New Zealand breeders rewarded after elite global season

Sir Brendan and Lady Jo Lindsay’s Cambridge Stud was crowned New Zealand Breeder of the Year at the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Awards on Saturday night, heading a stellar list of winners recognised after another exceptional season for New Zealand breeders on the world stage.

 

Accepting the Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan New Zealand Breeder of the Year Award, Sir Brendan reflected on the significance of receiving an honour bearing the names of Cambridge Stud’s former custodians.

“It’s quite surreal, buying Cambridge Stud and this award being named after Sir Patrick and Lady Justine Hogan,” Lindsay said.

“It’s a long way away from buying my first horse, which I raced with Trevor McKee. I remember excitedly telling my father and there wasn’t a huge amount of support.

“I think Ceolwulf was a real highlight as a breeder this season. John Foote bought the dam for €55,000 and she has gone on to leave an elite-level miler, and we sold a foal out of her for $1.1 million this year, which is just incredible.

“We love our racing and we love our breeding. It is important to thank the team, headed by Henry and Michele Plumptre, and the whole team who work on the farm.

“I am very privileged and very happy to have an opportunity to be involved in this industry. I put a lot into it in terms of effort and passion, like everyone else in the room tonight.”

Cambridge Stud’s season was headlined by Ceolwulf (Tavistock), winner of the King Charles III Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m) and Champions Mile (Gr 1, 1600m), while the farm was also recognised as the breeder of Jaarffi (Iffraaj), winner of the Otaki-Maori WFA Classic (Gr 1, 1600m).

Cambridge Stud was chosen from a strong group of finalists that included Nearco Stud, Rich Hill Thoroughbreds and Waikato Stud. Nearco Stud and Rich Hill were represented by Aeliana (Castelvecchio), winner of the Ranvet Stakes (Gr 1, 2000m) and Tancred Stakes (Gr 1, 2400m), while Rich Hill also bred She’s A Dealer (Ace High), winner of the New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders’ Stakes (Gr 1, 1600m). Waikato Stud’s season featured 15 black-type winners and 16 stakes-placed horses.

Sir Brendan also spoke warmly about the camaraderie within the thoroughbred industry, referencing a function held the previous day for respected racing administrator Butch Castles, who is facing health challenges.

“This industry is a great industry and when you are down, there are a lot of people who will help, and when you’re up at the top, it gives everyone an opportunity to strive and get up there with you,” he said.

While acknowledging the industry was going through a period of transition, Sir Brendan remained bullish about the future of New Zealand breeding.

“You can’t ignore the fact that over the last five years, 21 per cent of the Group 1 winners in Australia have been bred in New Zealand,” he said.

“The opportunities for this country are just enormous. Unfortunately, there has been a drop in foal numbers, but that creates an opportunity because the industry needs stock, and for us at Cambridge Stud to be able to bring in stallions of international appeal like Chaldean and Charyn is just amazing.

“I get up every morning and look forward to the day. I try to make the day a new challenge, and I think this industry just has so much upside.”

The Property Brokers Seton Otway Horse of the Year title went to Ka Ying Rising (Shamexpress), whose extraordinary campaign established him as one of the world’s elite racehorses.

Bred by Grandmoral Lodge, the champion sprinter remained unbeaten in eight starts during the season, winning five Group 1 races across Hong Kong and Australia, including becoming the first overseas-trained horse to capture The Everest (Gr 1, 1200m). He also successfully defended the Hong Kong Sprint (Gr 1, 1200m), completed a second consecutive Hong Kong Speed Series and finished the season with a Hong Kong record 20 consecutive victories, while earning a rating as the joint-best racehorse in the world.

Ka Ying Rising’s dam Missy Moo (Per Incanto) was named the Eight Carat Broodmare of the Year. A winning daughter of Per Incanto (Street Cry) who was previously trained by Fraser Auret, Missy Moo produced only two foals, headed by the champion son of Shamexpress (O’Reilly).

Grandmoral Lodge was chosen from a shortlist that also included the breeders of Romanoff (Belardo) , Desert Lightning (Pride Of Dubai), Oak Hill (Per Incanto), Lollapalooza (El Roca) and War Princess (U S Navy Flag).

Per Incanto enjoyed the finest season of his career, claiming both the Centaine Award, presented to the leading sire by worldwide progeny earnings, and the Dewar Award, recognising the leading sire by progeny earnings across New Zealand and Australia. His success in the Dewar Award ended the late Savabeel’s remarkable run in the category.

Proisir (Choisir) claimed the Grosvenor Award, presented to New Zealand’s leading sire by domestic progeny earnings, after another outstanding season led by dual Group 1 winners Legarto and Waitak.

Ohope Wins (Ocean Park), who completed the New Zealand Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m)-Australian Oaks (Gr 1, 2400m) double, was recognised as NZB Filly of the Year, while Jess Greenfield received the Mary-Lynne Ryan Young Achiever Award.

One of the most warmly received moments of the night came when Windsor Park Stud principal Rodney Schick was named NZTBA Personality of the Year, sponsored by Entain AU & NZ, in recognition of his lifetime contribution to New Zealand’s thoroughbred breeding industry.

The award acknowledged Schick’s achievements as a breeder and stud master, along with his leadership, generosity, mentorship and passion for helping the industry thrive.

“It’s an absolute privilege to receive this award from your peers,” an emotional Schick said as he accepted the honour alongside his son Oli.

“It’s an industry that I love, and I have been part of for a long time.”

Schick, who grew up at Windsor Park Stud after his parents Nelson and Sue established the Cambridge farm, paid tribute to his wife Gina and the Windsor Park team following a deeply difficult 18 months for the family.

“First you need a bloody good wife, and Gina has been the absolute backbone for me for all our married life, but especially over these past 18 months, she has been unbelievable, along with the team at the farm,” he said.

“My parents taught me a long time ago to surround yourself with good people and certainly we have that at Windsor Park. It’s an absolute family.

“To all my team, who have supported us through this past year or so, they have been unbelievable. The farm probably ran better without me than with me.”

Despite those challenges, Schick said Windsor Park remained firmly focused on the future.

“We are certainly not slowing down,” Schick said. “We have a new farm that we are developing, which is exciting, and we have got plenty of young stallions coming through, including Savaglee, who is new this year and standing in partnership with Simms Davison at Mapperley Stud.”

“We love the industry and see a bright future. There are certainly a few things we need to work on, and I think getting together is most important.

“Working together to make a better future for racing, for me, is the most important thing, getting the right people together and making it happen. And we need to make it happen and I am very passionate about that.”

For Schick, the greatest reward remains the horses themselves and the people who make the industry special.

“I just love it. We have lots of ups and lots of downs but the horse is what it’s all about,” he said.

“Watching these horses win, whether it’s a Group 1 or a midweek maiden, is just as exciting.

“It’s a beautiful game with great people. We have got wonderful clients and wonderful friends, and it has just been awesome.”

Schick received a standing ovation from his peers at the conclusion of his speech, closing a night that again underlined the reach, resilience and depth of New Zealand’s breeding industry.