July Breeder’s Bulletin

Breeders Bulletin

10 July

Written By Harness Breeders Victoria

Our latest newsletter is available now - read below or click H ERE to access the version with live links.

Breeder's Bulletin July

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From the President's Desk...

The HBV team are hard at work preparing three exciting things at the current time.The usual Stallion Guide is under production with Sally McPherson and Maurice Hanrahan working away feverishly with our studs and advertisers to get our usual high quality magazine out to everyone in plenty of time for the upcoming breeding season. Thanks to all of our advertisers who support the Stallion Guide and the thousands who read it each year.

Kath McIntosh and Clyde Little are pulling together Breed To Succeed for 2023. To be held as a live event at Shepparton Harness Racing Club on Sunday 20^th August, it will feature a range of high quality speakers and a cavalcade of stall holders for members and guests to chat with regarding stallions, breeding matters and equine products. Details will be released shortly on how to register. A couple of free stallion services will be raffled off to members who attend on the night. The third item is Breeders Week on SEN Track. Jess Tubbs, when not training international superstars, is once again working with the TrotsLife team to develop a range of guests on all breeding topics. Stay tuned for announcements on dates and guests.

We also welcome Ian Stanley and Helen Friend to our committee. Thank you for joining us and making your contribution! There is still one vacancy on our committee - don't hesitate to contact us if you're interested in helping represent and support breeders in Victoria this year.

After many hurdles and pivots, we are pleased to finally be bringing breeders from across Victoria the opportunity to come together, network, socialise and most importantly learn! As well as an expert panel discussing ways to make the most of your breeding investment and journey, you will have the opportunity to talk with industry suppliers through the trade expo, enjoy some refreshments and win some great prizes, including a member's only draw for services to Woodlands Stud's AMERICAN IDEAL, Alabar's VINCENT & Llowalong Farms' PASTOR STEPHEN. For those needing to travel, we'll have special deals from local hotels too.

More details will be released in the coming month so keep an eye on your inbox but for now - make sure your membership is up to date, encourage your friends to join, and mark this date in your calendar.

2023 IRT Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide

This season's Guide, with full details of available stallions, articles on breeding, annual statistics and more, is now in production and all things going to plan, will be hitting mail boxes in August. If you haven't bred a mare in the last two seasons but would like a copy of this year's Guide, make sure your membership is paid up before July 14 - join HERE. Otherwise, limited copies will be available from each state's head quarters and at advertising studs and businesses.

Again we thank Metro Printing for their work on this in-demand publication.

Stallion Registrations Open

STUDMASTERS - HRA has now opened stallion registrations. This is not an automatic process - find out how to register your stallion for the 2023-24 season HERE.

Vale Elsu

Alabar have recently announced the passing of sire Elsu at the age of twenty-three. The eleven-time Group 1 winner retired to serve stud duties at Alabar from 2005 to 2017. His progeny have won over $22 million and most recently had been a nanny to weanlings at Alabar. You can read more about Elsu HERE.

Welcome Our Latest Star

Congratulations to this little star who will feature on the cover of this year's IRT Australasian Standardbred Stallion Guide! Bred by the Greene family and photographed by Dot Greene, this colt - the only in the competition! is by Woodlands Stud's trotting stallion What The Hill from Sundon mare, Charlotte Galleon. Thanks to everyone who submitted photos for our cover competition. You can browse all these gorgeous entries HERE. Take a look at the T&Cs and keep your cameras handy for the 2023 drop to take part in the 2024 Search For A Star, with an all-new judging format to celebrate ten years of Stars!

Traceability Rules Update

Please be aware that HRA have made changes to the traceability rules and they apply to all Standardbreds - a quick reference guide to the major traceability rule changes is pictured. HRA acknowledges that these changes will represent a substantial change - please refer to the full article HERE.

Pays To Be Vicbred - Make Sure Your Foal Is Made In Victoria

When it comes to breeding choices this season, keep this chart handy to make sure you're breeding Vicbred quality and making your horse eligible for all the benefits of the Vicbred program. As a breeder you keep receiving payments over the horse’s lifetime – even if you no longer own him or her. For each two-, three- or four-year-old age restricted race win in Victoria, your Vicbred-eligible horse will earn you a cheque equal to 10% of the overall stake offered on that race. You will also get 5% of prizemoney earnt by your horse in any Vicbred race down to 12^th place including the Sires Stakes series, and on any prizemoney earnt in a Breeders Crown Final. Breeders also receive 5% of the Vicbred First Win Bonus which in 2024 will be paid on the first two-, three- or four-year-old win in Victoria, with the total Bonus being $8,000 for Vicbred Basic horses, $9,000 for Vicbred Platinum and $12,000 for Vicbred Pure horses. For horses aged five or older on their first Victorian win, they will receive half the eligible amount.

If you breed to race, you get these amounts on top of your owner earnings – it really does pay to be Vicbred!

Nutrition for the Broodmare

Make sure you feed to succeed by getting your mare's nutrition regime right in the lead up to her service or foaling, with Rebecca Ham, Andrew Soper, and Paul Campbell of Campbell’s Comments.

Harness Breeders Victoria Committee Meetings

The next meeting of the HBV committee is scheduled for Tuesday 12 September 2023 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. To be tabled at the next meeting, they must be received no later than Friday 1 September 2023. Please refer to previously summaries on our website to ensure the issue has not previously been addressed by the Committee.

The summary of proceedings from our June meeting can be viewed HERE