So who are the breeders going to blame next

[Mark D]

Been watching Kiwi Bred a bit this year and Emily does some good pieces with certain breeders.  One thing that strikes me is their total obsequiousness in relation to the Messara report, Winston etc and the need to work together to slavishly follow these far right/far left recommendations (whether you view them as communism of unfettered capitalism - take your pick).  Of course one of the reasons that thoroughbred racing is in such a pickle is because of the selfish funding programme that TR has followed for years now ie excessively funding group and stakes races to benefit themselves at the expense of "normal" races that proportionately "earn" their stakes far better than these economically disastrous G&S races.  TR racing is now only being run because of the stolen revenue from the pokies.

IMO the breeding industry is in for some hard times - Hong Kong is not the mecca it once was because of the unrest (and this is not going away), Singapore is slowing down and Australia is facing climate change disruption on a major scale.

As long as Winston is in power they could continue to go cap in hand to him but the signs are that his coalition (senior and others) have given him as much as they want or can.

Maybe they can go to NZB but they might get Andrew Seabrook's standard reply - "you didn't think this was going to be easy did you?"

[Murray Fish]

9 hours ago, Mark D said:

these far right/far left recommendations (whether you view them as communism of unfettered capitalism - take your pick). 

I think it it fare to say that we  are very much living a Capitalist country/economy!  it be amusing to see it suggested the reds had got out from under the beds! and that they have taken over at Head Office!  lol! last time I had a chat with Winnie 100% I was the Red and he the Blue!

If you  were actually wanting to take a 'socialist' approach!! then you would actually start by taking over the Studs, nationalise them! That way you could drive down the cost of producing the horse big time!

 

[Huey]

Good Post Mark.

Not to mention some of the  unbridled support by certain studs for the Messara Report , has alienated some of their customer base and will continue to do so in the future both directly and indirectly.

I don't know where they think all of these horses are coming from in the future to keep racing afloat, when they are knocking out 25% of their supporter base, many I have spoken with are having a complete rethink about their involvement in racing and thats going to be reflected through to the breeding side as well over the next few years. I get the impression the big studs don't care and think they will be immune to it all, but they won't.

[Mark D]

Yeah good point Huey.  I remember when I was involved in breeding we paid a substantial sum (around 30k) for stallion service only to turn up to the sales a couple of years later and that stud was selling the stallion's progeny at the sales with no reserve!  They were/are a big stud witgh plenty of progeny so it was a case of unders/overs for them but it was a killer for us.

[Dark Beau]

8 hours ago, Mark D said:

Yeah good point Huey.  I remember when I was involved in breeding we paid a substantial sum (around 30k) for stallion service only to turn up to the sales a couple of years later and that stud was selling the stallion's progeny at the sales with no reserve!  They were/are a big stud witgh plenty of progeny so it was a case of unders/overs for them but it was a killer for us.

Yes that was Waikato Stud one year. It was a disgrace. 

I don't know if that is who you are talking about, but they certainly did it.

[Mark D]

Got it in one DB

[holy ravioli]

you have to remember ..it was all done in the best...possible taste.!

 

The reality is owners do not want to race horses in NZ anymore.

The breeders ,are now caught in a pincer movement..the best sprinters are bred in Oz ,and the best stayers are from Europe and Japan.

NZ now has no USP.

The sheer reality of $ means ,NZ breeders have to get lucky..or die!

Grp 1's in NZ are as R.Freedman predicted now of limited ..value.

The whole shebang from stakes,judiciary to ..'product'...is indicative that TB racing is a sunset industry.

Don't blame it on the sunshine,don't blame it on the boogie...blame it on the ..breeders ..who like politicians ..have the M.O ..'she'll be right!

[Freda]

All of the above...and, notwithstanding the awful economics of our industry now,  another 'own goal' was scored when studs started using second-rate Aussie sprinters and/or unremarkable European two and three year old performers to try and ' compete '  with the fast and early Australian horse.

Our strength,  as it was once, was the classic and staying horse and we pissed that in the sea - for a while.   There are signs with some recent importations that that tide has turned,   but the flow of U.K. stayers hasn't stopped yet.

[Huey]

2 hours ago, Freda said:

All of the above...and, notwithstanding the awful economics of our industry now,  another 'own goal' was scored when studs started using second-rate Aussie sprinters and/or unremarkable European two and three year old performers to try and ' compete '  with the fast and early Australian horse.

Our strength,  as it was once, was the classic and staying horse and we pissed that in the sea - for a while.   There are signs with some recent importations that that tide has turned,   but the flow of U.K. stayers hasn't stopped yet.

A good point about the Euro stayer, I'm not sure where we sit in the scheme of things anymore from a breeding perspective. If you look at Aus they seem to have a lot of staying blood at stud over there now that we used to perhaps provide, a brief perusal will show Fiorente,Amercain,PDL and a number of High Chap and Galileo sons that could provide that type of horse in the future . 

I think the major problem in NZ is there has never been any incentive to breed a horse, in fact its one of the most expensive challenging parts of this  racing game and obviously its the core component in providing product to the industry and revitalising the sport in NZ  if that has any chance of happening. But yet from the NZTR, through to NZTBA to NZB there is just no incentive to breed a horse in NZ unless you're lucky enough to have the dosh to go a few stallions in this country or youre well connected enough to have some presence at the sales. Bizarre really.