Committee Notes
The breeding season is edging closer and it is always an exciting time of year, preparing for new foals, and selecting stallion matches for our mares. The Stallion Guide will undoubtedly help with that process, and the 30th anniversary edition is due soon - see below for details including the announcement of this year's Vicbred foal cover star.
We'd also like to wish the Vicbred and HBV member-bred horses competing in the two Inter Dominion Finals at Albion Park on 19th July the very best of luck. The second round of heats are on this weekend, keep an eye on our socials for some interesting stats.
We are also putting out another call for members who might be interested in serving on the HBV committee. To have truly effective advocacy, as well as deliver activities around education and engagement of new breeders, a full committee is critical. Currently we have far fewer than the optimal twelve - please consider joining the committee for the remainder of 2025. Meetings are always offered online to remove the requirement to travel and if you're not sure what's involved, our current committee are happy to have a chat about it.
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2025 IRT Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide
The Stallion Guide is well underway, due to be delivered to members and recent breeders Australia-wide in the coming month, and the front cover can now be announced - the 30th edition of the Stallion Guide will feature this 2023 Vicbred filly foal by Woodlands Stud's late sire American Ideal, from Elianna Franco.
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Thank you again to that statesman of the siring scene, ART MAJOR, who was good enough to lend his expertise again to find this year's IRT Australian Standardbred Stallion Guide cover photo at Alabar last week!
For a moment we thought he was going to move on to his own foal (right, from Oh My Goodness) but eventually took the carrots from the second bucket in the line up.Congratulations to the Micallefs and J Simpson-Morgan, breeders of this gorgeous 2023 Vicbred filly by American Ideal from Elianna Franco (Mach Three), who will feature on the upcoming Stallion Guide. Our thanks again to Art Major and Alabar for their help in our 2025 Foal Quest.
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Next chapter for star mare
The curtain came down on her exceptional career on Saturday night at Melton, with the Yabby Dam Farms and Pat Driscoll-owned mare now set to begin a new chapter in the breeding barn. Im Ready Jet now heads to the breeding barn, where her next chapter begins. There’s plenty of excitement about what her foals might achieve in the future. Read about it HERE.
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Trotting Greatness
A significant landmark in the annals of the Australian trotting went almost unnoticed when Familiar Tricks clocked TR1:55.7 at a Menangle in April. The Used To Me gelding became the 100th 2:00 trotter descending from the celebrated matron Maori Miss. Read more HERE.
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Hall of Fame Nominations
Who should join harness racing's most illustrious club? Nominations are open for this year's inductees into the Victorian Harness Racing Hall of Fame. Inductees can be people or horses - which sire, broodmare or breeder deserve recognition? Nominations close on Friday 18 July - get on board HERE. |
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Vale Marty Miles
Harness Breeders Victoria would like to acknowledge the passing of long-time member, Marty Miles who sadly passed away last week aged 77. Miles enjoyed a long and successful career in the sport, with Calluna providing his first winner as an owner in 1980 and many winners that he bred with wife Laurel. Read a full story HERE.
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Benelise at Benstud's heart
Over the past 20 years, the Judd family have turned Benstud Standardbreds from a hobby breeding farm into one of the leading standardbred breeding nurseries in the country. One of the key players in the transformation was one the first horses they bred, the mare Benelise. Read more HERE.
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US-bred mares to the fore
Faith in North American bloodlines by Durham Park Standardbreds’ Bruce & Vicki Edward was accentuated by a winning double in June. The Edwards have imported nine broodmares from America since 2008, their collective progeny have won 416 races including seven Group 1 winner sand the second generation of the imported mares have left the winners of 69 races and $1.6 million to date. Read more HERE.
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HBV Membership
Membership for season 2025 are still open. Membership in this coming season is more important than ever to ensure the breeders' collective voice is truly being heard - support your very active kindred body in continuing to lobby government, HRA and HRV on behalf of Victorian breeders and commit to representation to the Harness Racing Advisory Council. Membership benefits will remain the same, including your last chance to make the list for a hard copy of the 2025 Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide delivered straight to your door.
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Breed To Succeed - Pedigree Research
A different session on the resources and techniques available for breeders to form a mating plan for their mare with author Nick Hooper, and Brett Coffey from Alabar Bloodstock - with Campbell’s Comments.
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Harness Breeders Victoria Committee Meetings
The next meeting of the HBV committee is scheduled for July and a summary of proceedings will be posted on our website shortly after. We invite members and interested parties to submit papers or correspondence for consideration by the Committee by post or email. Please refer to previously summaries on our website to ensure the issue has not previously been addressed by the Committee. For consideration at the each meeting, members should email papers or correspondence to contact@hbv.org.au. |
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Headline image: A 2023 foal by King of Swing out of Queen of Pop, bred by Lauriston Bloodstock
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