Raced 873 389 2855 <0.001

Unraced 967 626

2001 Raced 971 499 3085 0.003

Unraced 984 631

2002 Raced 953 437 3067 <0.001

Unraced 1047 629

2003 Raced 976 432 3048 0.004

Unraced 1055 585

2004 Raced 996 501 2898 0.168

Unraced 898 503

2005 Raced 902 439 2627 0.014

Unraced 806 480

2006 Raced 967 409 2649 0.003

Unraced 825 448

2007 Raced 925 391 2611 <0.001

Unraced 817 476

2008 Raced 1017 350 2716 0.017

Unraced 949 400

2009 Raced 912 278 2500 <0.001

Unraced 905 are tested405 winning a Group or Listed race. The bold type Table 3: The two foal groups with

P-value shows the years that are statistically significant.

Foal date v Group Wins

Season 2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

Month Foaled Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul Aug-­‐Nov Dec-­‐Jul

Group or Listed Winner No 2001 1008 1863 994 1679 913 1761 849 1714 864 1934 740 1792 678 1914 641 1607 498

Yes 30 9 31 10 29 6 31 8 27 5 27 9 25 4 17 6 19 1

P-­‐value 0.17

0.165

0.026

0.111

0.033

0.722

0.101

0.912

0.05

Table 3: The two foal groups are tested with winning a Group or Listed race. The bold type P-value shows the years that are statistically significant.

Breeding Matters Page 25

Jasmine Tanner

Mare Age at Foaling and the Chance of the Foal Starting in a Race

In research commissioned by The Breeders I was able to confirm international research that mare age as at the date of birth of a foal does matter. From the welfare and efficiency perspective breeding older mares is not a good idea!

How old is your broodmare? This may be an important question when planning your future breeding strategy.

Scientific studies in thoroughbreds have shown that foals from older mares are less successful race performers. The reasons behind this are not clearly understood yet but a possible link may be that older mares give birth to foals of lower birth weight than their younger counterparts. Evidence in human medicine suggests that low birth weight babies are more prone to common adult diseases such as diabetes, coronary heart disease and osteoporosis.

The effect of maternal aspects on resultant offspring will be a large area of research in production animals in the future, and it may be a contributing factor to wastage in the racing industries.

As part of an ongoing project assessing wastage in the New Zealand Standardbred industry, myself in collaboration with HRNZ and NZSBA have been conducting analysis on 17 years of foal crop data from 1995 - 2011. We have looked at the number of horses being registered with a trainer, trialled and raced across each crop and have conducted statistical analysis to identify some factors that may be associated with whether or not a horse makes it to the races. Â

Page 26 Breeding Matters

A part of this analysis has looked at the age of the mare at foaling and whether the resultant foal raced or not. The table below outlines 11 years of foal crop data (1995-2005).

The data shows the mare age at foaling with the number and percentage of foals that are raced and unraced. You can see across the board there is a large number of unraced foals. Approximately 50% of the foal crop fails to race in New Zealand. Once mares reach 19 years of age there is a very clear drop in the percentage of foals that race.

Probably not surprisingly, foals from mares aged 26 years and older simply do not get to the races. The number of mares bred from at the age of 30-35 years old was troubling, but this practice appears to have ceased in the most recent breeding seasons.

In the period under review 433 foals were born to mares 26 years old or older. Not one of those foals got to the races. Not one. There were 164 foals born to 25YO mares and only 12 got to the races.

In our study using more in-depth statistical modelling we proved that mares aged three to nine years old had significantly greater odds of leaving foals that raced than their older counterparts. As mare ages increased the odds of a foal racing were statistically less likely. Whilst these statistics are based on numbers and do not prove a cause and effect it is likely that older mares cannot fully provide the nutrients to their foals that a younger mare can.

Overseas studies have shown increasing mare age has a negative effect on racing performance with these foals being less successful, and there is some evidence to link an increased fracture rate in thoroughbreds to horses out of older mares.

There will always be exceptions to every rule however, Atomic Lass was an 18yo when she produced Auckland Reactor and Scuse Me was 16 when Adore Me was foaled so a great horse can overcome the odds!

The Breeders recommendation from this study to the standardbred breeders of New Zealand is if your mare is 25 years of age please donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t put her in foal.

Mare Age at Foal and Percentage to the Races (1995 - 2005) Mare Age at Foaling

Raced

Unraced

Total

2yo

1 (50%)

1 (50%)

2

3yo

23 (43%)

31 (57%)

54

4yo

296 (45%)

356 (55%)

652

5yo

758 (47%)

872 (53%)

1630

6yo

1155 (49%)

1201 (51%)

2356

7yo

1408 (48%)

1520 (52%)

2928

8yo

1479 (50%)

1509 (50%)

2988

9yo

1368 (47%)

1517 (53%)

2885

10yo

1280 (46%)

1486 (54%)

2766

11yo

1108 (44%)

1429 (56%)

2537

12yo

1077 (46%)

1245 (54%)

2322

13yo

934 (45%)

1165 (55%)

2099

14yo

837(42%)

1136 (58%)

1973

15yo

711 (39%)

1111 (61%)

1822

16yo

658 (44%)

846 (56%)

1504

17yo

522 (40%)

793 (60%)

1315

18yo

462 (40%)

699 (60%)

1161

19yo

351 (35%)

641 (65%)

992

20yo

266 (33%)

536 (67%)

802

21yo

191 (30%)

437 (70%)

628

22yo

154 (32%)

328 (68%)

482

23yo

63 (23%)

215 (77%)

278

24yo

42 (17%

208 (83%)

250

25yo

12 (7%)

152 (93%)

164

26yo

0 (0%)

113 (100%)

113

27yo

0 (0%)

98 (100%)

98

28yo

0 (0%)

64 (100%)

64

29yo

0 (0%)

54 (100%)

54

30yo

0 (0%)

52 (100%)

52

31yo

0 (0%)

52 (100%)

52

32yo

0 (0%)

26 (100%)

26

33yo

0 (0%)

29 (100%)

29

34yo

0 (0%)

23 (100%)

23

35yo

0 (0%)

35 (100%)

35

Breeding Matters Page 27

Australian breeding industry concern

By Peter Wharton

Peter Wharton canvasses vies on the state of breeding in Australia and some possible solutions.

“The breeding industry is at the crossroads to some degree,” John Coffey, general manager of Alabar Bloodstock (Australia), said. “The cost of breeding horses for a lot of people has become quite prohibitive.

“If you don’t have a breeding industry then you’ve got no industry.”

Coffey pointed out how the number of mares served in 2014/15 had dropped to 5,807, down 203 on the previous year.

“I think the number of services might have fallen again last season by a few percent,” he said.

“Hopefully we’re getting near the bottom of the levelling out of the number of mares bred because 3,500 foals to race in Australia for the 15,000 races we run every year is not a lot.”

In the halcyon days during the 1980’s there were up to 18,200 mares bred each season and 12,000 foals born.

Coffey also stated how the racing product had made spectacular advances in recent times.

“Ten years ago if you said a horse would run 1:47 in Australia you’d have been lined up and shot.

Probably five years ago to have two-year-olds running 1:53 and 1:54, this is fairytale stuff.”

“Breeding to the best stallions in the world instead of the ones that the Yanks cast off because they were no good which is what happened pre-2000 has contributed to the overall quality of the racing stock.”

Coffey also expressed concern about the low percentage of live foals born to mares served.

“Unfortunately since semen transport was introduced the percentage of mares in foal compared to when you used to take your mares to the farm is down to around 60 percent live foals to every mare that’s bred. We’ve got this massive wastage of horses.”

The number of stallions at stud has dropped by almost half in the period from 1996 to 2014, according to the Harness Racing Australia computer.

In the 1996/97 season there were 511 stallions (including one imported semen) compared to 264 (including 39 imported semen) in 2014/15.

“The domination of three or four stallions has killed off a lot of the smaller breeders who feel that they just can’t compete any more,” Coffey stated.

“I think it has forced some people to not even breed at all or only breed one or two of their mares when they’ve got three or four empty.

“Personally I think open books are killing our industry. I think it is one of the worst decisions our industry ever made. I think there should be some restrictions on stallions, but that’s probably never going to happen now.”

Andrew Kelly

John Coffey

Shannon Nixon

Page 28 Breeding Matters

Shannon Nixon, the president of Harness Breeders Victoria and a prominent breeder-owner, said: “As with most racing jurisdictions across the globe, the Australian standardbred breeding industry is waning in terms of foal numbers and stallions standing.

“Whether the declining pattern of the last decade is indeed to become a recurring trend or necessary correction remains to be seen. The sombre numbers are an indirect but inevitable outcome of a period when racing administrators have struggled to stabilise market share and relevance within an entertainment and wagering environment which is becoming more crowded and competitive by the day.

“Difficult times are a great catalyst for change, innovation and opportunity and many Australian Racing Authorities, including Harness Racing NSW and Harness Racing Victoria, with the support of Harness Racing Australia have implemented strategies and directed resources to stimulate revenue growth, ownership and breeding.

“These three factors are co-dependent and imperative in any revival we hope to see in harness racing.

“I have spoken to many breeders, who like myself, have increased their breeding activities in response to strategies such as Vicbred Breeder Bonus and increasing prizemoney.

“Many have done so after reviewing and renewing their own approaches to breeding to capitalise on the advancements in the modern breed and opportunities to utilise frozen and chilled semen from the best stallions in the world.

Nixon said: “The road ahead is unclear, but like most in racing, I am an optimist and am not looking to my corner to stop the fight just yet!”

Despite the declining foal numbers, Andrew Kelly, Chief Executive of Harness Racing Australia, believes “there has never been a better time to be breeding in Australia.”

“Investment in State breeding schemes is at an all-time high, with initiatives ranging from first win bonuses, establishing new race series’, credit schemes, subsidised fee payments (some set at zero) and increased prizemoney. Similarly, sales metrics rates have been at least steadying or improving, after a difficult period,” Kelly said.

“In an operational sense, much has been done on the racing front as well, with programming enhancements designed to accommodate more female racing - all the while aiming to provide enhanced opportunities for owners of horses across all ages, classes and gait.”

Breeding Matters Page 29

Equine Health Association Report

NZSBA is represented on the NZ Equine Health Association by vet Dennis Scott. NZEHAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s task is to consult with Government agencies on behalf of all equine stakeholder organisations in New Zealand on all issues relating to New Zealand equine health, welfare and disease incursion. It has a critical role in making plans on all issues relating to New Zealand equine health, welfare and disease incursion.

The Association is also required to report to all stakeholders on all issues relating to New Zealand equine health, welfare and disease incursion.

It provides advice on training and response planning for all stakeholders on all issues relating to New Zealand equine health, welfare and disease incursion.

NZEHA group meets three to four times per year.

Just over one year ago a paid CEO was appointed, qualified veterinarian Patricia Pearce, who has a long association with both the equine industry and government biosecurity agencies.

Since the Equine Influenza outbreak in Australia a few years ago, the EHA has been vitally involved in having an effective vaccine on hand to use in an emergency situation. This is a live virus vaccine so has a short shelf life and that means that it has to be replenished on a regular basis. This requires close co-operation with the pharmaceutical firm involved.

On-going work also involves working with the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) to sort out the Government Industry Agreement (GIA). This deals with industry responsibilities, including cost sharing, in the event of any notifiable disease outbreak.

Pitfalls include having an accurate data base of horse numbers in New Zealand. This is simple with the registration of thoroughbred and standardbred racing and breeding horses with their respective bodies but there is a lot of work to be done with pleasure and work horses. The Racing Board has generously offered to underwrite much of the initial expense but there will be some cost to the various sectors.

Recent achievements have been the eradication of Equine Viral Arteritis (EVA) in this country and this was due to direct action of the EHA. This was finally achieved early in 2015 and was a great positive for our breeding industries.

Page 30 Breeding Matters

Dennis Scott BVSc MANZCVS

The outbreak of the nervous variant of equine herpes virus in early 2015 took a lot of EHA time, along with collaboration with MPI and investigations into ascertaining the cause and the spread. Strict security and professional recommendations were required as the outbreak was noted at the time of the annual yearling sales at Karaka. There was a need to suppress a panic from the media while maintaining a clinical investigation and ensuring that the yearling crop itself was safe.

Welfare has become a major issue with all animal related industries and EHA has been intimately involved in writing codes of conduct for equines, including minimum standards. These then have been sent around various bodies for consutation, including back to EHA for ratification and are now with MPI where they will be presented to Parliament to be signed into law. Hopefully this will occur sometime in 2016, depending on the will of the politicians.

EHA chair Ivan Bridge and member Greg Northcott have travelled to China and been involved in monitoring welfare of NZ horses sent there. They report that welfare is very good. From that contact an alliance has been made whereby Chinese veterinary students can receive some tuition at Massey and travel with NZ equine veterinarians to garner experience. The first intake occurred in late 2015.

A major meeting with MPI and Massey epidemiologists was facilitated last November to try and set up data collection for horse numbers, disease frequencies and treatments and various other matters such as antimicrobial usage. This is a vast endeavour and will require considerable funding from MPI. The Racing Board may underwrite some of the cost if the project goes ahead. Note that this is separate from the GIA noted above.

Altogether an extremely busy year for EHA in 2015 and hopefully we will see some fruits from all that work in 2016 and beyond.

CREATING

THE BREEDERS

BREEDER REWARDS

C O M M U N I C AT I O N

5 AWARDS FUNCTIONS

HRNZ two national awards sponsored, Cup Eve Function held & three regional awards functions supported

70 NZ GROUP/LISTED TROPHIES Race winners bred by NZSBA members in 2015

33 AUSTRALIAN GROUP 1 TROPHIES Race winners bred by NZSBA members in 2015

160 DIAMOND & GOLD PINS

Race Time Pins Collected by members

3500 SIRES REGISTER

Delivered annually to breeders, trainers & owners

2500 BREEDING MATTERS

Number of breeder and licence holder households receiving Breeding Matters quarterly

250+

PRODUCTIVITY & W E L FA R E

$6000 RESEARCH ACTIVITES

Currently five studies underway on wastage, fertility, mare performance as a factor in foal achievement, foaling date v Group race success & size of future race-horse pool 2017-2020

$3000 ANNUAL LEVY

Paid for harness sport to NZ Equine Health Association to support its work on infectious disease control and monitoring

HARNESSED

Pages supplied to HRNZ on breeding topics for the magazine

600

$3000 TROPHIES & RUGS

Support for LIFE AFTER RACING; Horse of Year & RAS trophies/rugs

BREEDERS’ WEEKLY

Number of people opening and reading the Breeders’ Weekly email with 1200 opening it out of 2600 emails sent

2

25

NZ CUP & DOMINION HANDICAP

Replicas handed to the breeders of these race winners and certificates presented to 25 breeders of the starters

FOR BRE

$1500 CONTRIBUTION

Support for our representative on the NZ Equine Research Foundation

TEXT MESSAGES

Mare and foal wanted alerts during breeding season

THE FOUN

1150 MEMBERSHIP: NZSBA members/ partners: Growing every year since 2008

$

$100,000

HRNZ MARKETING HRNZ provides 90% of annual core funding for NZSBA administration.

$46,000 MEMBERSHIP INCOME: $23,000 paid to 3 regional affiliates

N E W Z E A L A N D S TA N D A R D B R E D B R E E D E R S A S S O C I AT I O N 1 April 2016

NG VALUE

EEDERS

INDUSTRY CONTRIBUTION

REVENUE & S U S TA I N A B I L I T Y

$40,000 RACE SPONSORSHIP

Funding raised by The Breeders for fillies and mares race sponsorships annually around NZ including: - NZ Oaks Group 1 - Southern Belle Speed Series - Canterbury Mares Speed Series - Joan Belcher Series - North Island Breeders' Grass Track Fillies and Mares Bonus

$30,000

ADVOCACY

$208,000 MET BONUS:

Total NZ Met bonuses paid so far to NZSBA Members plus $10,000 from Amberley and Cheviot clubs

$5000 REGIONAL WINTER FORUMS

This year in June at Pukekohe, Christchurch and Invercargill on animal husbandry, health and bloodstock taxation

OFFSHORE BETTING:

Submissions Ministerial Committee

TAX BREEDER & BREEDING

Working with NZRB on IRD policy review on who is a ‘breeder’ and when does a ’breeding’ business’ and ‘breeding activity start.

OTHER REVENUE TO CLUBS

Functions and events at race course events centres hosted by The Breeders

$1.8m SBSR

BREEDING RULES & REGULATIONS Provided draft new rules/regs AI, ET, frozen embryos, egg storage, cloning

Southland sales revenue supported by Southern Bred Southern Reared

HRNZ & SIRES STAKES

Appoints a representative to HRNZ executive and three members of the Sires Stakes board

THE BREEDERS EDUCATION CHARITABLE TRUST

$13.5m YEARLING SALES REVENUE 85% clearance rate at February PGGW sales: record revenues to breeders with NZSBA contributions to review and promotion

SALES AGENTS

Submitted draft Code of Conduct for Sales Agent’s activities to HRNZ and will take it to Conference in July

BREEDING SCHEMES

Established mid ’16 to promote harness education, breeding & research and Life After Racing

North Island Mares Credit Scheme considered by HRNZ Liaison Committee and research prepared on similar schemes in other countries

U N D AT I O N

$40,000 PUBLICATION SURPLUS: Surplus from The Breeders publications used for activities

$22,000 CONTRIBUTION TO HRNZ Rent, NZEHA, 2 x National Awards, Trainers Diary, Research, Harness articles

$5,000 ANNUAL DIARY Cost of annual diary/trainers directories send to NZSBA members

Canterbury events schedule Annually

The Canterbury Breeders and the Owners Assn conduct a points based system to determine the Addington Raceway Filly or Mare of the Year. The Presentation is made at the Sept 23rd Annual Breeders Race night

2016 - Events NZ Oaks Saturday 21 May, at Addington Raceway Joan Belcher Trotting Series May 29th/June 19th/July 24th The CSBA sponsored trotting races for mares at Rangiora Raceway.

Each race has a stake of $7,500, with the fastest filly receiving a free service to the Trotting Sire â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lucky Chuckyâ&#x20AC;?

Canterbury Combined Awards Dinner Saturday 3rd September Addington Raceway, Silks Lounge A chance to dress up and have an enjoyable night out. 11 Awards for Canterbury Achievments of both Horses and People, come along and enjoy in their achievements.

A must have on the social calender.

A scrumptious meal and pre dinner drink. Price is $50 per head with a cash bar operating.

Contact:- Robyn Boyle on 027 217 3643 for tickets Canterbury Breeders Race Night Friday 23 September Terror To love Lounge Addington A enjoyable fun night out at the races. Draw for a service to a stallion from the sponsoring studs. Raffles and other give aways on the night. Presentation of Mile Rate pins and Addington Filly or Mare of the Year Award to the owners and breeders - a joint event with Canterbury Trotting Owners Assn.

Tickets $55 contact Rebecca Mooney 03 347 7212 or midfrew@hotmail.com NZSBA Cup Eve Function - invitation only Monday 7 November Presentation of awards to the breeders of the 2015 Cup and Dominion winners, NZSBA Cup Eve group/listed races, Australian Group races and Harness Racing Australia Awards.

Plus the PGGW sponsored Broodmare of Excellence Award.

Prodigal Seelster Summer of Speed Mares Series December to February The annual race series sponsored by Prodigal Seelster for lower grade mares

Page 34 Breeding Matters

Southland Breeders Southland Breeders are strong supports of the iconic Southern Reared Southern Bred (SBSR) brand. The SBSR yearlings sold very well at the February Sale with $1.7 million returned to Southland breeders.

Congratulations to Shard Farm for the top lot being the Mach Three - Sly Shard colt sold for $200,000 to Barry Purdon who described it as ticking all the boxes.

The 17 April Southern Harness Diamonds Day race meeting at Invercargill was a huge success betting figures were up and a great attendance on the day. Feedback on the day is very positive. We look forward to the growth of this day next year. The southern breeders thank all sponsors including Diamond Creek Farms (USA), Nevele R Stud, Macca Lodge, Alabar and Woodlands for their support.

John Stiven, Chairman

SBSR products qualified to line up at the 2016 Jewels 2016 are led by Field Marshal and include Mortician, One Yankee Ginga, Arden’s Choice, Democrat Party, A Damn Good Excuse, Chase The Dream, Major Ben, Field Marshal and Captain Dolmio.

Those with Southern sonnections (owned / trained) include Nek Time. Lightning Mach Tasman Bromac and Titan Banner. Good Luck to you all.

SBSR Yearling Sales Tour at Arden Lodge Tapanui, with John Stiven

North Island Breeders North Island chairman Revell Douglas has recently stood down from the NISBA. With a young family, busy work schedule, sports coaching and training horses Revell says that he did not have the time to put into the position that it deserved.

Thanks for your help and great attitude towards the job.

“I strongly believe that The Breeders are heading in the right direction” he said.

Revell Douglas, Chairman

National Chairman John Mooney thanked Revell for his work for The Breeders. “We all really appreciate that members of the three regional affiliates are volunteers, all with many other commitments.

Nationally we are lucky to have enthusiasts like Revell putting in an effort to promote and support our sport and the breeding of standardbred. Thank you Revell!”

The North Island is also looking for a Committee secretary following the retirement of Claire Madden.

Breeding Matters Page 35

Jazmine Tanner

Predicted starters aged 2-6 years old 2016/2017 to 2019/2020

As part of its on-going research The Breeders requested me to prepare a report estimating the available starters for the four racing seasons starting on 1 August 2016. Horses available to race will decline by 14 percent in the next four seasons. The only way to increase this number if for horses to race more often.

Starters available in future seasons can be calculated based upon: • 15 years of actual racing data; • actual foal numbers in recent years, this season’s mares’ bred; and • the number of times a horse in each age group races (using the actual interquartile range (IQR), which is the spread from 25th to 75th percentile).

Starters are projected to decline by a minimum of 13.7 percent over the four seasons. Table 1 summarises the analysis detailed in Tables 2 -4 for two age groups: 2YOs - 6YOs and 7YOs and above for the four future racing seasons.

Table 1: Predicted Starters by Two Aged Groups 2016/17 to 2019/20 (IQR) Predicted Starters by Racing Season (IQR)

Horses

2016/17

2017/1

2018/19

2019/20

2YO - 6YO

21,980

20,472

19,306

18,592

7YO + (at average)

2,750

2,750

2,750

2,750

Estimate of Total Starters

24,730

23,222

22,056

21,342

The assumptions: Predictions in the tables are based on the median as the number of times each age group races and the IQR. The median has not moved in 15 year.

• Foal numbers based on a 3% decrease in foal crop from 2015 season forwards.

• Historic data shows 10% of foal crop race as 2YOs, 32% as 3YOs, 33% as 4YOs, 22% as 5YOs and 12% as 6YOs. This is unchanged over 15 years.

• 7YO and older horses may contribute a further 2,500-3,000 starters a year.

• Exports are incorporated at historic rates.

The projection does not include imports which are not many.

• The 2015 foal crop at 14 April 2016 was 1693 registered foals. This research assume assumes 350 registration are due.

Page 36 Breeding Matters

The only way in which the starters in each season can be maintained, if everything else stays the same is for trainers and owners to race each horse more times.

The following tables provide the details by season for the 2YO - 6YO set.

Table 2: Estimate of the 2016/17 Starters 2YO-6YO Year (age)

No of foals in foal crop

(Raced %) & predicted number raced

Median starts per age (IQR)

Median predicted starts

IQR predicted starts

2009 (6yo)

2695

(12%) 323

10 (5-18)

3230

3645

2010 (5yo)

2802

(22%) 616

10 (4-16)

6160

6160

2011 (4yo)

2415

(33%) 797

8 (4-15)

6376

6965

2012 (3yo)

2274

(32%) 728

6 (3-10)

4368

4550

2013 (2yo)

2194

(10%) 220

3 (1-5)

660

660

20,794

21,980

Table 3: Estimate of the 2017/18 Starters 2YO-6YO Year (age)

No of foals in foal crop

(Raced %) & predicted number raced

Median starts per age (IQR)

Median predicted starts

IQR predicted starts

2010 (6yo)

2802

(12%) 336

10 (5-18)

3360

3612

2011 (5yo)

2415

(22%) 531

10 (4-16)

5310

5290

2012 (4yo)

2274

(33%) 750

8 (4-15)

6000

6553

2013 (3yo)

2194

(32%) 702

6 (3-10)

4212

4381

2014 (2yo)

2128

(10%) 212

3 (1-5)

636

636

19,518

20,472

Median starts per age (IQR)

Median predicted starts

IQR predicted starts

Table 4: Estimate of the 2018/19 Starters 2YO-6YO Year (age)

No of foals in foal crop

(Raced %) & predicted number raced

2011 (6yo)

2415

(12%) 290

10 (5-18)

2900

3106

2012 (5yo)

2274

(22%) 500

10 (4-16)

5000

5000

2013 (4yo)

2194

(33%) 724

8 (4-15)

5792

6335

2014 (3yo)

2128

(32%) 681

6 (3-10)

4086

4250

2015 (2yo)

2064

(10%) 206

3 (1-5)

618

615

18,369

19,306

Table 5: Estimate of the 2019/20 Starters 2YO-6YO Year (age)

No of foals in foal crop

(Raced %) & predicted number raced

Median starts per age (IQR)

Median predicted starts

IQR predicted starts

2012 (6yo)

2274

(12%) 273

10 (5-18)

2730

2924

2013 (5yo)

2194

(22%) 483

10 (4-16)

4830

4810

2014 (4yo)

2128

(33%) 702

8 (4-15)

5616

6133

2015 (3yo)

2064

(32%) 660

6 (3-10)

3960

4125

2016 (2yo)

2002

(10%) 200

3 (1-5)

600

600

17,736

18,592

Breeding Matters Page 37

Leading North American Families

The first in a series reviewing the top ten North American maternal families.

U1 Medio 1887 (Miss Bertha C)

Branches of the Medio family, include :

Medio is the greatest standardbred maternal family, her sire an obscure son of Happy Medium in Cooper Medium. Medio produced the fastest 3yo trotter of year in Peter Stirling (Kentucky Futurity). The most notable of her four daughters by different sires being Marble who left Miss Bertha C, dam of prolific Miss Bertha Dillon, foundation mare for Hanover Shoe Farms.

Miss Bertha Dillon, by Dillon Axworthy (1914, T4, 2:02½). At four established world record for age and sex as trotter of T2:02½. She died in 1935 Her trotting fillies included –

Miss Bertha Dillon won two classic races, world champion at three, set her mark of T2:02½ at four, became the greatest broodmare of the first half of the twentieth century producing eleven Classic Progeny with five Classic Winners. First dam to produce three two minute trotters (foaled in consecutive years – Miss Bertha Hanover, Hanovers Bertha, Charlotte Hanover) and only broodmare of her era with six foals in T2:05½ or better.

Her best daughter, Hanovers Bertha defeated the colts in the Hambletonian and Kentucky Futurity before daughter Shirley Hanover made it the only mother/daughter combination to have won the Hambletonian.

Miss Bertha Hanover, by Peter Volo (1926, T4, 2:00.0TT), Hambletonian winners tracing to her : Egyptian Condor, Green Speed, Mack Lobell, American Winner, Chip Chip Hooray, Muscle Massive, Trixton. This branch includes Peace Corps, Arndon (sire of Pine Chip, Sundon), Victory Tilly, Cantab Hall, Passionate Glide, Sea Cove and famous three Garland Lobell/Amour Angus full brothers, Andover Hall/Angus Hall/Conway Hall. NZ influences include Chiola Hanover (Yonkers Trot, USA Trotter of Year, multiple leading sire/BM sire of Australasia trotters), Our Real Force (ID Final), Royal Aspirations (Jewels 2T, T2, 1:56.5), Jaccka Justy.(Dominion Hcp).Sundons Luck (NZ/GN Trotters Derbies), sire Roydon Boy, Sunny Action, Jinja Gal • Hanovers Bertha, by Peter Volo (1927, T2, 2:02.0; T3, 1:59½TT at Red Mile, Lexington), winner of Hambletonian (also Kentucky Futurity) as were daughter Shirley Hanover and grandson Blaze Hanover. Died in 1944 at Hanover Shoe Farms. The 2015 Elitloppet winner Magic Tonight traces to this branch of Medio family. Hanovers Bertha (inducted to USA Hall of Fame Immortals) together with dam Miss Bertha Dillon

Her trotting fillies included – Miss Bertha Dillon Miss Bertha Dillon 1. Miss Bertha Hanover, by Peter Volo (1926, T4, 2:00.0TT), Hambletonian and Joe Serrill winners tracing to her : Egyptian Condor, Green Speed, Mack Lobell,

Page 38 Breeding Matters

American Winner, Chip Chip Hooray, Muscle Massive, Trixton. This branch includes Peace Corps, Arndon (sire of Pine Chip, Sundon), Victory Tilly, Cantab Hall, Passionate Glide, Sea Cove and famous three Garland Lobell/Amour Angus full brothers, Andover Hall/Angus Hall/Conway Hall.

NZ influences include Chiola Hanover (Yonkers Trot, USA Trotter of Year, multiple leading sire/BM sire of Australasia trotters), Our Real Force (ID Final), Royal Aspirations (Jewels - 2T, T2, 1:56.5), Jaccka Justy.(Dominion Hcp).Sundons Luck (NZ/GN Trotters Derbies), sire Roydon Boy, Sunny Action, Jinja Gal 1.. Hanovers Bertha, by Peter Volo (1927, T2, 2:02.0; T3, 1:59½TT at Red Mile, Lexington), winner of Hambletonian (also Kentucky Futurity) as were daughter Shirley Hanover and grandson Blaze Hanover. Died in 1944 at Hanover Shoe Farms. The 2015 Elitloppet winner Magic Tonight traces to

Duvall). Medio’s wealthiest pacer is Anndrovette ($3.465mUS), rich Peace Corps with in excess of four million dollars (Mack Lobell $3.

Tilly 37m Swedish Kroner).

Miss Bertha Dillon

Bret Hanover is the only Triple Crown winner in the family. Leading Race winners are Peace Corps/Bret Hanover with thirty five, Victor Mack Lobell (31), Timothy T (26); a total of 149 classic race wins b horses is a feat unmatched by any other family.

Brett Hanover

2.. The predominantly pacing branch fillies from Miss Bertha Dillon included • TheBertha predominantly fillies from Miss (World 3.. Miss Worthy,pacing

by Leebranch Worthy (1925,T2:21.0), familyTrotting of BretDerby) Bertha Dillon included Miss Bertha Dillon and Peter Volo had eleven Hanover (Triple Crown winner), Dragons Lair/Dragon Again, Western foals – apart from maternal branches, her paternal Terror (sire multiple NZ Cup winner Terror To Love), Anndrovette Miss Bertha Worthy, by Lee Worthy (1925,T2:21.0), descendants included Sandy Flash (1924) who (1:48..0),world family of Bret record 3yo on 5/8m track McWicked sired Bill Gallon (Hambletonian, Kentucky Futurity 5. Charlotte

by Peter Volo (1928,Lair/ T3, 1:59½), family of Volo, Royalsire of Helen Hanover, ancestress HanoverHanover, (Triple Crown winner), Dragons – 3T); Dillon Mattjesty, Sabilise, Sushi Sushi; third dam of Hambletonian full brothersthat stood in Southern Dragon Again, Western of numerous stallions Timothy Christopher Tl;winner recentTerror NZ influence leading(Brad 3/4yo Hanover/Overtrick/OK Bye/ Terror (sireT,multiple NZ Cup To Love) include Hemisphere trotter,Anndrovette (1:48..0),world record 3yo on WRH/Union Guy/Jennas Beach Boy/Happy Chatter); 5/8m track Spur McWicked recent classic performers Speeding (T1:55.5, GN/NZ/VIC Trotting Derbies, Breeders Crown Five - Star Anvil/Lets Elope; Lawrence (Kentucky Futurity – 3T, dam sire 3T, Great Southern Star), 3f Our Golden Goddess (NZSSHanover - 3f, grand Charlotte Hanover, by Peter Volo (1928, T3, 1:59½), of Helicopter, Hambletonian winner). dam Sabilise) familyHanover, of Royal Mattjesty, Sabilise, Sushi Sushi;T2:08¾), family includes 6. Bertha

by Guy McKinney (1930, third dam ofCambest, Hambletonian brothers Medio is theofleading Artsplace, Littlefull Brown Jug winners Merger/Best All/ Standardbred maternal family Timothy T, Christopher Tl; recent NZ whether measured by number of millionaires, Armbro Operative/Wiggle It Jiggle it (Meadowlands Pace, USA influence include leading 3/4yo trotter producers of speed, classic winners or Triple Crown Harness Horse of Year 2015) Speeding Spur (T1:55.5, GN/NZ/VIC Trotting winners. This influence is seen worldwide e.g. Medio Other Derbies, prominent branches of -Medio not passing through Dillon Breeders Crown 3T, Great withMiss fourBertha has more Prix d’Amerique winners than include Southern Star), 3f Our Golden Goddess any European based maternal family (best is three) 7. Jane Dillon,

by Dillon Bertha (NZSS - 3f, grand damAxworthy Sabilise) (1919,T2:20.0), sister andofis Miss second only to Lady Pierce (eight including Dillon, family by of Armbro Mackintosh Bertha Hanover, Guy McKinney multiple winners Ourasi, Uranie).

8. Ariel Wilkes, by family Don Wilkes (1899), daughter of Medio, family of Duchess (1930, T2:08¾), includes Artsplace, Cambest, LittleTrotting Brown Jug winners Merger/Best Cambest the fastest pacer in history (TT1:46.1US) Faye (World Derby) of All/Armbro Operative/Wiggle It Jiggle leads the Medio family with Trixton/Strong Yankee/ it (Meadowlands Pace, USAVolo Harness of foals – apart Victoryfrom Tillymaternal (T1:50.3) joint fastest trotters. Medio Miss Bertha Dillon and Peter had Horse eleven Year 2015) Other prominent branches of Sandy Flash is currently second branches, her paternal descendants included (1924) who siredtop producer of trotting Medio(Hambletonian, not passing through Miss Bertha millionaires (26 of to Helen Sally Sovereign’s 27) and third on Bill Gallon Kentucky Futurity – 3T); Dillon Volo, sire pacing list with 31 millionaires (33 – Minnehaha/ Hanover, ancestress of numerous stallions that stood the in Southern Dillon include Miss Duvall). Medio’s wealthiest pacer is Anndrovette Hemisphere (Brad Bye/WRH/Union Guy/Jennas Beach • Jane Dillon,

by Hanover/Overtrick/OK Dillon Axworthy (1919,T2:20.0), ($3.465mUS), richest trotter Peace Corps with in

sister of Miss Bertha Dillon, family of Armbro Mackintosh • Ariel Wilkes, by Don Wilkes (1899), daughter of Medio, family of Duchess Faye

Bret Hanover

excess of four million dollars (Mack Lobell $3.9m, Victory Tilly 37m Swedish Kroner).

Bret Hanover is the only Triple Crown winner in the family. Leading Classic Race winners are Peace Corps/Bret Hanover with thirty five, Victory Tilly (32), Mack Lobell (31), Timothy T (26); a total of 149 classic race wins by five horses is a feat unmatched by any other family.Bret Hanover

Breeding Matters Page 39

World Champion (Hinda Rose) and three 2:20 3yo’s (Bell Boy, Hinda Rose).

Siring sons included Saint Bel, leading sire of America in 1894; Chimes, grandfather and founder of modern pacing line through Hal Dale (Adios, GoodU2 Time, Meadow Skipper etc). Beautiful Bell’s branch survives today with a recent Classic Winner being the 2005 Delaware Breeders Stakes 2yofilly winner Staying Power.

Minnehaha 1868 (Netty Clay)

Beautiful Bells

Minnehaha

Beaufiful Bells

The second most successful trotting maternal line is Minnehaha. Her dam

Minnehaha’s sixth foal Eva, (1879 by Sultan) was fastest race timed Peterdaughter Thompson (1911 Kentucky Futurity).

U2 Minnehaha 1868 (Netty Clay) (Sweetheart TT quicker). Eva is better known as dam of Thompson Sisters Netty Clay was by Cassius Clay Jr 22.; she was from a grandson of Mambrino The strongest lineinfrom is Chief Bald Tillie ChiefThompson (Stevens),(1890) possessing numerous crosses to Messenger (Lydia, Tillie, Madam) leading to an extensive maternal branch of through Spinster blood. (grandNeither dam, The The second All most successful trotting is obtained Minnehaha’s. three sisters were

by Guymaternal Wilkes andline were by great butbroodmare no Hambletonian mother nor daughter raced.

Minnehaha. dam Netty Clay was by Cassius Clay Miss Stokes) who was 3x3 to Peter the Great with dam Patchen WilkesHer Farm.

Jr 22.; she was from a grandson of Mambrino Chief in

Minnetonka 4x4 to George Wilkes with two crosses

Minnehaha produced ten Classic Progeny with daughters Beautiful Bells and Lydia (1892)possessing only offspringnumerous was geldingcrosses Peter Thompson (1911 to Netty Clay. Spinster’s offspring included The Old Bald Thompson’s Chief (Stevens), Eva (Thompson sisters) founding significant branches. All ten foals were sired Kentucky Futurity).

Maid/Light Brigade. This branch includes pacers

to Messenger but no Hambletonian blood. Neither

by The Moor or his sons (Sultan, Silverthreads) or grandson (Stamboul 5101).

Armbro Feather, Follow My Star, Caesars Jackpot, mother nor daughter raced.

The strongest line from Tillie Thompson (1890) is through great-broodmare Race Time, Spinster (grand dam, The Miss Stokes) who was 3x3 to Peter the Great with Storm Damage, Warm Breeze, Dancer Beautiful Bells (1872

by The was Hanover, Thorpe Hanover, Kentucky Spur,Moor), French dam Minnetonka 4x4 to George withProgeny two crosses to Netty Clay.

Minnehaha produced tenWilkes Classic with daughters Beautiful Bells and Eva (Thompson sisters) founding significant branches. All ten foals were sired by The Moor or his sons (Sultan, Silverthreads) or grandson (Stamboul 5101).

Beautiful Bells (1872 by The Moor), was Minnehaha’s first foal. She was purchased in 1879 by Leland Stanford and at Palo Alto Farm became known as “The Empress of Broodmares”. The first mare to produce ten Standard Performers from her eighteen foals, fifteen Classic Progeny, six Classic Winners and eight registered sires. She was credited with three yearling world record holders (Adbell, Bell Bird, Hinda Rose), three year old World Champion (Hinda Rose) and three 2:20 3yo’s (Bell Boy, Hinda Rose). Siring sons included Saint Bel, leading sire of America in 1894; Chimes, grandfather and founder of modern pacing line through Hal Dale (Adios, Good Time, Meadow Skipper etc). Beautiful Bell’s branch survives today with a recent Classic Winner being the 2005 Delaware Breeders Stakes 2yofilly winner Staying Power.

Minnehaha’s sixth foal Eva, (1879 by Sultan) was fastest race timed daughter (Sweetheart TT quicker).

Eva is better known as dam of Thompson Sisters (Lydia, Tillie, Madam) leading to an extensive maternal branch of Minnehaha’s. All three sisters were by Guy Wilkes and were obtained by Patchen Wilkes Farm.

Lydia Thompson’s (1892) only offspring was gelding

Remaining sister Madam Thompson’s (1891) family is not as large but produced champion Hambletonian winning trotters Speedy Somolli (Yonkers Trot), Victory Dream, Legend Hanover, Diller Hanover (Kentucky Futurity; David Raymond, Workaholic, Royal Troubador (Yonkers Trot), Wesgate Crown, Offshore Dream (Prix d’Amerique twice), Crazed, Wild Honey (Hambletonian Oaks/Kentucky Futurity/ Breeders Crown). Leading pacers include Happy Escort, Overtrick, Bullet Hanover, Ensign Hanover, Jenna’s Beach Boy, Village Connection, Flight Director.

Minnehaha family is second to Medio in classic progeny. This family has been a leader in producing pacing speed in NA : five in first 100 2:00 pacers; eight in first 100 1:55; equal with Medio, Mambrino Beauty and Miss Duvall with seven in first 100 1:50; third to Miss Duvall (11), Medio (10) with nine in 1:48 (89 in total, May 2016).

Trotters in NA : second equal with Medio with 11 in first 100 1:55 (Sally Sovereign, 13); 1:51 Sally Sovereign leads with seven, Minnehaha has Chapter Seven (T1:50.1)/Wild Honey (T1:50.4).

Minnehaha : equal leading producer of millionaire pacers (Miss Duvall), third leading producer of millionaire trotters. Blissful Hall is Minnehaha’s only Triple Crown winner (Cane Pace, Messenger Stakes, Little Brown Jug).

Next Edition : Mambrino Beauty and Jessie Pepper

Page 40 Breeding Matters

Minnehaha’s first foal. She was

purchased 1879

by Leland Chef, Bachelor Hanover,inArt Official, goodStanford trotters and at Palo Alto Farm became known as “The Empress of Broodmares”.

The first mare to produce ten Standard include Hambletonian winners Hoot Mon (Kentucky Performers from Steve her eighteen foals, fifteen Classic Progeny, six Classic Futurity), Miss Tilly, Duenna, Lobell (Yonkers and eight registered sires.

She was credited with three Trot), SpeedWinners Bowl; Crevette, Davidia Hanover, Brisco yearling worldMrrecord holders(Kentucky (Adbell, Bell Bird, Hinda Rose), three year old Hanover, Spotlite Lobell, Muscleman Futurity), Iceland (Elitloppet).

S TALLIONS A USTRALASIA

LUCKY CHUCKY tr3,1:50.8 $2,119,958

Windsong’s Legacy - Aerobics - Muscles Yankee

Dog Gone Lucky

• Lucky Chucky’s third North American crop will race as 2yos in 2016.

• Lucky Chucky had a great season on the track last year including a top ten finish on the 2yo sires list.

• He has sired 1.55 2yos from both of his crops to race.

• His top 2yo colt from last year was the second highest stake winning 2yo in North America in 2015 and has been ranked 3rd by the experts on the predictive 3yo rankings.

Trainer Chuck Sylvester was quoted as saying “We are reaching for the sky 2 016 with him this year.”

• His top filly from last year Non Stick won the $225,000 NY Filly Sires Stakes final. She is due to start her 3yo career in late May and will campaign in both the NY sires stakes and the Grand Circuit.

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For all enquiries please contact: Peter O’Rourke Phone: 03 3326410 Mobile: 021 346401 Email: pjorourke13@gmail.com PO Box 9361 Tower Junction, Christchurch 8149

www.stallionsaustralasia.com

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Modernise your pedigree with this Mulitple Grand Circuit winning sire.

E

lite Mare Theory An argument that high performance comes from the bottom of the pedigree

by Dr. Michael D. Andrew y

This articlethis presents anpresents argumentanforargument continuation article for a mare-based theory for breeding and yearling a mare-based theory for breeding and selection.yearling It provides an alternative to conventional selection.

It provides an alternatheories, which sire-based. theories, which are tive toare conventional Most sire-based theories involve estimating the sire-based. probability of success whentheories certain involve stallionsestiare Most sire-based bred to mares by a certain broodmare sire.

Emphasis mating the probability of success when on sires iscertain understandable, since most commercial stallions are bred to mares by a sires produce a large number of offspring while certain broodmare sire. Emphasis on sires mares produce only one foal a year and an average understandable, since most commercial of 8-10 inisa lifetime. produce a largemake number of offspring While onlysires a handful of studs commercial sires, while mares produce only one foal a year males are usually favored at sales. and an average of 8-10 in a lifetime.

While only a handful of studs make commercial sires, males are usual-

52

HOOF BEATS NOVEMBER 2015

Horses are usually identified by are theirusually sires: “That one ly favored at sales.

Horses isidentified a Somebeachsomewhere, ” or “This oneis isaa Donato by their sires: “That one Hanover. ” In spite of thisorbias, Somebeachsomewhere,” “Thisthe onebest is a trotting stallions only 40-50 The Donatoproduce Hanover.”

In spite of percent this bias,winners. the best crosses produce only about 40 bestsire/broodmare trotting stallions produce only 40-50 percent percentwinners. winners. The best sire/broodmare On the other hand, there are 40 many mares which crosses produce only about percent produce 70-100 percent winners, regardless of winners. sire. This article makes thethere argument that focusing On the other hand, are many on mares’ production is more advantageous than mares which produce 70-100 percent basing breeding and selection solely winners, regardless of sire. This article on sire/broodmare sire crosses. makes the argument that focusing on mares’ production is more advantageous than basing breeding and selection solely on sire/broodmare sire crosses.

PHOTO BY MARK HALL

First, we need the criteria for a good racehorse.

Generally speaking, these criteria are speed, efficiency of motion, stamina (the ability to carry speed), soundness and attitude including the will to win and tractability the willingness to do what we ask.

Physical examination of the individual provides clues. Many people with experi- ence can identify structural defects, con- formation and motion related to speed, stamina and soundness. Inexperienced buyers should get the best expert help. Attitude is often overlooked, but is key, especially in trotters.

Attitude is difficult to evaluate at a sale. I like horses that appear intelligent, alert, but not too nervous. They are interested in people. They are willing to be brought out of their stalls time after time. They are not balky or nasty.

All the qualities we want can be enhanced by good training, good feeding, good equipment, and good management of racing schedules and good veterinary care. However, we would like to know if the individual carries the genes that pro- vide the best potential for success.

I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t claim to be an expert on breeding horses or picking yearlings. There are many people with much more experience and knowledge.

However, I do like to plan my breeding and pur- chases, in part, on my own evolving understanding of genetics. If a horse lacks the genetic potential, no amount of good training will make it a champion. Clues to the genes we want are found in the pedigree. Performance of ancestors especially those in the first three generations is helpful. Performance is speed, wins, money made and longevity.

Most all major commercial sires are outstanding performers, so there is little information there for identifying the best breeders within that group. Stallions who donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t produce many good performers are quickly weeded out, sometimes before they have much of a chance.

The performance of the dam is an important clue, but as we know, it is not a sure predictor since many of the very best racemares have failed as broodmares and many great broodmares have never raced or have modest records.

I propose that a better predictor than the mareâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record is production. Production is the performance of the foals produced. In mares, production trumps performance. Great production trumps pedigree. Great mares produce a high percentage of winners and high money-makers.

First foals are a real gamble, as are even second foals compared to a foal from a mare with three, four or five outstanding foals. First foals from dams that have a great-producing mother are less risky.

Performance depth in a pedigree is a plus.

Depth increases the likelihood that the genes we want are in the genotype of the individual.

Everyone wants the pedigree loaded with generations of high production, but unless the first dam is showing the production, beware.

Every great tree has dead branches. Every great mare produces a few duds. If we want a great racehorse, look for the offspring of great mares and their daughters or granddaughters.

If improving performance were our goal, we would gather multiple embryos from the best mares.

Everyone wants the pedigree loaded with generations of high production, but unless the first dam is showing the production, beware.

Every great tree has dead branches. Every great mare produces a few duds.

Elite Mare Theory

to concentrate or maxim with an unproven mare, but she must gene combinations of the m have an elite dam or granddam. A greatwas developed by great a performing mare with no elites behind Genetic Basis such as Robert Bakewell her and no foals—or no good-performwho found exceptional fem ing foals—is a big risk. The clues from a pedigree are usually our only indication of genotype.

Progress is being made reproduced the desired typ There is a group of “emerging” elite Amour Angus identifying individual genes and their function, and bred them back to rela mares which should be sought out.

These but we are a long fromandknowledge that is, they are made up of way many genes Amour Angus the ties wegene, seek gene combinations.

A single like in the a racehorse. The sons or grandsons). It did mares have three or fourpredicts foals, allqualihigh 12.5% slow- in or fast-twitch muscleare fibers, traitsone weforseek a racehorse quantitative, that Dam of sire’s sire breeding average animals. performers. The trottingis,mares Solveig, be important, but we are looking for genes and is,may they made many they areare made upup ofofmany genes and gene a combination of many genes.

Sire gene combinations.

A single gene, like the savvy breeders trying to cre Ambro Déjà Vu and Gala Dream are A single gene provides a blueprint combinations.

A single gene, like the one for slowfor for the slowproduction of a fibers, single protein 25% one or fast-twitch muscle fibers, or fast-twitch muscle may be important, a true breeding population good recent examples. Some ofusually these molecule, an enzyme, which cataDam of sire be important, butaofwe are looking for butmay we looking for combination of many lyzes are one of the thousands chemical The theory does not foals never reach the market, but are kept Dam of sire’s dam a reactions combination of many genes.is in a cell. The DNA blueprint genes. transcribed onto messenger RNA, which have average or below-a by owners for racing or breeding.

A single provides a blueprint A single gene gene provides a blueprint for the then translates its plan into a polypeptide production of a single protein molecule, usually for the production of a single protein (building block of protein).

There are on the dam’s side. This us This theory does not imply forgetting approximately 26,000 genes in one human Dam’s sire an enzyme, which catalyzes of the catathousands molecule, usually an enzyme, which 12.5% and about 21,000 in horses. Gene expresmore average horses no m about the sire. The sire contributes half Dam of sire of chemical reactions in a molecules, cell. The DNA blueprint lyzes ofbythe thousands of chemical sion isone altered micro-RNA is transcribed messenger RNA, which Dam crosses may be, although of the genotype. Nevertheless, ainoffonto sucwhich shut is still reactions asome cell.genes.

TheMuch DNA blueprint is then to be learned about this process.

50% translates its plan a polypeptide (building transcribed onto messenger RNA, which may improve the offspring cessful racehorse as a sire, butSexual with nointo reproduction—which involves block oftranslates protein). are approximately 26,000 Second dam then its into a polypeptide contributions fromThere bothplan a sire and dam— strong maternal line, probably represents Elite Mare Third dam genes in human andvariety. about 21,000There in horses. gives a population Individuals (building block of protein). are Gene are unique.

The 32 pairsby of amicro-RNA horse’s expression issome altered molecules, Coefficient Dr. Michael D. Andrew is a p a chance alignment of genes and approximately 26,000 genes in human chromosomes are sorted independently which shut off some is still to bebreedings or selectIn planning at meiosis (in the formation of egg Much and and about 21,000 ingenes. horses.

Gene exprescation at the University of Ne hybrid vigor. When the genes are shuffled ing yearlings, look for as many sperm).

Each sperm/egg is a unique comlearned about thisbyprocess. sion is altered micro-RNA molecules, “elite” mares as possible in the bination of 32 chromosomes.

There are He is also owner of Three Cro up again in meiosis (chromosomes are which involves contributions Sexual reproduction which shut off somedifferent genes.possiMuch is first stillthree generations. These may 232 (more than 4 billion) fromare both a sireofto and dam givesused a population beby the same mare repeatedin or the 1700s: ble combinations these chromosomes! ham, Maine, which has produ sorted independently), we likely adage breeders to be learned about this process.

Canne Angus Offspring of the same can be variety.

Individuals areparent unique.

The 32 great pairssisters of asuch asElite Mare Sexual reproduction—which involves get justFirst an average genotype in most relatively Bring toAmour the Angus, sireorthe blood of his ters as Likeabatoutahell 1:51. different.

When offspring are simi-back and foals are a real gamble, as horse’s are highly chromosomes are sorted independently unrelated mares. The relatively lar, it is probablyfrom because many of theand dam— even second foals compared to a foal contributions both a sire offspring.

These average contributions (intwo thechromosomes formation egg sperm). dam.

Thisandunrelated rule of mares thumb still guides y The views contained in this elite give the right genes in the of aof pair from a mare with three, four or at five meiosis Coefficient gives a population variety.

Individuals gene combinations with fewer of are homozygous.

They the same foals. First foals from dams Each sperm/egg is a carry unique combination of of theoutstanding sire may actually disrupt the great breeders it seems to work. I have of the author alone, and do n the dangers information. more that have a great-producing mother are are unique.The The 32homozygosity, pairs a and horse’s 32 chromosomes.

There are of232 (more thanof inbreeding.

In planning breedings or select- ing yearlings, Elite mares produce more than the better the chances of producing more less risky. represent theinopinions or vie combinations of a good mare. chromosomes are sorted independently never heard70 percent anyone explain why different combinations of look for as many “elite”itmares as possible the top performers.

They of the kind of racehorsespossible we want from Performance depth in a pedigree 4 is a billion) planning breedings orThese selectatthemeiosis the formation of of egg the and have the fixed geneIn combinations same kind(in ofthe mating.

ItOffspring may also be plus. want Depth increases likelihood that these chromosomes! same first three generations. may be the same States Trotting Association. y We a the contribution from works. to produce the kind of racehorse that one Each carries many dominant the genes we want are in the genotype sperm). ing yearlings, look as many sperm/egg is a unique parent can parent be highly different.

Whencomoffspring mare repeated or for great such as Canne we want.the Elite and favorable genes. of the individual.

Everyone wants or the supplements on this story, e-mail us at rea sire that complements According to Mare Theory, it insisters “elite” mares as possible the ofit 32 chromosomes.

There are arebination similar,genes isforprobably because many the Angus can and Angus, or relatively unrelated Anofelite mare coefficient be Amour Many basic life functions pedigree loaded with generations of high ustrotting.com. the elite mare genotype.

There is the old calculated by adding the average are homozygous—even across species. production, but unless the first dam is works because it acknowledges the need first three generations.

These may 232 (more than 4 billion) different possigenes in the two chromosomes of a pair are mares. The relatively unrelated elite mares give

Highest Concentration of Elite Mares

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Elite Mare Coefficient

percentage contribution of genes showing the production, beware. Every There is little room for variation in many be same marecombinations repeated or with fewer of the ble combinations of these homozygous. thechromosomes! same information. thethe right gene in the first three generations. life processes.They Beyondcarry the essential-forgreat tree has dead branches. Every great such as Canne Angus Offspring of the same parent can be the elite maregreat closestsisters to the life andhomozygosity, species-specific genes,the there is The more better theOnly chances dangers of inbreeding. mare produces a few duds. If we want offspring we in question is counted some room for variation.

Breeders have a great look for the and Amour or relatively more of the kind of racehorses highly different.

When offspring are simiElite maresAngus, produce more than 70 percent First foals are a racehorse, real gamble, as offspring areof producing in any line of the pedigree. The of great mares and their daughters or concentrated certain of these variable want from kind ofthrough mating. may possible also percentage top performers.

They have the fixed gene unrelated mares. The relatively lar, it is probably because many ofIt highest the even second foals compared to a foal of elite genes andthe genesame combinations granddaughters.

If improving performares inand three generations is 100elite mares selection inbreeding.

With outcrossour goal, would gather be genes that one parent carries many dominant combinations to produce theright kind of racehorse unrelated give the in and the two chromosomes of a pair from a (continued mare mance with were three, fourwe or five from previous page) percent. (See chart on page 58) ing, those selected gene combinations multiple embryos from the best mares. genes. we want. gene combinations with fewer of are homozygous.

They carry the same outstanding foals. First foals from damsfavorable Any percentage over 37.5 is don’t last long. By the third generation, 1 life functions are An dangers elite mare coefficient can be calculated by very good.

The closer-up the elite /8, basic ormore 12.5 percent, the of inbreeding. onlygenes an average for of information.

The homozygosity, that have a great-producing mother areMany mare, the better. adding the average percentage contribution of of the genes of an ancestor are left.

By homozygous even across species.

There is little Elite mares produce more than the better the chances of producing more less risky.

Percentage of success of sire The clues from a pedigree are usually our the fourth generation, only 1/16, or 6.25 for variation in many lifeweprocesses.

Beyond genes in the first three generations.

70 percent top performers.

They the kind racehorses want from Performanceonlydepth in aof pedigree is aroom with dams by certain broodmare of theofgenes remain. Because indication genotype. Progress is ofpercent, thethe essential-forlife and species-specific Only thefixed elitegene marecombinations closest to the offspring in should not behave overlooked, thesame favorable genes be left out in being made identifying individual the kind ofmay mating.

It may alsosires begenes, plus. Depth increases the likelihood thatgenes but simply lookingquestion at sire/ it is very possible no genes Breeders and their function, but we are a long way theremeiosis, is one some room forthat variation. have is counted to produce parent many the genes we want are in that thepredicts genotype broodmare sire crosses is a losing the kind of racehorse of a favored ancestor carries are left after only a dominant from knowledge the quali- that concentrated certain of these variable genes in any line of the pedigree. The highest possible proposition. few generations. ties we seek in a racehorse.

The traits we we want. of the individual. Everyone wants the and favorable genes. and gene combinations percentage of elite mares in three generations is Our best chance of a good through prediction selection and seek in a racehorse are quantitative, that

age earnings or an earnings index and pany to break even), an aver without taking into account the quality percent achieved that. There sires, even if they are from weak Genetic Basis of mares bred to each stallion. families.

Their genetic combinations statistical differences in perc The popular new stallion gets the contributing to success may be a lucky except for one stallion, whic best mares and breeds the largest deal of the genetic “cards” with lots of below average. number of mares. These sires should heterozygous gene pairs.

Taking only the crosses th An elite coefficient can be of total earnings andmare even Thewith outcross sireofbenefits from significantly above average f Many genes for top basicthe lifelist functions pedigree loaded generations high inbreeding.

100 percent.

(See chart on page 47) calculated by adding the average are homozygous—even across species. production, but unless the first dam is earnings per foal.

The top sires get the creating some hybrid vigor andoutcrossing, some percent of offspring With those selected gene Any2015 percentage over 37.5 sire, is very35 good.

The closerBEATS NOVEMBER 55contribution percentage of genes There is little room for variation inHOOF many showing the production, beware. Everycombinations don’t last long.

By and the after third aup theyears elite mare, the better. most mares few they dominant, favorable genes, but has crosses earned $50,000.

If a the first three generations. life processes. the essential-forgreat tree has dead branches. Every greatgeneration, only Beyond an average of 1/8, or 12.5 in Percentage of success of sire with dams by certain appear as leading broodmare sires. limited ability to pass his chance randomly picked offspring ( the elitesires mare closestnot to the life and species-specific there mare produces a few duds. If we wantpercent, of the genes of angenes, ancestor are isleft. By Only broodmare should be overlooked, but offspring in question is counted some room for variation.

Breeders have a great racehorse, look for the offspring again they got thesimply bestlooking maresat sire/ broodmare combination of genes on the beyond for thesire best crosses fourth the generation, Once only 1/16, or 6.25 percent, crosses is a without any proposition. line of the pedigree. The concentrated certain of these variablegenes in of great mares and their daughters orof the genes remain.

Because the favorable losing from the best families.

This leads to relfirst generation.

He may, in fact, conmare performance, they wou and combinations granddaughters. If improving perfor-maygenes be left outgene in meiosis, it is verythrough possible that highest possible percentage of elite atively high of success forthree certain taminate great genetic combinations ininbreeding. mares in generationsmoney is 100 65 percent of the tim With outcrossmance were our goal, we would gather no selection genes of and a favored ancestor are leftrates after only percent.The (See data chart on ing,generations. those selected gene multiplegood embryos from the best mares. a few in page 58)There are a few exception mares.

Oursire/broodmare best combinations chance of a sire goodcrosses.

Any percentage over 37.5 is don’t last long. By the third generation, to show The popular new siresprediction may get a few “Crosses of Gold” is helpful crosses, found for three of th very good. The closer-up the elite only an average of 1/8, or 12.5 percent, which crosses consistently but the greatBasis offspring. They should,of because stallions, averaged 42 percen mare,fail, the better. the genes of an ancestor are left. By Genetic 1 Percentage of success of$50,000. sire /16, or are 6.25 not that productive. fourth generation, only The clues fromusually a pedigreeget aremany usually of ourthethe best crosses they best mares.

For these crosses, a with dams by certain broodmare percent, of the genes remain.

Because only indication of genotype.

Progress is To illustrate, seven of the leadOccasionally they have a collection of would lose, on average, 58 p sires should not be overlooked, being made identifying individual genes the favorable genes may be left out in ing trotting sires of the last few years genes that produce a high percentage but simply looking at sire/the time. and their function, but we are a long way meiosis, it is very possible that no genes were used as a sample: Andoversire Hall, of superior offspring—or they complebroodmare crosses is a losing Statistics such as “Golden of a favored ancestor are left after only a from knowledge that predicts the qualiproposition. few generations. ties we seek in a racehorse.

The traits we Cantab Hall, Credit Winner, Balanced ment the genes of the great mares. show superior sire/broodma Our best chance of a good prediction seek44 in a Breeding racehorse are quantitative, that Page Image, Donato Hanover, Kadabra and The sireMatters statistics provided by the crosses working perhaps 30SJ’s Caviar. Looking at the offspring USTA often help support the sire cent of the time, slightly bett HOOF BEATS of crosses of these stallions thatNOVEMBER earned 2015 “myth.” Statistics on sires often rank the 55 average of only 25-30 pe

Elite Mare Theory

to concentrate or maxim with an unproven mare, but she must gene combinations of the m have an elite dam or granddam. A greatwas developed by great a performing mare with no elites behind such as Robert Bakewell her and no foals—or no good-performwho found exceptional fem ing foals—is a big risk. reproduced the desired typ There is a group of “emerging” elite and bred them back to rela mares which should be sought out. These sons or grandsons). It did mares have three or four foals, all high 12.5% Dam of sire’s sire breeding average animals. performers. The trotting mares Solveig, Sire savvy breeders trying to cre Ambro Déjà Vu and Gala Dream are 25% a true breeding population good recent examples. Some of these Dam of sire The theory does not foals never reach the market, but are kept Dam of sire’s dam of heterozygosity and some hybrid vigor. These has happened in 50 years. of ability by comes fromforhomozygosity in have average or below-a owners racing or breeding. genes may break up the desired homozygous While I try to keep up with new the traits we This want, theory or a preponderance of on the dam’s side. This us does not imply forgetting traits, even though they willDam’s produce favorable genes. These favorable genes must I know only bits and pieces of the sire a information, 12.5% average horses no m about the sire.

The sire contributes half few outstanding offspring.

Occasionally, be close up in the pedigree. I am interested rapidly evolving field ofmore genetics.

I do know Dam of sire an outcross stallion has strong, favorable, in the firstofthree generations, with proven that scientists working on the human genome Dam crosses may be, although the genotype. Nevertheless, a sucdominant genes that50% will improve most mares. (and horse genome) pre- dicted many more production in the first two. While the depth of may the offspring cessful racehorse as a sire, but with no pedigree is good it probably means a pool of genes than they found.

The improve myriad human Second dam strong maternal line, probably represents better-than- average genes great production (or equine) Third dam traits and the mass of DNA led to can be quickly lost. larger predic- tions of Dr. individual genes than Michael D. Andrew is a p a chance alignment of genes and some Defining Elite Mares The right stallion for a certain mare seems to was found.

Some new genetic information may be cation at the University of Ne hybrid vigor.

When the genes are shuffled complement or even improve on the desired The actual number of genes was about 1/5 helpful.

I am not a genetics expert.

My last He is also owner of Three Cro up again in meiosis (chromosomes are combinations. of the predicted number.

This was because formal education in genetics was in graduate some of the DNA was not in genes, per se, but I believe these stallions usually have greatham, Maine, which sorted independently), we are school. likelyI was to lucky adage used by breeders in the 1700s: enough to have James D. was involved in gene regulation and turninghas produ producing mares close-up in their pedi- grees.

Watson as a professor yearstoafter and the tersThis as Likeabatoutahell 1:51. get just genotype in most Bringa few back thehe sire blood of on hisand off.

Those stallions with an greataverage mares close-up certain genes DNA was first Francis Crick uncovered the double-helix as help “stackoffspring. the deck” with favorable genecontributions thought be “junk” DNA. y The views contained in this These average dam. This thumb stillto guides the essen- tial structure of DNA.rule Thoseofwere combinations.

Many do little more It also became apparent that alone, gene and do n of the author of the sirestallions may actually disruptvery theexciting great times, breeders andmore it than seems work. I have but that was 50 tocombinations than foul up great gene combinations from large numbers of genes working beginning genetics a few explain represent theisopinions or vie combinations a good mare. years ago. I taught never heard anyone why it many good mares.

These stallionsofare outcrosses together determined traits. This a key times in the 1960s, but so much with lots concept; it is almost States Trotting Association. y We want a contribution from the works. sire that complements or supplements According to the Elite Mare Theory, it on this story, e-mail us at rea the elite mare genotype. There is the old works because it acknowledges the need ustrotting.com.

Highest We want a contribution from the sire that complements Concentration of Elite Mares There is the or supplements the elite mare genotype.

old adage used by breeders in the 1700s: Bring back { to the sire the blood of his dam.

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Alternate Theories

There are several popular breeding theo- ries that are not backed by substantiated research or logic. (continued from previous page)

still be present. When the first and second that the pair of X chromosomes are randomly generations show little, then the great distributed in each meiotic division of the egg both chromowould have toeven), carry an aver ancestors may age mean little. Most dams and earnings orgreat an earnings index and somes pany to break and all great sires have some lousy offspring the same information (homozygous) in order taking into account theXquality sires, even if they are from weak percentpassed achieved Foundation Theory factor to be faithfully on at that. There that missed outwithout on the right combination of for the One individual in the fourth generation genes. conception. of mares bred to each stallion. families.

Their genetic combinations statistical differences in perc contributes on average only 1/16, In mares, the X chromosome in the egg is The popular new stallion gets the contributing to success may be a lucky one stallion, whic or 6.25 percent, of the genotype. By then paired with the Xexcept chromo-for some from “X Factor” Theories the sixthdeal generation, that is 1/64 of the sire. One of the two X chromosomes best mares the the largest of the genetic “cards” withThese lots theories of below average.in assume that aand genebreeds or genes genotype, or the equivalent of one chro- that determine greatness are car- ried on the each mare came from the stallion’s genotype number of mares. These sires should pairs.

Taking only the crosses th mosome. heterozygous Because of gene the independent X-chromosome (female sex chromosome) (her sire). The X factor gene would have to be assortment of meiosis, from top the list of total earnings and even Thechromosomes outcross sireinbenefits significantly above average f both homozygous in the mare and dominant and are thus passed on from the mare. there maycreating be no genes left from that famous in order for it to be passed on and expressed.

No conclusive evidence has yet turned earnings per foal. The top sires get the some hybrid vigor and some sire, 35 percent of offspring ancestor after three or four gen- erations. up that genes essential to speed, stamina, In the next generation, that X chromosome most mares and after a few years they dominant, favorable genes, but soundness has crosses $50,000. If a with the special genes may notearned be the one and atti- tude are carried on the Pedigree Depthability Theory at meiosis to be passed on.picked offspring ( X-chromosome,appear including gene forbroodmare a large chosen asthe leading sires. limited to pass his chance randomly Having great ancestors in the pedi- gree is heart.

The “X factor” can be lost in just two againgenes they got mares combination genes beyond the there Once for the best crosses without helpful if the ancestors areof closeup. Ifon a great generations.

While are many on the the best ancestor’sfirst genesgeneration. seem to showHe upmay, in the in firstfact, now know that one of theperformance, X chromosomes they wou from the best families. to ThisWeleads to relconmare X-chromosome and some may contribute and second generation especially in the dam what we want, it is also a fact is shut off in somatic (body) cells. This process atively high rates of success for certain 65 percent and sire taminate great genetic combinations in appears to be random.money If there were a special of the tim then pedigree helps to reassure sire/broodmare sire crosses.

Theit might data be in on the XThere gooddepth mares. are a few exception gene, chromosome us that the gene we sires want may thatto is show Thecombinations popular new may get a few “Crosses of Gold” is helpful crosses, found for three of th

great offspring. They should, because they usually get many of the best mares.

Occasionally they have a collection of genes that produce a high percentage of superior offspring—or they complement the genes of the great mares.

The sire statistics provided by the USTA often help support the sire “myth.” Statistics on sires often rank

which crosses consistently fail, but the stallions, averaged 42 percen best crosses are not that productive. $50,000. For these crosses, a To illustrate, seven of the leadwould lose, on average, 58 p ing trotting sires of the last few years the time. were used as a sample: Andover Hall, Statistics such as “Golden Cantab Hall, Credit Winner, Balanced show superior sire/broodma Matters Pageperhaps 45 Image, Donato Hanover, Kadabra andBreeding crosses working 30SJ’s Caviar. Looking at the offspring cent of the time, slightly bett of crosses of these stallions that earned the average of only 25-30 pe

Elite Mare Theory

to concentrate or maxim with an unproven mare, but she must gene combinations of the m have an elite dam or granddam. A greatwas developed by great a performing mare with no elites behind such as Robert Bakewell foals—or no good-perform• Must have produced at least five foals certain thather theand traits no we want in a racehorse surviving or significantly influenc- ing the who found fem big risk.

• Must have at least 70-percent win- ners from offspring beyond three generaare mostlying thefoals—is result of afortuitous gene tions isexceptional slight. living foals old enough to race combinations. There These may be heterozygous The mare’s contribution survives if it shows reproduced the desired typ is a group of “emerging” elite • Must have at least two $100,000 winners and up in one of the mares in a later generation. and fleeting combinations, not to be faithfully and them back to rela mares which should be sought out.

These more than $1 million in total offspring passed on, or perhaps they are homozygous The latest elite mare is the onlybred one counted in and more fixed in certain sons or grandsons).

It did mares have individuals. three or four foals, earnings all high the system.

12.5% Their influence can be calculated • Must have produced at least one offspring I grew up performers. on a dairy farm.The I latertrotting raised beef, by adding up their influence on the offspring Dam of sire’s sire breeding average animals. mares Solveig, with a 3-year-old mark and for 45 years raised Hampshire sheep. We as the dam conSire under 1:54 on a mile in question. An elite mare breeders trying to cre Ambro Déjà Vu and Gala Dream are track, under 1:55 on a five-eighths track, or tributes 50 percent; 25savvy sometimes had a cow or a ewe that produced percent as second 25% under 1:57 on a half-mile track superior individuals every time she was bred, dam and 12.5 percent asathird If the sire’s truedam. breeding population good recent examples. Some of these sire These criteria necessarily changeDam overoftime as dam was elite, that’s 25 percent more, etc. You no matter what the sire was. These dams The theory does not foals never reach the market, but are kept Dam of sire’s dam speeds increase and purses change. They also can’t count the same line twice—only the weren’t always out- standing individuals have average or by owners for racing or breeding. change with the level of racing in which one one closest up. The best you can have is 100 below-a themselves. competes.

Mares of this kind can be found in Standardbred percent. on the dam’s side. This us This theory does not imply forgetting Dam’s Belief in these mares’ ability to pro-sireduce Elite12.5% pedigrees. They produce a high percentage of mares in a pedigree may or may not be more average horses no m about the sire.

The sire contributes half Dam of sire increases with the depth of their maternal closely outstanding foals, regardless of sire. They seem related. Closely related mares increase may ofthat themagic genotype.

Nevertheless, a suc-if their Dam pedigree; dams or grand dams the risk of inbreeding crosses to have fixed combination of genes depression, butbe, thealthough 50% likelihood that the risk is worth it with great mares. Too much elite, that createcessful the racehorse we want.as a sire, butwere may improve the offspring racehorse with nothere is more gene combinations are “fixed, ” meaning I call these “elite” mares. Identifying them is Second dam inbreeding may cause loss of size, viability maternal probably represents homozygous alleles, in correct combination and somewhatstrong subjective.

There line, are different fertility and a greater chance of Thirddecreased dam and genes classes of elite mares depending on the Dr. Michael D. Andrew is a p a chance alignment of level genes and somenot normally turned off. harmful genes being expressed. based on the Elite Mare Theory Every elite mare may cation of racing. All elite mares must have the produced produceat mares that the University of Ne hybrid vigor.

When genes areSelection shuffled depends on the number of these mares within didn’t get that magic combination of genes. at least five live foals and 70-percent winners. is also owner of Three Cro upcriteria againforin meiosis the first are three generations. The likelihood of In non-elite dams, I look He Here are my trotting mares(chromosomes which for dams with at least specialtocombinations can produce majorindependently), stakes winners atwe the are the or four outstanding offspring orwhich a very has produ ham, Maine, sorted likely adage used by breedersthree in the 1700s: national level. They are for mares born since strong second dam. Mare (race as Likeabatoutahell 1:51. get just an average genotype in most Bring back to the sire the blood of his tersperformance 1975. record) helps offspring. These average contributions dam. This rule of thumb still guides y The views contained in this of the sire may actually disrupt the great breeders and it seems to work. I have of the author alone, and do n turned off. In this case, it would have little or energy machines within cells produce ATP, Most breeding theories focus on combinations never heard anyone explain why it represent the opinions or vie no effect on the individual. of a good mare. which is the chemical which allows controlled the stallion: the individual’s sire and To further complicate pieces of oxidation States Trotting Association. y We want things, a contribution from the works. for life functions. Mitochondrial DNA the dam’s sire. Most talk by breeders is about chromosomes sometimes switch onto partner does mutate and some of these mutations onwhich this story, e-mail us at rea sire that complements or supplements cross best broodmare According to the Elitewhich Maresires Theory, it with chromosomes. Even more confusion comes cause serious diseases. Mitochondrial DNA sires or which “hot” sire ustrotting.com. the elite mare genotype.

There is the old works because it acknowledges the need from new knowledge that certain individual has some variation, which allows us to trace

Highest Concentration of Elite Mares

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to breed to. This is somewhat logical, because genes are turned off. maternal families back to their origins, but a a sire has many offspring and a dam has The only thing faithfully passed special factor affecting racing per- formance is only a few. on in the female line is mitochondrial DNA. highly unlikely.

However, it is obvious that the dam’s genetic That’s the DNA that runs the essential energy contribution is at least equal. Moreover, it is processes (continued in cells. The small of genes age earnings or an earnings index andX chro-pany fromnumber previous page) to carries breakmany even), an aver a fact that the mosome that govern the production of mitochondrial morethe genes than the percent Y chromosome, whichthat. There without taking into account quality sires, even if they are from weak achieved DNA and the proteins needed for the carries just a few genes, and these are mostly of mares bred to each stallion. families.

Theirare genetic statistical cellsrespiratory processes passedcombinations from involved with male sex character- differences istics. It is in perc mother tocontributing daughter from cellular material, not be a lucky The popular new stallion getsthat theit is only the to success may except also true mare for that one passesstallion, whic from the nuclear chromosomes that on the mito- chondrial DNA. average. best mares and breeds the largest deal of the genetic “cards” with lots of below came from Sire-based theories have other flaws. meiosis asheterozygous described above.gene There pairs. may number of mares. These sires Modern shouldtrotting and pacing Taking only sires are the crosses th be a “special factor” related chosen almost solely on the top the list of total earnings and even The outcross sire benefits from significantly above average f to racing in mitochondrial DNA, race performances.

Winners of major earnings per foal. The top sires get the creating some hybrid vigor and some sire, 35 percent of offspring but it is unlikely. stakes become.

There is little room for variation in thegenes, but has most mares and after a few years they dominant, favorable crosses earned $50,000. If a basic energy process that occurs (continued on next page)picked offspring ( appear as leading broodmare sires. limited ability to pass his chance randomly in mitochondria. These little

combination of genes on beyond the first generation. He may, in fact, contaminate great genetic combinations in good mares.

The popular new sires may get a few great offspring. They should, because they usually get many of the best mares.

Occasionally they have a collection of genes that produce a high percentage of superior offspring—or they complement the genes of the great mares.

Page 46 Breeding The sireMatters statistics provided by the USTA often help support the sire “myth.” Statistics on sires often rank

Once again they got the best mares from the best families. This leads to relatively high rates of success for certain sire/broodmare sire crosses. The data in “Crosses of Gold” is helpful to show which crosses consistently fail, but the best crosses are not that productive.

To illustrate, seven of the leading trotting sires of the last few years were used as a sample: Andover Hall, Cantab Hall, Credit Winner, Balanced Image, Donato Hanover, Kadabra and SJ’s Caviar. Looking at the offspring of crosses of these stallions that earned

for the best crosses without mare performance, they wou money 65 percent of the tim There are a few exception crosses, found for three of th stallions, averaged 42 percen $50,000. For these crosses, a would lose, on average, 58 p the time.

Statistics such as “Golden show superior sire/broodma crosses working perhaps 30cent of the time, slightly bett the average of only 25-30 pe

Elite Mare Theory

e Mare Theory with

to concentrate or maxim an unproven mare, but she must gene combinations of the m have an elite dam or granddam. A greatAccording to the Elite Mare it works good to concentrate or Theory, maximize with an with unproven mare, shemust must an unproven mare,but but she have an developed the by great a performing mare with no elites behind because it acknowledgeswas the need elite dam oror granddam.

A greatperforming gene combinations of the mares.

This rule have an elite dam granddam.

A greatto concentrate or maximize gene Bakewell suchtheasgood Robert andbehind no foals—or mare withher no elites her and no no foalsgood-performwas developed by great performing with no foals elites behind combinations of the mares.

This animal rule wasbreeders or nomare good performing is a big risk. who found exceptional fem ing foals—is a big risk. developed

by Robert great animal breedersinsuch is a groupno of “emerging” elite mares such as Bakewell the 1700s her and There no foals—or good-performreproduced There is a out. group of mares “emerging” elite as Robert Bakewell in the 1700s who the founddesired typ whichashould be sought These who found exceptional females (onesto that ing foals—is big risk. exceptional females (ones reproduced andthat bred them back rela mares should be sought out. These have three or fourwhich foals, all high performers. reproduced the desired type of offspring) ThereThe is trotting a group of “emerging” elite the desired type of offspring) and bred them mares have Solveig,three Ambroor Déjà Vu and sons or grandsons).

It did mares four foals, all high 12.5% backand to related sires (often sons orrelated grandsons).

Gala Dream arebe good recentout. examples.

Some bred them back to sires (often mares which should sought These of sire’s breeding performers. trotting mares Solveig, ItDam didn’t comesire from breeding averageaverage animals. animals. of these foals reachThe the market, but are sons orsavvy grandsons).

Itbreeders didn’t come from mares have three ornever four foals, alland high Sire It came from breeders trying to create or 12.5% kept by owners for racing orVu breeding. savvy trying to cre Ambro Déjà Gala Dream are Dam of sire’s sire improve a true breeding population. breeding average animals.

It came from performers.

The trotting mares Solveig, 25% This theorygood does not imply forgetting about the a iftrue population recent examples. Some Sire of these Dam of sire The savvy theory does not apply youtobreeding have average sire. TheVu sire and contributes half of the genotype. breeders trying create or does improve Ambro Déjà Galareach Dream are The theory not foals never the market, but are kept or below-average mares on the dam’s side.

Dam of sire’s dam Nevertheless, a successful racehorse as a sire, 25% a true breeding population. good recent examples.

Some of these This usually produces more horses but with by no owners strong maternal line, probably Dam of sire haveaverage average or below-a for racing or breeding. whattheory the crosses may not be, although The does apply youus foals never reach the market, butdoes are kept represents a chance alignment of genes Dam of sire’s dam no matter on thethe dam’s side.ifThis This theory not imply forgetting a superior stud may improve offspring and some hybrid vigor.

When the genes are Dam’s sire 12.5% have average or below-average mares by owners for racing or breeding. more average horses no m about sire. The sire contributes half considerably. shuffled up againthe in meiosis (chromosomes Dam of sire This theory does not imply forgetting on the dam’s side.

This may usually are sorted independently), we are likely to get crosses be, produces although of the genotype. Nevertheless, a suc-Dam’s sireDam 12.5% Dr. Michael D. Andrew is a professor of edu-what the justsire. an average genotype in most half offspring. more average horses no matter about the The sire contributes 50% Dam of sire may improve the cessful racehorse as a sire, but with no cation at the University of New Hampshire. He offspring These averageNevertheless, contributions of athesucsire may Dam Second dam crosses may be, although of the genotype. is also owner of Three Crow Farm in a superior stud strong maternal line, probably represents actually disrupt the great combinations of a 50% Third dam may Maine, improve theDr. offspring considerably. cessful racehorse a sire,alignment but withofnogenes and some Gorham, which has producedD. such good mare.

Michael Andrew is a p a as chance Second dam trotters as Likeabatoutahell 1:51.3 ($1,035,643).

We want line, a contribution from the sire that strong maternal probably represents Third dam cation at the University of Ne hybrid vigor.

When the genes are shuffled The views contained in this story are those or supplements the elite mare Dr.author Michael D. Andrew is anecessarily professor of edua chancecomplements alignment of genes and some of the alone, and do not genotype.up There is the old He is also owner of Three Cro again in meiosis (chromosomes are cationthe atopinions the University Hampshire. represent or viewsofofNew the United hybrid vigor. genes aretheshuffled adageWhen used bythe breeders in 1700s: we Bringare likely to ham, Maine, which has produ sorted independently), adage used by breeders in the 1700s: States the sire the blood of his dam. are This rule HeTrotting is alsoAssociation. owner of Three Crow Farm in Gorup againback in tomeiosis (chromosomes Likeabatoutahell 1:51. just breeders an average genotype in most Bring back to the sire the blood ofonhisthis ters To comment story,ase-mail us at of thumb get still guides and it seems to ham, Maine, which has produced such trotsorted independently), we are likely to adage used by breeders in the 1700s: readerforum@ustrotting.com. work. I have never heardThese anyoneaverage explain whycontributions offspring. dam. This rule of thumb still guides y The views contained in this ters as Likeabatoutahell 1:51.3 ($1,035,643). get just itan average in mostdisrupt works.

Bring sire the blood of histo work. of the genotype sire may actually theback greatto the breeders and it seems I have of the author alone, and do n y The views contained in this story are those offspring. Thesecombinations average contributions dam.

This rule of thumb still guides of a good mare. never heard anyone explain why it represent the opinions or vie and do not necessarily of the sire may actually disrupta the great breeders seems to work. I have of the author alone, States Trotting Association. y We want contribution from and the it works. represent the opinions or views of the United combinations of a good mare. never heard anyone explain why it to break even), an average of story, 28 percent (continued fromthat previous page) earnings or an earnings index and this e-mail us at rea sire complements or supplements According to without the Eliteachieved Mare Theory, it on that.

There were no statistical sires, even if they are from weak families.

Their taking into account the quality of mares bred States Trotting Association. y To comment We want a the contribution from theThere works.the old works because it acknowledges ustrotting.com. elite mare genotype. differencesthe in need percentages except for one combinations contributing to success toiseach stallion. on this story, e-mail us at readerforum@ sire thatgenetic complements or supplements According to the Elite Mare Theory, it may be a lucky deal of the genetic “cards” with The popular new stallion gets the best mares stallion, which fell well below average. ustrotting.com. the elite mare genotype. There is the old works only the crosses that were significantly because it acknowledges the needTaking lots of heterozygous gene pairs. and breeds the largest number of mares.

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The outcross sire benefits from creating some sires should top the list of total earnings and above average for each sire, 35 percent of hybrid vigor and some dominant, favorable even earnings per foal. The top sires get the offspring of those crosses earned $50,000. If an owner randomly offspring genes, but has limited ability to pass his most mares andage afterearnings a few yearsor they anappear earnings index and picked (continued from previous page) pany to break even), an aver chance combination of genes on beyond the as leading broodmare sires. Once again they (or bred) for the best crosses without regard without taking into account the quality sires, even if they are from weak percent achieved that. There mare performance, they would lose money first generation.

Hepage) may, in fact, contaminate the bestor mares from the best families.

This forpany age got earnings an earnings index and (continued from previous toofbreak even), an average of 28in perc 65 percent the time. of mares bred to each stallion. families.

Their genetic combinations statistical differences great genetic combinations in good mares. leads to relatively high rates of success for without taking intoThe account the new quality sires, even theycontributing are from percent that.The There were no whic There are the a achieved few exceptions. best crosses, Theif popular new sires weak may get a fewmay great sire/broodmare sire crosses.

The data popular stallion gets to success becertain a lucky except for one stallion, for threedifferences of the seven stallions, averaged They should, because they usually in “Crosses of to Gold” is helpful to show which found of mares bred each stallion. families. offspring.

Their genetic combinations statistical in percentages best fail, mares andbest breeds largest themares. genetic “cards” with lots of belowForaverage. percent earning $50,000. these crosses, get manydeal of theof best crosses consistently but the crossesthe42 The popular new stallion gets the contributing to success may be a lucky except for one stallion, which fell an owner would lose, on average, 58 percent Occasionally they have a collection of genes are not that productive. number of mares. These sires should heterozygous gene pairs.

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Cantab Hall, Credit Winner, Balanced ment the genes of the great mares. show superior sire/broodma were AndoverHanover, Hall, of superior offspring—or they compleStatistics suchcrosses as Matters “Golden Crosses” Page 47 Image, Donato Kadabra andBreeding The sire statistics provided byused the as a sample: working perhaps 30Cantab Hall, Credit Winner, Balanced ment the genes of the great mares. show superior sire/broodmare sire SJ’s Caviar. Looking at the offspring USTA often help support the sire cent of the time, slightly bett Image,rank Donato Hanover, and The sire statistics provided by the crosses workingthe perhaps 30-40 per- 25-30 pe of crossesKadabra of these stallions that earned “myth.”

Statistics on sires often average of only

By Bruce Stewart

The Raks Of Rakauhauka

Southland breeder Brendan Fahy has made famous the prefix ‘Rak’ or ‘Raka’ – a reference to the district of Rakauhauka where he lives and farms.

Horses like Raksdeal, Rakarebel, Rakarazor and Rakarolla have been to the fore recently but there have been a number of ‘Raks’ or ‘Rakas’ over the past 30 years starting with the original Rakauhauka in 1985.

Over the years he’s used the prefix in combination with his children’s nick names, precious stones, cars, and the stallion’s name to name his horses.

Sometimes it takes a bit of working out!

The man behind all this is Brendan Fahy . He’s been involved in harness racing for a long time as an owner, breeder and administrator.

His father was part of the Cead Mile Syndicate which raced the Canny Scott mare Royal Twinkle. She won five races for trainer Brian Gliddon and she ran fourth behind Ar Miss (dam of Armalight) in the 1972 New Zealand Oaks.

“I used to go to the races as a kid with Dad. My uncle, Bill Murphy lived opposite Andrew Sellars and later on I’d go to the races with Andrew with horses like Sassenach, Stampede and Zabadak. I actually named Zabadak,” said Fahy.

His background is farming - although it’s not as fulltime as it used to be. He’s reduced the size of his property from 450 acres to 250 acres, selling some off to his children and running a few beef cattle with his horses. He also leases land to local growers who grow tulips and root vegetables.

“My accountant said it was a good thing to be doing.”

Although he was interested in racing in the early days he soon became a keen breeding student and in 1979 he headed north, chequebook in pocket, to the Christchurch sales.

“I went up and bought Sentimental Belle. It had to be

by Lumber Dream out of a U Scott mare. There were four horses in the New Zealand Cup the previous year on that cross. She was only a wee dot. I thought I’d get her for a song but as it turned out she was the second highest filly of the day.”

Once paid for, local transporter and former jockey Ronnie Weaver bought the filly to her new home in Southland.

“Ronnie carted her home. Dad was at home and didn’t know I was having a decent old splurge at the sales. Ronnie got her out of the float and said to Dad – “it doesn’t look much for ten grand does it!!” Dad nearly fell over backwards.”

Sentimental Belle was trained by Hamish Hunter and

Page 48 Breeding Matters

started eleven times for a handful of placings.

“She never won a race because she had a bad training accident.”

She was soon at the court of popular stallion Smooth Fella and her first foal was named Rakauhauka.

The beginning of the legacy.

“We got $20,000 for him at the sales and he was sold to the Treuer brothers. I think that was one of the highest priced yearlings to come out of Southland at the time. The Aussie couldn’t pronounce Rakauhauka so they changed it to Sentimental Fella.”

He won 28 races in Australia.

Two years later Fahy bred what he potentially thinks was the best horse he’s ever bred. She was by Admiral Halsey and named Rakamo.

“She was only a wee wee thing. Clark (Barron) was at Winton at the time and I gave him a half share to train her. We went to the workouts one day and she reared up at the start and fell over. He gave her a few days off and she came back and qualified really well.”

She had her first start at Wyndham in March 1990 beating Diane Score by two lengths, running a mile in 2-02.6.

“Then Vinny Knight came over especially to drive her at the Winton trials and as a two year old filly she won the free for all. He bought her for $50,000 for Pacers Australia. She went to Melbourne. At her first start (at Moonee Valley) she raced the best fillies. I think they had a hell of a punt on her. She led and at the quarter she was only a length ahead but at the finish she was 25 metres in front. She also raced the colts and beat them. She had the most potential of all the horses I’ve bred.”

Rakamo broke down as a young horse and ended up with Peter Walsh in Sydney.

“I met him at the sales one day – he said, “she wasn’t very big mate but she was the best.” She won a few races for him in Sydney.”

“I met him at the sales one day – he said, “she wasn’t very big mate but she was the best.” She won a few races for him in Sydney.”

She has also been successful as a broodmare leaving Hy Royale (Lotsa Clout) the winner of 20 races, $263,564 and the 2009 Group Two Governors Cup at Gloucester Park, Confinement (Safely Kept) 14 wins and Sokyamo (Soky’s Atom) 11 wins.

Rakarazor “Funnily enough Clark got an email from a fella in Aussie the other day wanting to know if there were any of her breed still around.”

Fahy also had some success with Sentimental Belle’s full sister Sentimental Reason whom he bought later.

“Stewart Somerville a long-time friend raced a horse called Armbro Wings. He was going to a presentation in Canterbury and couldn’t get anyone to go with him so I went up with him. That night we meet these people who were selling a full sister to Sentimental Belle. There and then we bought Sentimental Reason. After we got her home they rang and said they were meaning to tell us that she was an RH mare. The first foal from her that Stuey and I bred was Bulluraz which was Clark Barron’s first winner as an owner.”

Bulluraz was trained by Ron Barron and owned by brothers Tony and Clark Barron.

Brendan later bred Blotch (Admiral Halsey) from Sentimental Reason.

“She has a great white patch on her stomach. She was a trotter and Stuey wasn’t keen to carry on (with Sentimental Reason) so I bought him out. I tried to get her in foal up north but I couldn’t so I brought her home. Andrew Sellars used to buy oats off me so I swapped a service fee to Stampede for a couple of tons of oats. So that’s how we got Stands To Reason.”

Another one of her daughters Blip (Oblivion II) qualified here before being exported to Australia.

She won three races and left a couple of handy horses in Frame Game (Impressionist) which won 23 races including the listed 2005 Warangal Pacing Cup. Blip also left Deliverthegoods (Sealed N Delivered) 16 wins.

Over the years Fahy has prided himself of keeping up to date with the latest breeding trends and has spent hours looking through stud books and on the internet doing his background research.

“I still keep an eye on the radar (America). I knew every Lumber Dream in the stud book off by heart at one stage. Artsplace seems to be doing a similar job in America to what Lumber Dream was doing back then, so when I could get the semen to him I took it and that’s how I bought Raksplace.”

Later on when Western Ideal became available he jumped at the opportunity to cross him with Raksplace.

The resulting foal was Raksdeal who was a star

racehorse but is now one of Fahy’s broodmares along with Raksplace (Artsplace – Rakamobile), Rakarach (Son of Afella – Sentimental Belle), Rakabaa (Western Terror - Rakarach), Rakarata (Art Major Rakarach), Penny Gem (Artsplace – L’armour) and Rakaudi (Holmes Hanover – Rakamobile).

Like all breeders Fahy has experienced in recent times the unpredictability of the breeding cycle.

“I’ve got seven yearlings. All seven mares got in foal that year which is unusual. The next year I sent six mares away and got one in foal (Sombeachsomewhere filly out of Penny Gem) and then this year I sent all six to stud and the whole lot got in foal again.”

Fahy is always on the lookout for the next best thing in the stallion ranks and two fresh faced ‘boys’ he’s interested in are Shadyshark Hanover and Always A Virgin.

Shadyshark Hanover (Cam’s Card Shark) served 15 mares in New Zealand and in America he’s left 88 foals for 51 starters and 31 winners. He’s currently third in the first season sires.

Always A Virgin (Western Ideal) sired Always B Miki which is the 2015 Breeders Crown Older Horse Pace Champion and Color’s A Virgin the 2015 Breeders Crown Old Mare Pace Champion.

Shadyshark Hanover (Cam’s Card Shark) served 15 mares in New Zealand and in America he’s left 88 foals for 51 starters and 31 winners. He’s currently third in the first season sires.

Always A Virgin (Western Ideal) sired Always B Miki which is the 2015 Breeders Crown Older Horse Pace Champion and Color’s A Virgin the 2015 Breeders Crown Old Mare Pace Champion.

Fahy has a filly by Always A Virgin out of Coughin.

“If you start sending them all to Mach Three, Art Major or Bettor’s Delight you can’t keep going (as a breeder). If they don’t work out (with a new stallion) it’s not costing you an arm or a leg. I sent Penny Gem to American Ideal, Western Ideal, Rocknroll Hanover and Somebeachsomewhere. So I think she’s had a good chance and rather than wait and not get her in foal I thought I’d send here to Shadyshark Hanover.”

Fahy has a filly by Always A Virgin out of Coughin.

“If you start sending them all to Mach Three, Art Major or Bettor’s Delight you can’t keep going (as a breeder). If they don’t work out (with a new stallion) it’s not costing you an arm or a leg. I sent Penny Gem to American Ideal, Western Ideal, Rocknroll Hanover and Somebeachsomewhere. So I think she’s had a good chance and rather than wait and not get her in foal I thought I’d send here to Shadyshark Hanover.”

Breeding Matters Page 49

Rakarolla Like most New Zealand breeders he has his opinion on why the industry in going through a tough time at the moment.

“We’ve heard for the last thirty years that we have to breed because there’s going to be a shortage of horses. I think there is a shortage of racehorses. It’s getting so expensive to race horses. I’m not blaming the trainers because you don’t see many of them driving around in Mercedes do you. Everything has gone up except the stakes. I was looking at the stakes when Rakarach was racing in 1990 and she was racing for six and a half thousand then, that’s twenty five years ago. The costs have probably gone up three fold.”

He also says the export market isn’t the same as it has been in the past especially for the horses at the lower end of the price range.

“Two or three years ago you could qualify a horse and there’d be three or four guys trying to buy it.

You could flick that horse off for $12,000 - $15,000 because you may think you had a half-brother at home that’s better. That keeps you going. But now you go to the races and run third in a maiden race and you’re lucky to get anyone to buy it at all. If you’re breeding horses all the time you need to be able to move them on. You get so many horses you’d need to own a station to run them.”

Fahy says you don’t have to breed horses if you don’t want to.

“There’s some real genuine people especially in Southland,” and he says that’s what’s kept him going.

On the racing front Fahy has always encouraged his trainers to travel and one of his first ventures outside of the province was with Stands To Reason. He won the 1990 Sires Stakes Final at the Franklin meeting at Alexandra Park.

“I think the biggest problem with Southlanders is that they under rate themselves, both trainers and drivers. I remember Allan Devery when he was training. He wasn’t frightened to have a crack. It also puts the value of your horse up. Sometime you’re judged by the company you run in. Alex Milne said years ago that if you’re not in you can’t win.”

And to prove the point Fahy remembers racing Only The One (Holmes Hanover – Rakamobile) in a heat of the Sires Stakes at Forbury Park against hot favourite Roman Gladiator.

“Someone said you never know. He (Roman Gladiator) could get a flat tyre. It would be the only chance we had. But anyway as it turned out he got two flat tyres and the tyres came right off and wrapped around the rim. We did beat him but not by much.”

Only The One finished sixth and Roman Gladiator was a nose back in seventh.

Page 50 Breeding Matters

He also took Rakarach north after she won the New Zealand Sires Stakes Prelude at Rangiora. She trekked to Auckland running fifth in the Group Two Ladyship Stakes behind Pocket Queen before running ninth behind Tupelo Rose in the 1999 New Zealand Sires Stakes Championship. The winning time for the 1700 metres was 2-01.7. That time remained a New Zealand record until it was broken by Ideal Belle in 2013 - 14 years later. Incidentally that new record time was set up by a game Raksdeal owned By Fahy.

He also encouraged Ryal Bush trainer Peter Hunter to take Rakarebel to Addington and Auckland.

“He was racing against horses like Beaudiene Bad Babe and Raglan down here so we took him to Auckland. He raced really well up there and I’m sure it puts the value of your horse up when you race against better horses.”

After racing at Addington in April 2011 a training deal was struck between Fahy and Western Australian trainer Gary Hall Senior to race Rakarebel in Australia.

“After he’d won his first two starts over there he rang me wanting to buy him so I sold him.”

Rakarebel won his first eight starts at Gloucester Park and has now banked $336,363.

On the training front, Fahy shares his horses between Southland trainers Peter Hunter and Clark Barron.

“Peter handles all the horses as foals and does a hell of a good job. I used to give him the pick of them and Clark would get the others. Anyway, Pete said that he was such a poor picker that he didn’t care which ones he gets now. I pick them now. If there’s four they get two each.”

Fahy provided both Barron and Hunter with their first training wins. Barron trained Best Dressed to win for Brendan and wife Barbara at Ascot Park in September 1989 and Hunter trained Only The One - his first winner at Tuapeka in November 2013.

To date Barron has trained 30 winners for Fahy while Hunter has trained 16.

The best Rak horses for Clark Barron so far are Raksdeal (5 wins) and Rakalees (4 wins) while for Peter Hunter it’s been Rakarebel (6 wins) and Rakabolt (3 wins).

Alex Milne also trained for Fahy in the early days.

Winners including Stands To Reason, Rakarach, Rakeitin, The Porsche, Rakillac, and Sensuous.

Over the years Fahy has built up a strong band of broodmares all originating from Sentimental Belle with the exception of Penny Gem. So there’s plenty more Raks on the way.

Incidentally I haven’t been the only visitor to Sentimental Lodge Rakauhouka in the past fortnight - the crew, cast and cars of Pork Pie had been on site filming in Brendan’s sheep yards so here’s what I’m thinking: Rakaudi already has foals named after cars (Rakarover and Rakabeamer) so will Rakarup or Rakamini be the name of her next foal?

Keeping your foals safe – routine blood tests Dr Petra Hazlitt BVSc, BSc. Veterinarian at Woodlands Stud: petra@aucklandvets.co.nz

Before a foal is born it is protected from intruders like bacteria and viruses in the outside world by its mother’s immune system through the production of Y shaped proteins call antibodies. When an intruder enters the body, the immune system will create specific antibodies to mark the intruder for the body to destroy (1).

all horse farms early signs of the disease like a mild fever and increased respiratory rate are often not apparent unless the foal is stressed and can easily be missed we can also use blood tests as a cost effective early monitoring tool to make sure that the treatment we are using is working, and if it is not we know when to change our treatment or investigate further.

Early subclinical recognition and initiation of treatment is crucial for a positive outcome when treating potentially fatal Rhodococcus equi and other disease processes in foals through taking a blood test off our foals at one month of age we have been able to prevent many serious disease processes.

Mares have a specific type of placenta which prevents the transfer of antibodies across the uterus to the fetus (1). This means when the foal is born it has no immune army to fight infections. Foals initially obtain this army of antibodies through suckling the thick, antibody rich colostrum off their mothers in the first 24 hours after birth.

Making sure your foal gets adequate colostrum is one of the MOST IMPORTANT things you can do 1 Perkins, G.A., Wagner, B. (2015). The development for ythe future healthsof your–foal.

This is such an tests of equine Keeping our foals afe routine blood immunity: Current knowledge important process that we take blood off every on immunology in the young horse,

foal 24 hours after birth to make sure it has a high Equine Veterinary Journal, 47, pp 267-274 enough antibody level. theBSc. firstVyear of life the afoals immune Stud: 2 Giguere, S. (2011). Rhodoccocus Dr Petra HThroughout azlitt BVSc, eterinarian t Woodlands petra@aucklandvets.co.nz

system is not fully developed and acts differently Pneumonia: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis and from an adult horse as it learns to make its own army Therapy. In: Equine Reproduction 2nd Edition. of antibodies. This is the reason why foals are highly Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

susceptible to certain respiratory and intestinal pathogens which rarely affect adults (1).

3 Giguere, S and Prescott, J.F (1997).

Before a foal is born it is protected from intruders like bacteria and viruses in the outside world by its At around 3-5 weeks of age the foal has an Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, treatment immunological low point where there is a cross-over prevention of Rhodococcus equi infection When an mother’s immune system through the production of and Y shaped proteins call antibodies. when the antibodies the foal got from its mothers in foals. Vet. Microbiol. 56, pp 313-334 nearly gone, and itssystem own antibody intruder ecolostrum nters the are body, the immune will create specific antibodies to mark the intruder for the production (1) is still immature (1). It is at this time I will body to destroy often take . a routine blood test from a foal as this can help to identify early diseases processes before there are any outward signs.

One of our biggest concerns is Rhodoccus equi which is the most common cause of pneumonia in foals. It is endemic and can be cultured from virtually

Antibodies attacking an invader:

Antibodies attacking an invader:

Mares have a specific type of placenta which prevents the transfer of antibodies across the uterus to the fetus (1). This means when the foal is born it has no immune army to fight infections. Foals initially obtain this army of antibodies through suckling the thick, antibody rich colostrum off their mothers in the first Breeding Matters Page 51 24 hours after birth.

NZMTC Supports Breeders and Others with Innovative Rewards The Breeders have a close association with The Met particularly through the sponsorship of the $150,000 NZ Oaks, the bonus paid by The Met to the breeders of non-premier day winners and Canterbury Standardbred Breeders Breeders’ Night (23 September 2016) The Breeders’ Bonus scheme commenced on 17 January 2014 and is proving to be a real winner amongst breeders who have won a race at Addington.

Since start-up over $220,000 has been paid by The Met to members of NZSBA. At only $89.95 for an annual subscription and the chance to earn $500 each time your horse wins, many breeders have taken advantage of the opportunity. Both The Met and the NZSBA have received excellent feedback on this incentive and jointly we are delighted to reward members’ efforts in breeding winning racehorses.”

The bonus is only available to members of NZSBA. A person needs to be a fully paid up member by 31 August 2016 to receive the bonus in the next season. The scheme is open to any member of the NZSBA who breeds the winner of a totalisator race, excluding premier race days, held at an NZMTC meeting at Addington Raceway, subject to conditions published on the NZSBA and NZMTC websites.

Highview Tommy (Bettor’s Delight – Baptism of Fire)

NZSBA thanks NZMTC for this vote of confidence in breeders as front line investors in our sport. We also thank Cheviot and Amberley Trotting Clubs for their support of the $500 bonus payments.

The Breeders Bonus is just part of The Met’s suite of incentives which includes the Met Multiplier (start at NZMTC meetings a minimum of 15 times over a 12 month rolling period and be placed 1st or dead heat for 1st in one of those qualifying starts) with $5,000 to the owner and $2,500 to the trainer; You Start We Pay payments to all starters, the Show Day Futurity and the Alabar Super Series.

Just a reminder: for breeders to claim the bonus you need to send your GST Invoice to Brad Reid at NZSBA brad @harnessracing.co.nz, not NZMTC. If you need a template email Brad.

The Orange Agent (American Ideal – Lady Fingers)

Paramount Gee Gee (Pegasus Spur – Paramount Star)

Your future Harness Jewels WINNER is waiting for you!

Purchase your own future champion from the Woodlands Stud Weanling Draft on Friday 3rd June.

The first progeny by 2008 2YO Harness Jewels winner Highview Tommy will be on offer, as well as 30 other quality lots by champion sires Bettor’s Delight, American Ideal and Pegasus Spur.

Having sired Harness Jewels winners including Adore Me, The Orange Agent, Lazarus, Paramount Gee Gee, Bettor Cover Lover and Gold Ace, our sires records speak for themselves.

Weanling Sale, Friday 3rd June, 11am, Karaka Sales Complex, 10 Hinau Road, Karaka

VIEW OUR DRAFT AT WOODLANDSSTUD.CO.NZ FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT CHARLOTTE MOONEY ON 021 595 492 OR CHARLOTTE@WOODLANDSSTUD.CO.NZ

Rumour has it Bee Pears

Bee Pears is a blogger on standardbred issues and interests at www. b4breeding.com In our small world, the impact of rumours and anecdotes without context can end up having a huge impact on the appeal (especially commercial) of new sires. Like mud, a reputation sticks and it takes a few years before it dries and can be brushed off by the reality of on-track performances.

The initial comment often has its roots in being a frank evaluation of a specific horse or incident, or a couple of horses a trainer has had from a sire. They may originally start with an off-hand remark from a frustrated trainer to an eager owner – “They seem to be bloody minded, just don’t want to be there…”

What’s missing in the re-telling and re-re-re-telling, is the context around that, putting it in perspective.

For example, we are asking very young horses to get their heads and bodies around some extremely challenging things, and not all of them can cope with that initially or in the same way. Also, in the nature/nuture stakes, the dam of a young horse has an equal if not better “draw” in how the progeny will end up temperamentally and cope with the pressure of breaking in and getting to the races.

The comment immediately following the first one might have been: “…and his dam was just the same at this age.” But rumours are almost always about the sire.

In a blog following the 2016 New Zealand yearling sales, I made this comment about the lukewarm reception Rock N Roll Heaven received this year as a sire: Rock N Roll Heaven was in favour at first, but now there is word around that some of his foals can be hard to gait. He was dropped in a big way at these NZ sales.

At the sales and afterwards, I asked around to find what foundations there were to the rumour. A couple of trainers mentioned that Mark Purdon had some that didn’t gait well, and so he wasn’t buying them/didn’t like them. That may be true, and it is his prerogative. What intrigues me is that a possibly off-hand remark by one person or a few people can become so influential in a sire’s early career,

particularly for those of us selling yearlings.

It’s been the same for many a sire – Sundons are mad, Art Majors have leg issues, Mach Threes don’t have heart, Somebeachsomewheres are highly strung and hard to gait, Rocknroll Hanovers bash their knees, and so on. With luck and time, the “pudding” is eaten and a reputation is made based on more solid ground and more foals and racehorses and winners.

Often there is an element of truth –sires can leave certain traits in a percentage of their foals. You want the good traits like conformation and speed to be in a higher percentage of foals, i.e. that a sire “stamps” his progeny with some traits that are consistent and favourable, and these make up for other traits that are perhaps less endearing in some of his foals.

For example, people forgave Live Or Die for his reputation of leaving progeny that could be narrow in front, because they also showed toughness and durability. They couldn’t forgive Red River Hanover for the combination of anxiety and late development many of his progeny showed, because not enough of them balanced that with genuine speed and ability.

All wasn’t doom and gloom for the “Heaven” yearlings at the New Zealand yearling sales – a total of 9 were offered, 7 were sold (3 to Australia who like the sire far more than we do) and 2 passed in for the same reserve of $20,000. So the average of ones sold by auction was $17,500. The highest price was $25,000 for my own filly from Zenterfold, bought by Merv and Meg Butterworth (strictly speaking this one was bought by Merv Butterworth when his wife wasn’t looking!). The Butterworths also bought a “Heaven” filly in the Christchurch sale for $17,000.

If gait is the issue, I can only speak for my one, The Shooting Star; she’s been left in the care of Tony Herlihy who reports she broke in well, gaits well and bowled around nicely.

Check out this quote from trainer Greg Hope about talented Rock N Roll Heaven filly Emily Blunt (breeder Pat Laboyrie):

Breeding Matters Page 53

Rumour has it continued “She is a lovely gaited filly but is also one of those fillies that lifts bigtime off the place on raceday. The other thing that has really pleased me all the way through with her is she has never stopped improving the whole time.”

Since the sales, the Purdon/Rasmussen team have had several Rock N Roll Heaven starters who have shown up nicely (stats as at 5 May 2016) - Mackenzie, a 3yo filly, (10 starts, 4 wins, 3 places $31,068), 3yo gelding Benicio (10 starts, 3 wins, 4 places, $31,716), 3yo gelding Heaven Rocks (4 starts, 3 wins, $40,811.

Cran Dalgety has the very talented gelding Alpha Rock (8 starts, 5 firsts, 3 places, $31,284). Bernie Winkle for Nathan Williamson was sold over to Australia earlier this year and now has 16 starts for 5 wins and 4 places. Killer Queen has been mixing her form lately but was a really good 2yo for Ray Green, with a couple of thirds in the big 2yo races and more recently a third in the Ladyship Stakes for 3yos. She’s Rock N Roll Heaven’s top earner to date with just over $100,000 in stakes.

In New Zealand, “Heaven” has 60 registered foals of racing age showing on the HRNZ database, for 29 qualifiers (fractionally under 50%), and 15 winners (23%), and 8 of those winners have had 3 or more

Page 54 Breeding Matters

wins. For small numbers and an oldest crop of just 3yos, Rock N Roll Heaven is tracking well.

His Australian stats seem to be proportionately about the same so far. He was rated 2015 Australian leading first crop sire and second Australian 2yo sire.

In America he is a star sire.

Although he can leave precocious types, it is as 3yos and older that his foals will shine – as is the case with almost every sire. So the “disappointment gap” and perhaps the rumours and perception about him are probably more due to high expectations rather than to his actual performance as a sire.

The expectations were that • a really fast sire • of smaller size • and with a renown great gait (all of which he had himself ) would bring those things to his progeny in spades i.e. fast early types that were easy to gait. If only breeding was that simple!

Heaven Rocks, trained by Purdon/Rasmussen and bred in Australia by Benstud Standardbreds

Look at his own record – he was an outstanding 2yo, but the improvement in him from 2 to 3 years old was astounding! He developed into not just a fast horse, but a really tough one as proven by his Little Brown Jug heat wins. At 2 he won 4 of his 9 starts and a record of 1:50.4. But at 3 he won 16 of 21 starts and a record of 1:47.6. He retired to stud before racing as a 4yo but his gelding half-brother Clear Vision is showing just that sort of top level consistency as he ages. His dam Artistic Vision raced from 2 through to 7, and got her record of 1:50.2 as a 4yo.

It is a family that can run at 2 but gets better. And in the end, isn’t that what you want in a horse?

Their ability to break in and gait early on is less important in the context of their potential to improve.

It’s timely to remember that Christian Cullen was really hard to gait and took about three months to get it right!

People want a sire that leaves fast, early types, and yet I’ve heard that in Australia some are viewing Sportswriter as a sire whose progeny “show speed early but don’t go on with it”. Boy it is hard to please some people!

Early reports can be skewed by the natural traits so many yearlings or 2yos show before they mature mentally and physically. And if they are pushed to be early 2yos, then some of those traits (like being overly keen/headstrong, or difficult to gait, or even hitting itself ) may show up more strongly, or may take the will to race out of the horse. That’s why good trainers read their horses and know how to adapt their training to get the best out of a horse.

Several things will help Rock N Roll Heaven – his fillies appear as good as his colts, and his own pedigree is rock solid and matchable with many mares. As his current NZ-bred 2yos (there are just 22 of them) move into their 3yo season his reputation will right itself. He has a crop of 31 yearlings to come.

Unfortunately his next two crops after that are very small, and his pricing hasn’t helped him fit into the New Zealand market. And of course the rumours haven’t helped breeder confidence either.

The ideal thing would be to bring his service fee down from around $9000 to say $7500 with the same sort of discounts already offered. This would bring him closer to more proven sires like American Ideal and new kids with big support like A Rocknroll Dance and He’s Watching, both of whom will now be strong competition for him over the next couple of years. He needs a fee that still holds him as a top sire, but gives breeders an incentive to stick with him.

Perhaps the new partnership between Pepper Tree Farm and Alabar will see some movement there.

I hope he will remain available to New Zealand breeders, but I doubt we have earned it!

I went to Rock N Roll Heaven when he was $11,000 (but got a standard payment date discount to $9,500). I like him a lot, but until the rumours change, I could not contemplate going back to him for a foal bound for the sales at his current price of $9000 ($8,300), when I could pay two thousand dollars more and get Art Major – and possibly get twice the sales price for a yearling, certainly much less risk in terms of reputation.

“Heaven” still strikes me as one of the classiest sires we have. The 2018 yearling sales are a long way off, and much will happen on the racetrack and at the rumour mill by then!

The views expressed in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of NZSBA

Breeding Matters Page 55

Hot off the press â&#x20AC;&#x201C; L-Carnitine improves stallion fertility!

We are always looking for new ways to optimise the fertility of stallion sperm and maximise its longevity so that mares conceive early and uneventfully during the breeding season. Previously, in a study performed

by EquiBreed NZ involving 14 standardbred stallions, we demonstrated that feeding 60ml of canola oil daily to stallions was beneficial for sperm longevity and fertility (Blomfield et al 2014). This was in contrast to no beneficial effects on sperm parameters by supplementing vitamin and mineral anti-oxidants alone. The stallions in the study were all standardbred stallions and fed a complete and balanced ration. It is postulated that the anti-oxidant effects of the vitamin and minerals added to the diet are limited by the fact that these components are broken down and not effectively digested in the horse.

New research at the University of Newcastle, Australia by Dr Zamira Gibb (who completed her PhD in sex-sorted semen at The University of Sydney) has revealed a beneficial anti- oxidant effect of L-carnitine on sperm longevity (Fig 1). By reducing the damaging effects of lipid peroxidation on the sperm membranes, the sperm motility and DNA integrity is optimised.

It is well recognised that the presence of increasing concentrations of L-carnitine in the epididymis is correlated with the acquisition of progressive motility during sperm maturation (Jeulin and Lewin, 1996),

and the dietary supplementation of L-carnitine has been shown to improve the progressive motility of spermatozoa from oligoasthenospermic stallions over time (Stradaioli et al., 2004). In addition, L-carnitine has been implicated with the prolonged survival of spermatozoa in the uterus of female bats which mate before hibernating for up to 5 months prior to ovulation (Krutzsch et al., 1984)!

These findings, coupled with the known importance of L-carnitine on sperm survival in both the male and female reproductive tract suggests that further investigation into the effect of dietary supplementation of L-carnitine on the fertility of both stallions and mares is warranted.

In a recent collaboration between EquiBreed NZ Ltd and Dr Zamira Gibb from the University of Newcastle involving 17 stallions, we have shown that throughout the season, supplementation with L-carnitine resulted in an improvement in the per cycle conception rate in treated stallions that was higher than the untreated control stallions (Fig 2).

Based on our findings to date, we recommend that stallions be supplemented with L-carnitine 30 days Prior to the start of the breeding season and they remain on the supplement until the last mare is covered. More results will become available on the effects of L-carnitine on sperm metabolism and DNA stability....watch this space!

Contact www.equibreed.co.nz for more information about supplementing your stallions with L-carnitine.

EquiBreed Nz Ltd, 399 Parklands Rd, RD 1, Te Awamutu 3879 www.equibreed.co.nz tel: 07 870 1845 e: info@equibreed.co.nz

Page 56 Breeding Matters

with L-carnitine.

Figure 1. Effect of L-carnitine (antioxidant and regulator of mitochondrial function) on total and progressive motility, viability and lipid peroxidation of stallion spermatozoa stored at room temperature over 24, 48 and 72 h. *P≤0.05, **P≤0.01, ***P≤0.001. (Gibb et al 2012a,b.)

Figure 2. Effect of L-carnitine supplementation of stallions (N = 8) on the change in per cycle conception rate (PCC) over time, compared with an untreated control stallions (N = 9).

Figure 1. Effect of L-carnitine (antioxidant and regulator of mitochondrial function) on total and progressive motility, viability and lipid peroxidation of stallion spermatozoa stored at room PCC rate change (compared to start of season) temperature over 24, 48 and 72 h. *P≤0.05, **P≤0.01, ***P≤0.001. (Gibb et al 2012a,b.)

EquiBreed Nz Ltd, 399 Parklands Rd, RD 1, Te Awamutu 3879 www.equibreed.co.nz tel: 07 870 1845 e: info@equibreed.co.nz

References Blomfield Tuckerof L, L-carnitine McLeay L, Morris LHA, 2014., Jeulin, C., Lewin, L.M., Role of free L-carnitine Figure 2. J,Effect supplementation of stallions (N =1996, 8) on the change in per cycle Evaluation of antioxidant dietary supplementation and acetyl-L-carnitine in post-gonadal maturation of conception rate (PCC) over in time, an untreated control stallions (N =2,9). on semen quality parameters Newcompared Zealand with mammalian spermatozoa.

Hum. Reprod.

Update

Standardbred stallions. J. Equine Veterinary Science 87-102.

34, 89-90.

Krutzsch, P., Crichton, E.G., Lennon, D.L., Stratman, References Gibb, Z., Lambourne, S.R., Aitken, R.J., 2012a, Do F.W., Carter, A.L., 1984, Studies on prolonged spermatozoa from fertile Thoroughbred stallions spermatozoa survival in chiroptera. III. Preliminary live fast and die young? Reproduction in Domestic data on carnitine. Andrologia 16, 34-37.

Blomfield J, Tucker L, 587.

McLeay L, Morris LHA, 2014., Evaluation antioxidant dietary Animals. (Supplement 4) 47, Stradaioli, G., Sylla, L., Zelli, R., of Chiodi, P., Monaci, M., Gibb, Z., supplementation Lambourne, S.R., Aitken, R.J., 2012b.

2004, Effect of L-carnitine administration on the on semen quality parameters in New Zealand Standardbred Oxidative phosphorylation is essential for stallion seminal characteristics of oligoasthenospermic stallions.

J. Equine Veterinary 34, 89-90. 62, 761-777. sperm motility (Abstract). In: 43rd Annual ConferenceScience stallions.

Theriogenology of the Society for Reproductive Biology, Gold Coast, Gibb, Z., Lambourne, S.R., Aitken, R.J., 2012a, Do spermatozoa from fertile Thoroughbred Australia, 26th-29th August, 2012, p. 91.

stallions live fast and die young? Reproduction in Domestic Animals. (Supplement 4) 47, 587.

Gibb, Z., Lambourne, S.R., Aitken, R.J., 2012b. Oxidative phosphorylation is essential for stallion sperm motility (Abstract). In: 43rd Annual Conference of the Society for Breeding Matters Page 57 Reproductive Biology, Gold Coast, Australia, 26th-29th August, 2012, p. 91.

Jeulin, C., Lewin, L.M., 1996, Role of free L-carnitine and acetyl-L-carnitine in post-gonadal

John Mooney

Yearling Sales Tops $13 Million The Breeders Chairman John Mooney sat down with PGGWrightson’s Bruce Barliss to go over some of the yearling sales statistics. John also reflects on some ideas that have arisen from around the country since the Sales.

A steady flow of after sales from the passed in yearlings at the Premier Sale has lifted turnover for the two days of selling over the $8 million mark.

Only twice before (in 2008 and 2009) has this figure been reached. But those figures came from catalogues of 500 and 537 yearlings respectively.

This year’s total was from a 30% smaller catalogue of 374 yearlings.

Auckland’s turnover of $5.6 million was a new high for the northern sale and the two turnovers combined is the highest ever achieved nationally.

Those extra sales also saw the clearance rates at both venues head over 85%. That clearance has been achieved before but never at both sales in the same year.

The under supply of horses to both the New Zealand and Australian markets has given the Sales a boost.

It is also the huge investment from past buyers and the growth of new owners in group ownerships that has aided the lift.

“Seventeen horses sold for over $100,000 (nine in Christchurch and eight in Auckland). The most amazing figure out of 2016 is that over 50 individual buyers spent in excess of $100,000 each. Such a wide diversity of buying power has never been as evident as it was this year” said Bruce.

In the four years since the most recent low point the Auckland Sale average price has lifted by 65% and Christchurch’s by 55%.

On a regional basis Canterbury was still the strongest purchasing region accounting for half of the purchases. Auckland/Waikato buyers were notably stronger this year though, accounting for 26% of

Page 58 Breeding Matters

purchases, with Australia (14%) and Southland (10%).

That is the good news and my congratulations to everyone who took a yearling to the sales. It is not an easy journey. The breeding decision is made a few years before the Sales with a high degree of expectation and hope. The promise of the unknown siring ability of a new stallion and the change of trainer’s opinions on a stallion in the intervening years can make for a very fickle relationship between breeder/vendors and the buyers. So to all breeders, however you ended up, thank you for contributing to the NZ standardbred market.

NZSBA has discussed with the PGGW team what it would take to re-establish a Ready To Run sale. It seems to us that breeders would benefit with higher prices and a little more competition for the lower priced lots and second tier stallions if trainers could see that there was an option to develop the yearling and offer it for sale as a two-year old. NZSBA will keep exploring this option, not to run the sale itself, but to see if there is enough support for the sale to be revived in 2017.

The Breeders have also made a submission to PGGW and the NZ Sires Stakes Board to make any yearlings sold at the Mixed Sales in May eligible for the Sales Series. This may benefit only a few vendors but it should be an option. Our suggestion is that to be eligible for that Sales Series through the Autumn Sale the yearling would have to be nominated at the usual time (June/July) and then have been rejected for the February Sales, withdrawn through injury or for other approved reason or bought back at the Sales.

S TALLIONS A USTRALASIA

TRIXTON tr3, 1:50.6 $947,057

Muscle Hill - Emilie Cas El - Garland Lobell

Jim Lisa/Lisa Photo©

• This Hambletonian winning son of Muscle Hill is currently serving his second book of mares in North America and Europe. With the USA restriction of 140 mares per stallion Trixton is serving a full book in NA and also another 100 mares in Europe. Luckily with Trixton’s frozen semen being so fertile we will have enough semen down under to more than double last years numbers.

• Trixton is a magnificent looking stallion having the conformation and looks you would expect from a $350,000 yearling purchase. Trixton’s first foals are now arriving on the ground and they are pretty much replicas of their sire.

• The demand for Trixton’s semen is such that during his second stud season his service fee has been raised from US$12,000 to US$15,000.

• Don’t miss the opportunity to breed to to one of the world’s best bred and most popular trotting sires.

2 016 S e r v i c e Fe

N Z $9

e

,000

plus GST

For all enquiries please contact: Peter O’Rourke Phone: 03 3326410 Mobile: 021 346401 Email: pjorourke13@gmail.com PO Box 9361 Tower Junction, Christchurch 8149

www.stallionsaustralasia.com

… and also follow us on Facebook

The 2014 Hambletonian Champion… Trixton.

Now available to New Zealand breeders.

View the catalogue & weanling pictures at www.standardbred.co.nz

AUCKLAND SALE - Friday 3rd June (Day before the Harness Jewels)

SALE FEATURES - 92 Weanlings Auckland Reactor (19), American Ideal (14), Bettor’s Delight (11), Mach Three (9), Betterthancheddar (8), Highview Tommy (6), Majestic Son (5), Shadow Play (5), plus A Rocknroll Dance’s, Pegasus Spur’s, Rock N Roll Heaven’s and a Big Jim, Christian Cullen, Courage Under Fire, Grinfromeartoear, Raging Bull & Sir Lincoln.

9 Broodmares - including Hot Shoe Shuffle s.b American Ideal & Angies Daughter s.b Art Major.

2 Racehorses - All That Glitters & Soul Man plus the skewbald stallion Tomahawk.

www.standardbred.co.nz

Helping grow the country