Committee Notes
Breeding season is now in full swing so if you haven't already booked or bred your mare, there is still ample time to do so - you'll find the best information on stallions available this season in the IRT Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide, available digitally below. Mares bred this season will produce foals that will be eligible to commence racing in 2029 and with HRV steadily making financial progress, an upward trend in prizemoney is likely. Breeders will also benefit from a change to the Vicbred First Win Bonus scheme, which sees the foal nominator receive a far greater percentage of the bonus - you can read more about this below.
Your committee have been working hard on a number of areas including proposed changes to some veterinary rules, programming for fillies and mares, black type standards, the use of altrenogest, representation at the Victorian Racing Tribunal user group, the Harness Racing Advisory Council, and much more. If, as a member, you have an issue you'd like HBV to consider, send details in an email or better yet, joint the committee and help make a difference.
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Strangles reported in Victoria
The Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) is urging veterinarians and horse owners to remain vigilant following reports of the highly contagious respiratory disease, Strangles, being detected in animals across New South Wales and Victoria. Read more HERE.
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Vicbred First Win Bonus changes for breeders
More money will be directed to breeders under a change to Vicbred first-win bonus allocations, which will take effect in Victoria from October 13. Foal nominators will be allocated 15 per cent of any first-win bonus, up from 5 per cent. The increase will gift breeders an extra $700 each time their maidens break through and win $7000 Vicbred bonuses.
Read more HERE.
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Group winners
Congratulations to members on top flight results in September:
Alabar Bloodstock (Bay Of Biscay, pic, GR1 The Eureka & Howdy Mate, LC Nutrien 2YO C&G Classic)
Alex Smith & Russ Woods (Wishing Belle, GR1 2YO Westbred Classic)
Yabby Dam Farms (Jilliby Aura, LC Nutrien 2YO Fillies Classic)
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TRAINERS + OWNERS - MARK THIS DATE IN YOUR DIARIES
Got a Vicbred maiden yet to claim their Bonus? There's time to get ready for HBV's sponsored all-maiden, all-Vicbred day at Maryborough where all races will carry $8,000 in stakes - keep an eye out HarnessWeb for the full program soon.
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Knockabout Vicbred value
The commanding win of four-year-old squaregaiter The Knockabout in the Vicbred Voucher race at Stawell recently provided a timely boost for the popular south-western Victorian-based O’Connor family.
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2025 IRT Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide
The 30th anniversary edition of the IRT Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide is now available digitally by clicking above. If you aren't a member and would like a hard copy, you can order yours HERE. |
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APG backs Vicbred Series
Australian Pacing Gold (APG) is proud to announce its sponsorship of the 2025 Vicbred Super Series, one of Victoria’s premier harness racing showcases, to be held across two thrilling nights of racing at Melton Entertainment Park.
Read about it HERE.
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Classic bloodlines on show
Junortoun horseman Garry Graham hit the jackpot when he and friend Eddie Jenkins outlaid $6,000 for the Batman mare Classic Kate at Dalgety’s Victorian Black Label Yearling Sale back in 1983. The last-to-first win of Golden Tribe at Melton on Saturday night was the 484th of one of her descendants.
Read about it HERE.
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Vale Garry Rogers
A legend and Hall Of Famer in the world of motor racing, Rogers was also a significant player in harness racing for more than three decades as a breeder, owner and sponsor.
Read a full obituary HERE.
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Treble of Group 1 class
Victoria Cup night at Melton Entertainment Park provided yet another storied chapter in the life of top Victorian standardbred stud farm, Alabar Bloodstock whose roster provided the winners of three of the five Group 1 races contested on the program.
Read more HERE.
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Foal Notifications
Breeders can now submit foal notifications online via HarnessWeb from August 1 rather than waiting until September. It provides more flexibility for managing breeding records and you can watch a step-by-step tutorial via YouTube above.
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Bonanza for Ballarat breeder
A breeding program based on careful planning when selecting broodmares and suitable stallions, good diet and good pastures reached a crescendo for Ballarat breeder Pat Driscoll at Melton on Saturday night, having bred an amazing four winners on the night. Read more HERE.
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Changes to mircrochipping
HRV will introduce a flexible, breeder-friendly approach to microchipping Victorian-registered foals, which has been designed to support participants while streamlining processes and reducing industry costs. Owners will have two microchipping options for the 2025 season to comply with HRA rules for horse identification, which are each supported by one-off $250 rebates per foal. Read more HERE.
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Swedish trotting gold
In a coup for the Victorian breeding industry, Maharajah and Calgary Games, two of the greatest trotters ever produced in Sweden, will be available to breeders via frozen semen this season in a deal secured by Aldebaran Park at Nagambie.
Read more HERE.
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Frozen sires shine bright
Frozen semen stallions are well and truly making their presence felt on racing and breeding, particularly among the ranks of trotting sires. In fact, four of the ten richest square-gaiters ever bred in the southern hemisphere – Just Believe, I Can Doosit, Muscle Mountain and Queen Elida – were sired by stallions based north of the equator. Read more HERE.
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HRV Spring Roadshows
Harness Racing Victoria CEO Matt Isaacs and chairman Bernard Saundry led the first of three industry roadshows at Kilmore on Monday evening. A wide range of topics were discussed, with the open forum allowing a two-way conversation about the sport’s opportunities and challenges. Read more & watch
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Traceability Rule Updates
A recent change has been made to the options available when selecting the option of “Industry Retirement Program” from the drop down menu when retiring your Standardbred in HarnessWeb. The retirement category labelled “Industry Retirement Program” specifically refers to retrainers/rehomers or retirement organisations recognised by State Controlling Bodies (SCB) and, once selected, will only allow you to choose from a pre-determined list of options. Read more HERE.
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HBV Membership 2026
Membership for season 2026 are now 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 awards eligibility and a hard copy of the 2026 Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide delivered straight to your door.
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Breed To Succeed - Why We Breed
Undecided about breeding this season? Get inspired by some of our up-and-coming breeders, chatting with Paul Campbell of Campbell’s Comments. You can find all three interviews HERE.
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Harness Breeders Victoria Committee Meetings
The next meeting of the HBV committee is scheduled for November 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 2024 filly by Orlando Vici out of Father Patrick mare Archangel Liz, bred by Tyrone Abela
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