5 minute read
Waikato Stud
from 2024 MMGC Magazine
Waikato Stud’s Chittick family have been sitting on the top shelf of thoroughbred breeding for thirty years. In that time, Waikato Stud has been awarded Champion New Zealand Breeder ten times, Savabeel has been Champion Sire on eight occasions, and now young gun Super Seth is flying from the gates with his first juveniles. Waikato Stud consistently leads New Zealand as a producer of Gr1 winners.
When Waikato Stud present a draft at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Sale, they bear close watching. The results speak for themselves with their 2021 sales graduates including Gr.1 winner Major Beel, Listed winner Avebury, and stakes placed city winner Hoops. Waikato Stud’s silks have been prominent in the winner’s circle with Gr1 TJ Smith Stakes winner I Wish I Win, Gr1 winner Skew Wiff, and Gr1 winner Never Been Kissed, and in 2024, Waikato Stud will present eight yearlings at the Magic Millions Gold Coast Yearling Sale.
What makes Waikato Stud so successful?
The underlying principle of raising horses at Waikato Stud is to be as natural as possible. Mark and his father Garry both believe that a major asset is the land the horses are raised on in the Waikato region of New Zealand.
“Waikato Stud, and probably other properties in these parts, is made up of volcanic ash on top of sand, so the subsoil is very free draining,” Garry said. “It’s a big thing to rear horses on ground where they are never cold through the winter as it reduces their energy requirements. The protein levels in the grass here would never be below 20 per cent.”
It’s a rare luxury in farming, where the natural elements are so good and healthy that human intervention isn’t needed, or even wanted.
“We’re forever asking, what would they be doing in the wild?” Mark says. “What would they be doing if they were rearing themselves? We leave all our colts together right until we start the yearling prep basically, and they fight and scrap and carry on and they get bumps and bruises, but I think it’s good for them. Likewise, we love running our young horses in eight to 10-acre paddocks in groups of six or so, keeping everything as natural as possible.”
I Wish I Win’s tale is emblematic of Waikato’s ethos. Born with deformed limbs, I Wish I Win was not subjected to corrective surgery a testament to the ‘less is more’ philosophy. But that doesn’t mean the horses are left entirely to themselves - far from it, in fact. There are many management options that can be taken to assist in correction, with the stud focusing on natural management strategies. “Each foal is under the vigilant care of experienced hands,” explains Chittick. The stud’s team, seasoned in nurturing foals, embraces patience and natural growth, eschewing premature interventions that could mar a horse’s potential.
“Any foal born here at Waikato Stud has a constant and very experienced eye over them from the minute they’re born. And all our management team are thinking the same way, as natural as possible with no pressure applied. They’ve all had experience with horses going through our system with that philosophy, and they’ve seen the results,” Chittick explained.
And importantly, Chittick noted that for some horses less intervention and a more patient approach means not spoiling their chance as a racehorse. What are you most excited about this Magic Millions?
“Waikato Stud’s Gr1 winner Super Seth’s first crop have just turned two, and as this is being written in November, Super Seth has already sired two winners. Lot 300 is a Super Seth colt out of Listed winner Thy, a half-sister to Gr1 winner La Diosa and Gr3 winner and Gr1 placed Solid Billing.”
What other positives do you see in the draft?
“Waikato Stud’s group winning sprinter Ardrossan’s oldest foals are three year-olds and he’s showing excellent promise as a sire with three Listed winners from his first sixteen runners (18% SW to runners). Waikato Stud will present his yearling colt, Lot 806, out of Savabeel mare Jammu, from the family of Gr1 winner Sharvasti, and recent Hong Kong group winner and Gr1 placed Tourbillon Diamond.
Waikato Stud’s resident multiple Champion Sire Savabeel, a former Gold Coast Yearling Sale graduate, has three yearlings in the Waikato Stud draft. A Savabeel half-sister to Gr2 winner Promise of Success, Lot 257, is out of winning imported mare Summer School, who has also produced city winner Summerbeel (Savabeel) who is currently racing, and this filly is from the family of multiple Champion Sire Galileo.”
How would you sum up your 2024 draft?
“We’ve had success selling some great racehorses at the Gold Coast, Major Beel being one of the latest successes and he won the 2023 Gr1 Australian Derby,” said Mark Chittick. “We are very proud to bring this draft over, as our Australasian strike rate of 7.1 percent Group winners to yearlings offered is one of the best and we know this draft will contain top class racehorses. Just look for the WS!”
It’s a rare luxury in farming, where the natural elements are so good and healthy that human intervention isn’t needed, or even wanted.
