Breeding Matters November 2015

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New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association Magazine

Issue 21 - December 2014

BREEDING MATTERS MEMBERS’ ISSUE

Feeding the young horse Cup Eve Function Breeder Profile - Sandi Curtin

NZSBA Major Sponsors:


Why insure your fetus? When purchasing a mare in foal from the broodmare sale, the live foal guarantee may become void. Not all stallions come with a live foal guarantee, so if your mare was to abort the fetus or if the foal was still born you would not be covered for your loss. Financially you would lose your income from selling your mares foal for that year and you would have to pay for another service fee for the next season.

What options are there? JLT Bloodstock offer the following options when taking out fetus insurance • 42 day scan to 30 days after birth • 42 day scan to 6 months after birth • 42 day scan to 12 months after birth

How do I take out fetus insurance? When you have decided to take out fetus insurance call the team at JLT Bloodstock

0800 383 071 www.horseinsurance.co.nz

JLT Bloodstock - Specialist Insurance Provider to the Bloodstock Industry


New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association

BREEDING MATTERS CONTENTS FEATURES Harnessworld.org Conference

NZSBA and BRANCH NEWS 6

From Kiely’s Desk

4

Breeding Numbers 10

Chairman’s Corner

5

Harness Jewels Winners

14

North Island Update

13

Profile - Justine McMeeking

18

Southland Update 17

Life After Racing

21

NZ Met Breeders’ Bonus

28

Australia Round-up 24 Don’t Pass On Processed Feeds

26

STUD NEWS Woodlands Stud 23 Nevele R Stud

25

MAGAZINE PRODUCTION Editor John Mooney Typesetting & Design Kiely Buttell Advertising Kiely Buttell Contributors Peter Cook, Noel Kennard, Kentucky Equine Research, Sasha Maghzal, Dr Lee Morris, Sheldon Murtha, NRM, NZ Equine Health Association, Duane Ranger, John Robinson. The Statements, figures and tables in this publication are believed to be accurate. No Liability can be accepted for error or omission. No part may be reproduced in any form without permission from the

On the cover: recogntion of New Zealand Breeders’ PAGE 3


FROM KIELY’S DESK Well that’s another Cup Week done and dusted. For me it was the tenth one i’ve attended and I thought it was the best yet. Great atmosphere, stunning racing and wonderful company made it a day to remember. It is heartening to read that turnover was up on all harness meetings that week. For the week ending 16th November turnover on harness racing was up 16.4% on last year. Cup Day was up 20% compared last year, and Show Day had a 22% increase from last year. In total turnover was $10,351, 691 for the week - Marketing & Commercial Manager, Ged Mooar was correct when he described it as “staggering”.

channel to our code - on what is the biggest day of racing in New Zealand. Talking to the studs, stallion bookings are continuing to flow in at a steady rate. It is not too late to breed from your mare and we encourage you to do so. Hopefully many of you would have received a breeders bonus from the NZ Metropolitan Trotting Club. This bonus is available exclusively to our members who paid their subscription by 31st August 2014. In order to make sure the bonus scheme continues to be sustainable we needed to have a cut-off for being a financial member and i’m pleased to say a high percentage of our members did pay on time.

This can only bode well for the future of our industry. Turnover going up, generally equates for a healthier industry leading to better returns for owners and then filtering down to breeders.

The NZMTC are on track to have invested over $100,000 into this scheme since January 2014 - this is a huge boost to breeders pockets and we hope that it will encourage members to continue to breed.

Being on-course I didn’t get to view trackside but comments i’m hearing are all very positive - coverage was outstanding this year. A boquet to the Racing Board for dedicating the whole

Our membership base is now well over 500 first name members, by the time we include partnerships we represent over 1000 breeders. This is an 80% increase since we revitalised

the association back in 2008. It has been encouraging to see a continued rise in membership year-on-year and we continue to make sure breeders voices are heard. The NZSBA Executive met recently, a number of items were covered on the agenda including further areas of reasearch and new financial initiatives were tabled for discussion. From the research we will gather FACTS on why breeders have exited the industry. Many of us can guess at the reasons for a drop in mares bred but until we find out the real why’s it will always be conjecture. We are looking at the feasibility of a mares credit scheme, similar to the Western Australia EPONA scheme. This is likely to be tabled at the next HRNZ Board meeting. Funding is an issue but if we can continue to put ideas forward, eventually one will stick. On that note, we welcome submissions from our members. What tangible assistance would help in your decisions to breed? Please email me your thoughts and suggestions details below.

national executive Chairman - John Mooney (Canterbury) P: 03 347 7212 E: john.mooney@xtra.co.nz

Tony Dickinson (North Island) P: 09 232 1570 E: val-tony@altadreamlodge.co.nz

Treasurer - Colin Hair (HRNZ Rep) P: 03 327 9217 E: colinhair@xtra.co.nz

Cleland Murdoch (Southland) P: 03 230 4499 E: cleland@wmlaw.co.nz

Noel Kennard (Canterbury) P: 03 3479 699 E: noel@goharness.com

Mark O’Connor (Southland) P: 03 217 6751 E: moconnor@southport.co.nz

Bruce Carter (North Island) P: 09 412 9738 E: carter.fam@xtra.co.nz

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HRNZ Rep: Colin Hair NZEHA - Dennis Scott NZERF - Bruce Graham

NATIONAL OFFICE Executive Manager: Kiely Buttell Physical Address: 135 Lincoln Road, Addington, Christchurch, 8024 Postal address: PO Box 8270, Riccarton, Christchurch, 8440 Telephone: 03 339 4168 Email: kiely.buttell@vodafone.co.nz

www.harnessracing.co.nz


CHAIRMAN’S CORNER


CUP EVE FUNCTION

The New Zealand Standardbred Breeders’ Association Racing Australia to present a raft of Australian National Cup Eve Function is now fully entrenched in the Cup Week awards to the kiwi victors. festivities. With over 145 in attendance it was our best yet. We also took the opportunity to present trophies to This year emerging talent Matthew Cross acted as Master members who bred a Group One winner in Australia and of Ceremonies, who ensured the night ran smoothly and those who had bred a NZ Record holder in the previous guests were entertained. season. Terry McDonald was once again guest of honour as Vain Franco owned by Graham Pearson and Jerry Tulley breeder of 2013 New Zealand Cup winner - Terror To Love. was honoured with the Broodmare of Excellence title, more on her success as a broodmare on page x. Gary Allen, Chairman, Harness Racing New Zealand presented certificates to breeders of this years’ cup The Queensland Young Guns put in an appearance with runners, to celebrate and reconise the achievement of the organiser Kevin Seymour giving an excellent speech breeding a Cup class horse. on promoting young talent. Those attending certainly were a credit to Queensland racing. We welcomed Geoff Want, Chairman, Harness Racing Australia and Gary Kairn, Operations Manager, Harness This event grows in stature each year and we thank all those who contribute to make it the success it is. PAGE 6


John Mooney, presenting Mary Kenny with award for Adore Me’s Australian Group Success. Ray Anicich breeder of cup runner Tiger Tara

Geoff Want and Trevor Casey receiving award for Australian 2YO Trotting Filly of the Year - Ayra

Geoff Want and Hazel van Opzeeland receiving award for Bettor’s Delight - Australian Leading Sire by Stakemoney


Gary Allen presenting certificate to Gwyn Power breeder of Pembrook Benny

Shirley and Martin Cummings with NZ record certificate for Jumbo Jet

Kevin Seymour and the Queensland Youn Guns PAGE 8

2013 New Zealand Cup winning owner and breeder Terry McDonald receiving award for Terror To Love.


CSBA ROUND UP In September we held the annual Breeders’ Race night at Addington. The evening is designed to give you, our members a enjoyable evening out in nice plush surrounding, and at an affordable price.

success, but unfortunately due to events outside of our control, it was the evening after the Breeders’ Race night. We have already pencilled in two dates for next year. See page x for more on the awards.

based model. This presented several benefits in that it meant that the vendor did not have to ship the horse to a venue, and that people from throughout New Zealand could enter their horse/s.

We also now distribute the 1:58 pins to our members who bred a horse which went 1:58 or faster, the past season saw over 50 members achieve this target.

The CSBA Speed Series has secured a three-year sponsorship from Noel Kennard and Prodigal Seelster. More information on the series can be found in page 23.

In addition to the Breeders’ Race Night we were involved in organising the inaugural Woodlands Stud Breeders, Owners and Horsemans Awards Evening. This was a great

The Canterbury Association had discussed the idea of a Broodmare/ Mixed Stock sale for some time, they had investiagted quite a few options, and finally deciding on a Internet

There was a entry fee but no commission was charged at all. We will be having a review of the sale, and we have already identified and taken on board several issues that we do need to address. Our membership continues to grow as Breeders can now tangible benefits form being a financial member.

Andover Hall stallion THE PRES may’ve only left the one 2yo winner in NZ to date, but his oldest here are three now and they’re out there – just like this one co-trained by Jonny Cox ... Her name’s Lilly’s Star, and she’s got great manners and is lovely to work with. She’s a nice big girl for a 2-year-old filly, and just wants to trot. I really like her, and think she’s got every chance of making a 2-year-old.

THE PRES

bred on the same Andover Hall/ Valley Victory cross as MONKEY BONES!

Late - season bookings for $2500 & below, let’s talk. John Robinson, goStallions. Phone 021 883 713 www.goStallions.co.nz


REPRODUCTION oils and stallion fertility

by Dr Lee Morris

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. However, sperm have limited energy reserves and inefficient energy metabolism such that they live fast and die young! Despite this we need to cool and ship semen nationwide, or across the Tasman and we expect good pregnancy results. During their short life after ejaculation and before they are result in fertilisation, sperm produce highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) which have important roles during reproduction but these ROS must also be kept in a fine balance before they become toxic to the sperm. As a result of oxidative stresses and high levels of ROS production, the fertility capacity of transported or frozen semen is limited. Previous studies have suggested that antioxidant dietary supplementation may help prevent damage to the sperm thereby improving semen fertility parameters in stallions. As part of a Masters thesis project at the University of Waikato by Jody Blomfield, pictured above (now semen laboratory manager at EquiBreed NZ) and a collaboration with EquiBreed NZ, Alltech NZ Ltd and some of the major studs in NZ, we investigated whether dietary supplementation with either a vitamin and mineral combination (Vitamin E, Selenium, Copper, Zinc and Manganese) or Canola oil had beneficial effects on stallion fertility parameters. A total of 14 stallions were allocated to one of 3 treatment groups, i) PAGE 10

Pictured above Jody Blomfield, Semen Laboratory Manager, Equibreed NZ untreated control ii) vitamin and minerals or iii) canola oil for 60 days. Three ejaculates were collected from each stallion both before, and after feeding the supplements.

added to the diet were limited by the fact that they are not effectively digested in the horse. However, it appears that the canola oil is absorbed and is beneficial to fertility.

The following sperm parameters were evaluated at 6 and 24h post collection and at 0 and 30min after freeze-thaw: percentage motility, morphology, acrosome status, membrane integrity, and concentration. Per cycle pregnancy data was also analysed.

EquiBreed NZ is again collaborating with some of the major studs in New Zealand and Dr Zamira Gibb, from the University of Newcastle to explore the use of other effective antioxidants in the stallion diet and semen extenders to improve sperm motility and longevity. So watch this space or contact Dr Lee Morris if you have any questions about new ways to improve stallion fertility.

There was a statistically significant and beneficial effect of canola oil supplementation on total sperm motility at 24h after collection and on the per cycle pregnancy rates. There was no significant effect of the vitamin and mineral mix or the untreatment control group on any fertility parameters. It is postulated that the anti-oxidant effects of the vitamin and minerals

Dr Lee Morris BVSc DVSc DipACT, Registered Specialist – Veterinary Reproduction EquiBreed NZ Ltd, 399 Parklands Rd, Rd 1 Te Awamutu 3879 www.equibreed.co.nz


NORTH ISLAND ROUND UP Central Series

Districts

Bonus

The North Island Standardbred Breeders Association has created a new initiative to assist breeders racing and sending a filly or mare to stud. All fillies or mares racing at any Central Districts Harness Racing Meeting from 7 October 2014 to 17 May 2015 will be allotted points on the basis of 3 points for 1st place, 2 points for 2nd place, 1 point for 3rd place. The owner of the filly or mare with the highest total points at the conclusion of the final meeting of the series to be held at the Manawatu HRC on the 17 May 2015, will be awarded a bonus of

a $1,500 credit to a Stallion Service of their choice, for any mare they own. Support the Association that is supporting you and become a member of the North Island Standardbred Breeders Association Contact the Secretary, Coralee Carr, P O Box 202101, Southgate, Takanini, Auckland 2246, or Tel. (09) 291-9034, or Email. coralee.carr@xtra.co.nz

Syndicate Filly a Winner All fillies or mares racing at any Central Districts Harness

MONKEY BONES Andover Hall (Garland Lobell) – Milestone Hanover (Valley Victory)

THE

T S U M TO O G SIRE

THIS SEASON ! On veterinary advice, this will definitely be Monkey’s last season at stud.


BREEDER PROFILE - Sandi Curtin by Duane Ranger The ‘rock’ behind Jim Curtin’s Templeton stable says she is enjoying following her Dad into the breeding scene. “I like to do my bit to keep the industry going. I really enjoy the breeding side of harness racing. It can be quite satisfying,” Sandi Curtin said. The 45-year-old described herself as the ‘administrator’ of her husband’s barn – rather than a horsewoman. Born and educated in Wellington, Curtin came to Canterbury in 1988 and married a couple of years after meeting her husband at the Hutt Park races in 1987. “Dad (Reg Caldow) has always been interested in horses and has owned a few. I used to go to the races and then I ended up the OTB trials secretary in Wellington for a while. Not long that after I met Jim,” Curtin said. When Curtin relocated to Christchurch she worked in the city for 15 years as an executive PA. “I took a couple of week’s annual leave one year and never went back. That would have been about a decade ago. I love the stable life. “These days I do the mucking out and feeding. I’m the stable administrator. I never jog or fast-work them. I leave that to the people who know what they are doing. “Jim’s got about 18 in work at the moment. I think Franco Emirate (14 wins and $334,449) and Highview Badlands (9 wins and $142,747) have been his best,” Curtin said.

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But Curtin herself understates her equine abilities. The former Wellington Girls High School student said she had raced a few horses including Washington V C 7-year-old gelding Arlington, who won two of his three races in New Zealand before being sold to Australia in April 2011. “He’s still racing at Gloucester Park and has now won more than $200,000. Arlington was the sixth foal out of my broodmare named People’s Princess. “I’ve sold four out of the mare to Australia and they are winning races over there. This colt seems to be doing better than the fillies. Sadly the mare was put down because she couldn’t hold a foal anymore,” Curtin said. Five-win Jewels starter and daughter of Bettor’s Delight, Suu Kyi is another one of Curtin’s broodmares. “I bought her as a yearling with my Mum, Barb and sister, Julia. She’s due

to foal in late November. We put her to Rock N Roll Heaven and that will be her first foal. “I think breeding standardbreds is a lot of fun. I’ve only got a couple of mares but they give me a lot of satisfaction. I enjoy watching them grow up and then watching them race,” said Curtin. She said she was especially looking to the debut of her 3-year-old American Ideal filly named Crystal Bromac. “Bob McArdle from Bromac Lodge bred her and we bought her after the Sales. She qualified at Rangiora in September and is due to race soon,” Curtin said. The Jim Curtin trained and driven brown filly stopped the clock 4.3 seconds under qualifying time. Crystal Bromac finished a two-length fourth behind Best Defence Robbie Holmes), Go Collect (Terry Chmiel), and Cruising At Altitude (Robbie Close).


Bill full page


EQUINE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES Code of Control The New Zealand Equine Health Association (NZEHA Inc) has adopted this code for the control of equine contagious disease outbreaks and seeks adoption by each of its member organisations. While New Zealand is relatively free of many of the world’s equine infectious diseases, it faces ongoing threats. These can be contained by those in charge of horses employing good containment measures. The NZEHA recommends the following steps in the event of a suspected outbreak of either of the two most common problems facing horses, Strangles and Equine Herpes Virus: 1. Isolate the suspect horse and any horses which have had nose-to-nose contact with the suspect horse from other horses on the property. 2. If possible, create three separated groups: a) Infected horses b) Horses which have had close contact with the infected horses c) Clean horses 3. Separate the groups by at least 50 metres. 4. If possible, separate staff for the separate groups. 5. Call your veterinary surgeon to make a diagnosis. This will generally require sampling and the submission of the samples for laboratory testing. 6. Discuss with your veterinary surgeon isolation and handling procedures, and implement these as quickly as possible. Immediate introduction of strict hygiene between the groups will reduce the risk of spread and the time taken to control the outbreak. 7. As few people as possible should handle affected horses with application of strict hygiene standards. 8. Attend unaffected horses first if separate people are not available. 9. Protective clothing, ideally disposable, should be available. 10. Ensure separate water troughs, grooming, cleaning and feeding equipment. 11. Careful disposal of bedding, uneaten food and water and, in the case of abortions, foetuses and foetal membranes. 12. Do not allow any horses onto or off the property at this time. 13. Discourage visitors to the property and confine pets such as cats and dogs. 14. Contact the owners of the affected horses and owners of other horses on the property. 15. Notify any neighbouring properties with horses which you suspect may have a case of Strangles/ Equine Herpes Virus associated disease, (rhinopneumonitis, abortion or neurological disease) and recommend they check their horses. 16. For strangles a previously infected horse maybe considered free from strangles by producing negative culture or preferably PCR results to 3 consecutive nasopharyngeal swabs over a 3 week period. An endoscopically guided gutteral pouch lavage is considered a more reliable sample technique than nasopharyngeal swabs. 17. In the case of Herpes virus, infected animals should be isolated for at least 4 weeks but there remains the potential for ongoing latent infection hence quarantine measures must be judiciously applied when new horses arrive on any property. 18. Owners or persons in charge should share information of the disease status of their property and horses coming in or leaving their care to enable appropriate and timely disease control measures.

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LUXURY AS Pine Chip - Nobella Lobell Frozen Semen Available

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THEMIGHTYKENDALL by Duane Ranger If Themightykendall wasn’t such a placid, patient horse she would be dead now and she would never have got in foal to Christen Cullen. The promising 5-year-old Washington V C mare badly smashed her pastern in a maiden pace at Gore on October 12 last year. It was just her second raceday start. But when you are the little sister of $5.5 million stakes earner Themightyquinn, then you are definitely worth saving – and that’s why her Southland breeders Dave and Dawn Kennedy had the foresight to insure her. “I don’t insure all my horses but I do insure the top four or so. In this case it has proved extremely beneficial because JLT paid for the entire operation. They were great to deal with. No problems whatsoever. “And it was quite a big operation because she shattered her pastern pretty bad. Brendon Bell put three screws in her and then she was in a cast for six weeks. “Brendon did an amazing job. He’s a brilliant vet and I’d go as far to say he’s one of the best in Australasia. JLT were also amazing. They didn’t hesitate paying out,” said Kennedy (Dave) said. Otautau-based Kennedy is not only a quality sheep turned dairy farmer but he’s also an astute businessman and one of Australasia’s most successful breeders.

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The Kennedy’s have bred some of our giants of the sport. Themightyquinn won a swag of Group One victories on both sides of the Tasman including three Inter Dominions and the two Auckland Cups. He is the fifth foal of seven out of the maiden Soky’s Atom – Precious mare, Love Sign. Themightykendall is foal number six. “Love Sign is currently in foal to Washington V C. Her foal died last year and she missed twice in the

previous two years. We are looking forward to Themightykendall’s first foal. “She’s a wonderful mare. We thought she was going to win that day at Gore but when she pulled up, I immediately though we had lost her,” Kennedy said. The Kennedys also bred Auckland Cup winner Happy Asset and Jewels winners Beaudiene Bad Babe and Beaudiene Boaz. “We’ve has some lovely mares over the years. It all started with 1971


mare Wave Eyre. Dad bought me the horse while I was boarding at St Andrews College in Christchurch. “I really loved the horses and Dad knew that. I think I was only in the fifth form at the time,” said Kennedy. He said his late father Bill had standardbreds before he was born in the mid-1950s. “That mare did a hind leg so we bred from her, and the bug all started from there. Farming has always been the priority but

both Dawn and I love breeding racehorses. “Dawn plays an integral part in the business. She comes from a show jumping background and is very good with conformation. She is a very astute judge,” he said. One of the Kennedy’s best performed broodmares is 14-yearold In The Pocket Mare, Beaudiene Babe. She has left seven foals including Beaudiene Bad Babe (22 wins and $404,898), Guns N Roses

(nine wins and just over $50,000), and Beaudiene Boaz (3 wins and $100,749). “Her sixth foal Beaudiene Beaufighta (by Bettor’s Delight) fetched the highest price at last year’s yearling sale in Christchurch, and she’s currently in foal to Western Ideal, so she’s been pretty good to us,” Kennedy said. “It’s a great game. Breeding standardbreds plays a big part in our lives. And we love it,” he added.

KLONDIKE KID Admirals Galley (Laag) – Escrow Danser (Direct Scooter) This stallion is not for the commercial breeder. We believe that he suits the hobbyist breeder and/or hobbyist breeder-trainer; those who don’t want to rush their horse and whose budget can’t justify the higher service fees of the more fashionable sires. We have tried to consider what service fee would appeal to you, our customers, so have set it at $750 + gst

Does a Grey appeal to you or your wife?


PRODIGAL SEELSTER summer of speed by Sheldon Murtha The ‘CSBA Summer of Speed’ is another push from the association representing and promoting interests of standardbred breeders in Canterbury. Scheduled to start the first week of December it’s a race series that gives good class mares an opportunity to upgrade their ‘CV’ with an eye on a post racing life at stud explains CSBA deputy chairman Martin Pierson. “We have to be urgent in the breeding sector of the sport. Incentives to keep good mares in New Zealand producing the foals that’ll ‘put on the show’ in the future is a priority right now.” Pearson is part of a sub committee formed by the association targeting areas it sees as helping turn a tide of decreasing harness horse numbers caused by a financially strapped breeding sector. “The absolute top tier mares look after themselves, it’s those chasing we’re losing too quickly to keep a sustainable population of quality horses coming on. Those 2nd tier mares are being exported to Australia mainly, filling up race fields and stud farms in Victoria and New South

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Wales instead of Canterbury and New Zealand.” A tighter summer race schedule and new supporting stallion group are two fresh starts this season for the races recently known as the Christian Cullen Mares Series. The ‘Prodigal Seelster Summer of Speed’ starts at Methven on December 7th then moves to Addington just under a fortnight later on the 19th. The C2 and faster pacing mares then stretch their legs at Ashburton’s renowned speedway on Boxing Day before heading back to Addington on January 16 and a last bid at qualifying for the $16 000 final at Ashburton, February 7th. All races will be over a mile which immediately brings the controversial start point at Addington for such events into question again. Pierson says the series sub committee debated more than one issue strongly and mile racing at New Zealands premier track came back frequently. “We’ve opened the class eligibility a little wider this summer with a total stakes won cap of $65,000 which will help keep about half a dozen C5, 6 and 7 mares in the mix. Addington’s

mile start provides a natural barrier draw handicap which, as we’ve seen already this spring, keeps the C2 mares very competitive with the more tightly assessed girls who’ll get their shot matching motors at Methven and Ashburton.” Methven’s grass track venue also came under review says Pierson but while it scored down on the ‘fast track fast times’ objective, the prospect of 14 runners in front of the club’s typically big crowd on a summers day was deemed a great start for the series. In addition to backing the $9000 heats and $16 000 final, stallion owner Noel Kennard has proposed a package of free services to ‘Prodigal Seelster’. Not only for the winner of the ‘Summer of Speed’ final but the fastest mare through the series and also all competitors will be in a draw for a ‘free date’ with the stallion. “He’s signed up for 3 years” enthuses Pierson. “That gives the CSBA confidence to develop the series and the stallion is exposed to quality, fast mares coming through the series”.


Summer of Speed - series dates

The CANTERBURY STANDARDBRED BREEDERS ASSOCIATION in association with NOEL KENNARD and GO STALLIONS announce the mares series for the 2014 / 2015 season. Along with the participating hosting clubs, Methven, New Zealand Metropolitan Trotting Club and Ashburton, we are pleased to offer this continuing opportunity for the middle graded mares to acquire a genuine race mile time for breeding purposes.

Venue

Date

Distance

Stake

Methven NZMTC Ashburton NZMTC Ashburton

Sunday 9th December 2014 Friday 19th December 2014 Friday 26th December 2014 Friday 16th January 2015 Saturday 7th February 2015

Mile Mile Mile Mile Mile

$9,000 $9,000 $9,000 $9,000 $16,000

Race conditions available at www.harnessracing.co.nz

Camluck stallion PRODIGAL SEELSTER is the sire you can breed to for free! YOU’LL ONLY PAY FOR YOUR SERVICE IF THE RESULTING FOAL QUALIFIES. If it doesn’t, you don’t! And PRODIGAL SEELSTER is no mug either – pacing 1:50 as a 2yo, winning 12 races at two and three, and collecting nearly $1 million in stakes.

PRODIGAL SEELSTER Let us pick up the tab while you wait for Mother Nature to do her thing. John Robinson, goStallions. Phone 021 883 713 www.goStallions.co.nz


FEEDING - foals and weanlings courtesy of: Kentucky Equine Research FEEDING FOALS Feed designed specifically for foals should be offered, and each foal’s intake should be carefully monitored. Although many foals are not weaned until they are over six months old, mare’s milk will not meet the foal’s total nutrient requirements after three months of age, so the foal must eat pasture forage or be fed some concentrates. As the foal starts eating from the mare’s feed bucket, a fortified feed is important to ensure an adequate intake of vitamins and minerals. If the foal is being creep fed, a fortified feed designed specifically for young growing horses should also be used. Creep feeding, although not an essential part of foal rearing, will make weaning easier if begun either after three months of age or at least one month before weaning so that the foal has time to get used to eating hard feed. The creep feed area should be fenced off with bars that allow the foals, but not the mares, to enter the enclosure. This requires a barrier about 13.1 hands high. Feed designed specifically for foals should be offered. Each foal’s intake should be carefully monitored, as excessive intake can lead to digestive disturbances. Foals that become too heavy or consume too much energy are at risk of developing leg deformities or other signs of developmental orthopaedic disease. Creep-fed foals should be given no more than 1.5 to 2 kg of grain or concentrates per day starting at three months of age. As with any feeding change, creep feed should be introduced gradually. PAGE 20

Feeding Weanling Horses for a Smooth Growth Plane Keeping a smooth, steady plane of growth in young horses is desirable because skeletal problems are somewhat more common in foals that have growth slumps or sudden weight gains. For this reason, it’s important to minimize stress and keep newly weaned foals from experiencing a decline in condition. Foal managers can help weanlings maintain their development by planning their care before, during, and after weaning. Before foals are weaned, a process that usually occurs when the young horses reach four to six months of age, they should have been introduced to concentrates, either by creep feeding or by allowing the foals to share the grain given to their dams. The feed should be formulated for growing horses so that lysine and other amino acids are included at the proper level for optimal growth. The inclusion of soybean meal usually fulfills this requirement.

During weaning, stress levels should be kept as low as possible by maintaining established routines for turnout, feeding, and handling. Managers should monitor weanlings for depression, loss of appetite, and signs of infection or illness. Use of the weanling’s regular grain and forage should continue. Weaning is not a good time to change feeds, check teeth, give vaccinations, or otherwise add excitement to the routine. After weaning, the weight of each weanling should be monitored and feed adjusted as needed. Weanlings that become too ribby might need an extra meal each day, while those that tend to get too heavy may need to be switched to a balancer pellet that provides essential nutrients without adding calories. Weighing all weanlings weekly is a good method of assessing whether weight gain is progressing smoothly or if adjustments to the rations should be made.


purposes: to guarantee the weanlings’ nutritional needs are being met, and to familiarize weanlings with eating grain so feeding time will be less stressful once separated from their dams. How the foal is fed following weaning often depends greatly on what is expected of it in the following months. A weanling destined for the show or sale ring later in the year, for example, would be managed much more intensely than one being raised as a homebred performance prospect, where maximal growth and condition are not as imperative.

Weanlings should be managed as individuals because each one will have a slightly different pattern of growth and development. As with older horses, weanlings should always have access to water, salt, and plenty of room to exercise. The creep feed area should be fenced off with bars that allow the foals, but not the mares, to enter the enclosure. This requires a barrier about 13.1 hands high.

Feeding the Weaning

Foal

after

Weaning is a stressful time for foals. While mares are often ready to say good-bye to their rowdy charges, foals can be far more fretful and often enter a growth slump immediately following weaning. Therefore, proper nutrition is paramount.

Feed designed specifically for foals should be offered. Each foal’s intake should be carefully monitored, as excessive intake can lead to digestive disturbances. Foals that become too heavy or consume too much energy are at risk of developing leg deformities or other signs of developmental orthopaedic disease.

Foals are typically weaned at four to six months of age. Prior to weaning, the foal should be accustomed to eating solid feed. This is usually not a problem if the mare is being hard fed, as many foals are dipping into their dam’s feed bin by a few weeks of age. However, if the mare has maintained her condition on pasture and isn’t being hard fed, then the foal won’t be exposed to grain or pellets until weaning.

Creep-fed foals should be given no more than 1.5 to 2 kg of grain or concentrates per day starting at three months of age. As with any feeding change, creep feed should be introduced gradually.

Some foals are introduced to creep feeding by two to three months of age, a time when milk production begins to decrease and often no longer fulfills the nutritional needs of the foal. Creep feeding serves two

Regardless of their eventual use, the primary goal of feeding all weanlings is the same: steady, even growth. The KER growth evaluation computer program Gro-Trac* can be used to monitor growth in young horses and provide early warning of changes in growth rate. In order for the weanling to achieve optimal growth, sufficient dietary energy must be supplied. Weanlings generally cannot consume enough forage to satisfy energy requirements for steady growth at the rate needed by modern breeders. Therefore, grain must be fed. Approximately 0.5 kg of grain per day per month of age is recommended for weanlings of light horse breeds such as Thoroughbreds or Standardbreds. This can also be expressed as up to 1% of body weight. Pony or warmblood weanlings would receive less, about 0.2 to 0.3 kg per day per month of age. The hard feeds should provide the energy, protein, and minerals necessary to compensate for those not present in the forage. In addition, the grain should have sufficient levels of lysine, an amino acid essential for proper growth. Grain mixes made PAGE 21


FEEDING - foals and weanlings

with soybean meal or canola meal are preferred because of their high lysine content, and these meals are usually mixed in a pellet to ensure intake. The requirement for lysine has been reinforced by research over the years. In one study, weanlings fed a diet with sufficient protein but insufficient lysine in the form of cottonseed meal experienced slower growth rates than peers fed cottonseed meal with added lysine or soybean meal as the protein supplements in the diet. Of course, most New Zealand pastures will supply a large proportion of the protein and amino acid needs, so hard feeds for weanlings and yearlings are designed with lower protein levels than in other countries. A grain concentrate appropriate for a weanling on pasture will generally contain 14-16% crude protein. Feeding mild excesses of protein does not cause bone problems, as many people think it does. Higher protein feed concentrates containing minerals and vitamins that are fed at lower rates (e.g. 1 kg/d) can be used mixed with oats or other grains so the total grain mix supplies these levels of protein. In some breeds (e.g., warmbloods) and situations (e.g., high-quality pasture), a 1 kg balancer pellet is all that is required. Adequate forage should be offered to make up for energy deficiencies between the weanling’s energy needs and that provided in the grain. The safest way to achieve this is by allowing the weanling access to all of

PAGE 22

the nonlegume forage it will consume. Feeding legume forage (clover or lucerne) is acceptable, but weanlings should not be allowed unrestricted access to it. Rather, they should be fed enough to provide sufficient digestible energy for moderate to rapid growth. Feeding too much legume forage is no different than feeding too much grain. Either way, excessive intake of dietary energy results. Some researchers believe such feeding practices contribute to developmental orthopedic disease (DOD). If a legume forage, a legumegrass forage, or a very high-quality pasture is used, the amount of grain fed may be reduced to limit energy intake. A weanling normally fed 0.5 kg per month of age per day may be reduced to half that amount. In this case a more concentrated feed will be necessary to supply the mineral and vitamin needs in a smaller amount of feed. Like many adult horses, some weanlings are easy keepers and likely to become overweight on even minimal amounts of grain. In these cases, weanlings can be fed a lowcalorie, low-intake source of essential protein, vitamins, and minerals, without feeding excessive energy. The same situation may apply to weanlings that develop bone and joint disturbances such as physitis or osteochondritis, where the extra energy from grain is undesirable. Once a group of weanlings is established on a suitable feeding program, there is no automatic need

to increase it during winter or as the weanlings gets older. Usually an increase in appetite and forage intake can fulfill extra needs and maintain growth rate. Regular observation of condition or growth rate will determine whether grain intakes need to be increased or decreased As with all horses, weanlings should have unlimited access to water and salt. Nutritional mistakes made early in the lives of horses can lead to structural problems that may limit performance potential. Therefore, proper nutrition of the post-weaning foal is critical. *For more information on KER Gro-Trac, contact your nearest NRM Equine Specialist: North Island: Dougal Scott 021 945 400 South Island: Fiona Gillies 021 825 872


WOODLANDS STUD - canterbury awards by Peter Cook When the Organising Committee for the recently held Woodlands Stud Canterbury Combined Awards Dinner first met back in March, it became obvious that there were quite a few issues to be worked through before the dream became a reality. In recent years the HRNZ National Awards had been held in Christchurch and this had seen the demise of a local Canterbury version, partly because, by sheer weight of numbers alone, many of the seasons leaders and winners came from the Canterbury area. However, led by a determined Noel Kennard, the Committee worked through the various problems and on 27 September nearly 200 Industry participants arrived in the Silks Lounge at Addington, and were treated to an evening of good humour, good food, and acknowledgement of achievements by Canterbury folk during the recently concluded season. So as not to simply duplicate the National Awards, some ‘out of left field’ thinking was applied, in an effort to recognise people who, because of circumstances lacked the opportunity to win premierships, or be the Country’s leading owner or breeder, yet in their own way, had contributed much to harness racing in Canterbury and farther afield. All in all it seems that a great night was had by all, with a number of recipients being caught by surprise and showing genuine emotion at being recognized by their peers. Many thanks to the ever excellent MC. Mark McNamara, Greg O’Connor and the Trackside team, principal sponsor Woodlands Stud, and the management and staff at Addington Raceway, for making it all possible.

2014 AWARD WINNERS David & Kathy Rankin, John & Jenny Grainger and Chrissie Dalgety, owners of Major Bubbles won the “Laurie Goodson Odds-On Promotion” Most Winning Canterbury Owner of Pacers. Kypros Kotzikas, owner of Master Lavros, won the “$1million Pick Nine at Akaroa TC 14 December” Most Winning Canterbury owner of Trotters. Kypros was also awarded the “Stallions Australasia” Trotting Broodmare of the Year trophy for Lavra Noblesse. Glenys and Phil Kennard won the “Cup Week Golf at Templeton 10th November” award for Canterbury Harness Racing Owners of the Year. Dennis Bennett & Linda Joyce scored the “The Pres” Trotting Breeder(s) of the Year award. Inspiring Dash, owned by Bob and Jenny Sandford along with Ken and Ann Marie Spicer was named the “Prodigal Seelster” Broodmare of the Year Ray Anicich was named “Nevele R Stud” Pacing Breeder of the Year Geoff Dunn won the “Natalie Rasmussen/Mark Purdon” Trainer Trophy Blair Orange scored the “Dexter Dunn” Drivers Award Katie Cox was awarded the “Smantha Ottley” Junior Driver trophy The “Woodlands Stud” Outstanding Contribution to Canterbury Harness Racing Trophy was presented to a very surprised, but richly deserving, Amanda Tomlinson.

PAGE 23


WOODLANDS STUD - canterbury awards 1

2

3

4

5

Pictured above: 1) Amanda Tomlinson 2) Dennis Bennet and Mark McNamara 3) Kypros Kotzikas 4) Katie Cox 5) Ray Anicich and Wendy Kennard

PAGE 24


WISHING STONE

FIRST SEASON AT STUD

Tr, 1:51.4 – $2,357,150 Conway Hall-Meadowbranch Magic-Valley Victory • Outstanding pedigree and Flawless gait. • Won 2 European Group 1 races. • Set 2 World Records on half and five eights mile tracks.

FEE: $5,000 + gst. Pay on Live Foal

LUCKY CHUCKY

FIRST CROP 2yos IN NA

Tr3, 1:50.8 – $2,099,973 Windsong’s Legacy-Aerobics-Muscles Yankee • Won over $2,000,000 in just 2 seasons. • Was the Champion 2 and 3yo of his year. • A 1.55 2yo sire with a Breeders Crown Finalist.

FEE: $5,000 + gst. Pay on Live Foal FIRST CROP 3yos IN NA

MUSCLE HILL Tr3, 1:50.2 – $3,273,342

Muscles Yankee-Yankee Blondie-American Winner • The best 2 and 3yo trotter ever. • Sire of the two fastest ever 2yo trotters, both fillies. • Sired the Hambletonian winner from his first crop.

FEE: $12,000 + gst. Pay on Live Foal LAST OPPORTUNITY: Book Due to Close!

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


PGG WRIGHTSON BROODMARE OF EXCELLENCE VAIN FRANCO

Holmes Hanover - Van Glory

Connections of Vain Franco enjoying their award

Graham Pearson has experienced some huge moments in harness racing in New Zealand, Australia, and The United States – all thanks largely to his 21-win pacer Under Cover Lover. The horse that made all of Pearson’s success possible was acknowledged at the New Zealand Standardbred Breeders Cup Week Cocktail and Awards Function. Vain Franco was bestowed with a Broodmare Excellence Award – an honour that many broodmares don’t receive until they have died. She was also the grand dam of millionaire pacer, Bettor Cover Lover. “This is the first time I have won an award like this and it’s an absolute honour. This award only goes

PAGE 26

to exceptional broodmares and thankfully Vain Franco was exactly that. The award isn’t so much about the horse but all the foals, grandsons and daughters she left. “We bought her off the late Wayne Francis after she had her first foal and was carrying a Talk About Class colt. All the credit must go to Wayne. He was a wonderful breeder and did a lot for our industry. He is still sadly missed,” Pearson said. Vain Franco (Holmes Hanover – Van Glory) left 17 foals since 1991 but sadly passed away earlier this year aged 27. In The Pocket mare, Under Cover Lover was Vain Franco’s fourth foal and most successful The now 20-yearold daughter of In The Pocket won 21

by Duane Ranger races and $864,923 – including three Group Ones in New Zealand. She won a further six races in Australia and three in the United States in 1991 where she recorded a 1:51.8 mile rate. “It was a shame Vain Franco never raced because she had a pretty big reputation. Some compared her to be as good as Seaswift Franco, who won 11 races around the same time she was supposed to be racing. “Sadly she cut her tendon in a hay feeder and never saw the racetrack. But a lot of her foals went to win some nice races in Australia. Apparently her dam, Van Glory was also a top filly who won Derbies,” Pearson said.


Under Cover Lover has left 10 foals – one of the best being her second foal – including the now Presidential Ball 12-year-old mare, Affairs Of State who won one race and more than $50,000. Her best performance was running second behind Western Dream in the 2006 New Zealand Oaks. Vain Franco’s sixth foal – the unraced What’s Next mare, Front Cover Lover left 10 foals but it was foal number six that had everyone raising their eyebrows. The Brent Mangos trained and driven Bettor Cover Lover (By Bettor’s Delight) won 19 races (two in Australia), six Group Ones, and $1,061,534. Waipara-based Pearson said he would value this excellence award until the day he died.

“It’s a huge honour to be recognised and acknowledged by your peers. The great thing is that although Vain Franco is no longer with us her progeny should live on forever. “I was over the moon and am still buzzing. It’s the ultimate breeding award It shows I must have done a good job putting the right stallions to her,” the 64-year-old said. Incidentally Pearson, who has trained 66 winners since the mid-1980s, still works one horse from his North Canterbury base. Four-year-old Bettor’s Delight mare, Albuquerque, has won four of her 24 starts and $33,925. She finished a 3.3 length sixth behind Classical Art on Show Day with Pearson in the bike. He has also won 27 races in the sulky since 1989.

“PGG Wrightson’s Peter Lagan presenting Graham Pearson and Jerry Tulley with the Broodmare of Excellence Award for Vain Franco”


SORPRESA - a real surprise! by John Robinson It’s just as well horses can’t read, don’t have cellphones, and their hooves are too big and clumsy to operate a computer keyboard. Because poor old Sorpresa sure would cop some flak from his mates about how he came into the world. Heck, if he ever actually found out the truth he’d probably need to take some time off from his busy training schedule and go to counselling. Take his mother for instance... Delightful is what she’s officially known as, and she’s by Bettor’s Delight and very closely related to such stars as Chokin and Changeover. With those sort of names on her catalogue page, she understandably cost her owners a pretty penny at the Yearling Sales. $40,000 to be exact. So it’s not surprising that they had big plans for recouping their investment, like giving Delightful a stint on the racetrack and then a breeding career - in that order! But the young filly went and turned all that upside down by having a few moments of passion with a lad half her age, and fell pregnant. Just two years old at the time, Delightful was barely ready to even start thinking about boys, let alone get up close and personal with one. As for Sorpresa’s father, well, the less said about him the better... his name’s Principal Skinner, and if you check him out on Infohorse you’ll note that he’s a gelding. No, it’s not a mistake – this was always going to be his fate, regardless. Delve deeper and you’ll see that

PAGE 28

Principal Skinner is by Armbro Operative out of a JC’s Suprimo mare, so obviously he was just a cocky little bugger that had dreams way beyond what his lineage would ever allow him to reach. Sorpresa’s parents lived on the same block of land as each other at the time he was conceived, albeit some distance apart. Delightful used to hear Principal Skinner calling out to her from a few paddocks away, but she never took much notice until the day she turned around and all of a sudden he was standing right there. Now, Principal Skinner didn’t exactly have champion qualities, and he probably knew his picture would never make it onto the pages of the glossy sire catalogues that show up in the mailbox every Spring, but come hell or high water he was determined

to do something to make sure he’d be remembered. And by jingoes he certainly did. Whether it was the ‘younger man’ thing, or the fact that Principal Skinner had hurdled several fences to be by her side that day, something about him made Delightful swoon in the midday sun and go all wobbly at the knees. And the rest, as they say, is history. Sneakily, Principal Skinner even covered his tracks that day by taking himself back to his own paddock. So the young couple’s naughty little secret went undiscovered for quite a few months – right up until the time when Delightful started raising the eyebrows of her trainer Robbie Holmes when he was a bit miffed about her size.


“Robbie couldn’t get the weight off her,” says Hamish Scott, who together with his wife Kim Lawson are Sorpresa’s ‘human’ parents. “So it was decided to give her a pregnancy test and, sure enough, she was in foal. “We didn’t have any idea what her due date was of course, but she was obviously too far into it to abort.” Delightful got bundled up and sent to Wai-Eyre Farm in late September 2010, eventually giving birth to her glistening little baby boy on the last day of January 2011. As a new mum she wasn’t saying much, so the only way to find out who to point the finger at was by DNA

testing all the other horses in the same block; once the results came back, all eyes turned to Principal Skinner.

though, so they gave him away to some friends of theirs as a riding hack “because we’re softies”.

Three years old by the time he received the news, Principal Skinner had already had his dreams of a siring career cut short by being gelded but was holding down a steady job – as a racehorse, and in work with Holmes, eventually making his debut at Westport in March of 2012.

“They say Bettor’s Delight’s fertility is great, so Principal Skinner must be a siring sensation because he’s got a one hundred percent record,” Scott says with a laugh.

He ended up winning a race seven months later at Timaru, but after making his 14th raceday appearance that December he was spelled and “did a suspensory” so was never seen out in public again.

“Sorpresa means ‘surprise’ in Italian.

Scott and Lawson didn’t have the heart to put Principal Skinner down

“He’s known as ‘Whoopsie’ around the stable as well, and he’s a bit of a

A bit of humour went into naming the foal as well…

“There had already been horses called ‘Surprise’, and we couldn’t understand the Chinese version either, so this was the name that sounded best.

continued page 30

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continued from page 29

PURE POWER - life after racing by Sasha Maghzal

favourite at Robbie’s because he’s always been a character. “As a young horse he used to lie on top of the feed bucket and do all sorts of other silly things; nice-natured, but just a playful little sh.. really.” Now seven and in foal for the second time to a more reputable stallion (American Ideal), Delightful was recently sold by Scott and Lawson because they’re “getting a lot of mares around us, and would prefer to focus on our ‘Kiwi’ families and Front Cover Lover”. “And we originally bought Delightful more as a racing proposition anyway, because she was by Bettor’s Delight out of an In The Pocket mare. “She had eight starts and ran a couple of placings, and probably should’ve won a race too but she also had suspensory issues.” So Sorpresa’s parents are no longer together, and the directions they’ve ended up heading in are a far cry from what was intended early on. Scott and Lawson have been left holding the baby, but they aren’t about to give up on him. “Even though he galloped at his first start, it was still a massive thrill just to get Sorpresa to the races that day because he really shouldn’t exist,” Scott says. “And we’ll carry on with him, purely for interest’s sake and the novelty factor. “A lot of people know about him, so I suppose he’s famous in that respect. We haven’t got terribly high expectations though. “Robbie reckons he’ll probably win a race or two, but not in a row. He just gets a bit wound up at the moment, and should learn to relax once he gets some experience.” PAGE 30

This year’s Methven Cup proved to be the last race for former Pukekohe pacer Pure Power. However rather than retiring this gentle giant, like more and more Standardbred racehorses nowadays, he will commence a career as a show horse. Dave McGowan, who co-trained Pure Power with his wife Clare for much of his career, said: “Pure Power wasn’t finishing off his races as well as before, we had always intended to make sure that there would be a career in the show ring afterwards. “His beauty, size and presence made him ideal for it.” McGowan said. “You could just picture him doing dressage or something like that. He always looks so elegant and walks around with a bowed head.” Bred by Chris and Tina Barlow, the eight-year-old Grinfromeartoear gelding out of a qualified but unraced Falcon Seelster mare Highfields Angel,

failed to make the reserve at the Australasian Classic Yearling Sale in 2008. “No-one wanted him, in fact nobody even bid on him.” “I think potential buyers may have been deterred by his size because he was already about the size of a threeyear-old colt”. Pure Power was eventually raced on lease by co-trainer Clare McGowan in partnership with well-known personality John May and his son Peter, Phil Harrison, as well as Ian and Brigitte Smith, all from Auckland. The winner of 13 races including the 2011 Rangiora Classic and an eighteen month stint in New South Wales with Nicole Molander which saw him place third in the 2013 Miracle Mile. The 1:51 miler turned out to be very fortunate to have a race career at all and is lucky to be alive after a near fatal bout of Colitis-X at the age of three.


“I walked over to the paddock and he wasn’t leaning over the fence like always to greet me. Instead he was lying down with his mouth open and his tongue out.” McGowan said. The McGowans patiently nursed Pure Power back to health but he was away from racing for a long time. For the first two-years back racing, he would crash afterwards from the stress (a common long-lasting effect from Colitis-X). Pure Power was plagued with other tricky issues too. “Every stride he took his foot would ricochet off his knee because he hit his knees so hard but he was so genuine, he would just deal with it. “ said McGowan, clearly full of admiration for “Sarge”. “I hope people get to know their horse that well, that you know how it’s thinking and feeling. There’s a reason why they are how they are. I want people to realise how special, kind and intelligent he was.”

McGowan has selected Stacey Markham to take care of Pure Power now. He is already settling in well at her property. McGowan feels confident that she will take great care of him, the way that he, Nicole Molander and Samantha Ottley have done. Markham was in awe of the gigantic 17.2 hands frame of Pure Power when she first saw him. “Pure Power is beautiful, has a great presence, and should certainly catch the judge’s eye.” Markham said. She also described him as being gentle, obedient and easy to handle. “My first aim is to have him in an ‘In Hand’ class rather than a riding class. Then hopefully he will participate in lower level Pony Club shows and then at A & P Shows in the Standardbred ring and ultimately in the open ring with all classes of horses.” Samantha Ottley will visit Markham and ride Pure Power from time to

time. She may also ride him at the shows sometimes too. “He will probably also be helping with young horses, including those we prepare for the yearling sales. We can always put them in with him and hopefully they will learn from example how to behave.” Markham says. Markham can’t stress enough the importance of building trainers’ awareness of converting Standardbred racehorses to show horses. “I really hope that trainers do realise that horses can have another life after racing. They can learn and pick up new things quickly. It’s surprising how versatile they can be.” Pure Power won’t be the first highprofile Standardbred to continue as a show horse. The former outstanding trotter Sundowner Bay, the winner of 18 races, has had a very successful show career too. Pure Power sounds certain to do the same.

Pure Power’s inability to race or even bend right-handed prevented him from racing on right-handed tracks like Alexandra Park, making him more suited to roomier left-handed tracks such as Addington. A muscle tear in his rump saw him head back to New Zealand earlier this year so that Clare McGowan, who is also a renowned equine physiotherapist could work on him. For the last few months of his racing career he was sent to Robert Dunn at Woodend Beach where Samantha Ottley was assigned to drive and care for him. PAGE 31


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