jess

Not sure about that Dibbles - I guess I was just thinking of the parades - the studmasters go to a bit of effort/risk to put their horses up for public parade and I think would mostly welcome the extra audience the parade would reach if filmed? All the studs can film their horses any time, any how - and post it on their websites ...I think the fairness side of it comes from simply filming the parade as it occurred - as if you were there - with no special (editing) favors to anyone. Just my thoughts ...cheers, J

Thanks for the feedback Woodbine. I really don't think it need be too expensive to implement - obviously would require the cooperation/consent of the studmasters & someone fairly proficient to film (including whatever commentary was provided on the day) and then post it (warts and all) somewhere on the net that breeders could access it. I do think though because it is going to be a relatively "raw" product - it has to be done with fairness and integrity - if someone's horse is naughty - they don't get to "retake" or edit the footage because they're best mates with whoever's doing the filming or putting the package together. It's a video of the parade as it happens. It needs to be a level playing field that everyone signs up for (hope that doesn't sound harsh but the studs have every opportunity to post their own carefully choreographed footage on their own sites for marketing their horses and what I'm proposing is nothing different than what people would've seen if they could have attended ...). Cheers, J

Title says it all really folks - just had to sigh a little when the latest pamphlet and email arrived today inviting me to stallion parades I'd love to attend but can't for the same reasons a lot of you probably can't either (too far away, too busy working to earn $ to pay stallion fees etc). There are also other reasons too of course - like disabled breeders who find it really hard to get to the parades let alone around the place once they are there .... I reckon it would be an awesome service if someone videoed these then made them available for viewing after? I think it would provide authentic, raw information to breeders - which can be valuable alongside the edited/selective marketing material in which the studs naturally want to show their stallions in the best possible light (even if the final (marketing) "cut" of the video was the first time ever that they managed to get the beast to walk on 4 legs not 2 in the parade ring!! ) I see there was a sponsor on one of my pamphlets - any takers to sponsor this initiative? Or maybe NZTB could step up (just got your account fellas - and we're nearly up to $200 per annum .... ) Just a bit of FOMO I guess and a thought on what could be done so peops like me would not feel we were missing out quite so much .... J

You never know Puha - could turn out to be a pocket rocket! If it's fast enough it's big enough! All the best ........ J.

Good luck Catalano! My challenge to you is to re-visit this thread way waaaay down the track and post a photo of your lovely LEGGY filly or colt! I'd look forward to that All the best to you - and all the other cafers who are breeding this year, Jess.

For what it's worth I know of a mare who had 12 foals by a wide range of stallions and the tallest by a margin was the one she had by Iffraaj ...

With that combo my concern would be temperament ... but of course if your mare is a real honey you might be right .... Nothing's for sure and there are exceptions to every rule ... but some combinations must shorten the odds of exposing certain traits I guess ..

Iffraaj is likely to add leg and height but wouldn't count on him fining anything down as far as bone/type....

A lot to like - esp for those who liked him before he was proven at his 12K service fee Notwithstanding the mare's side of things - what do the breeding buffs say about the best chance stallion-options for kiwis with Iffraaj mares in the broodmare paddock?

It's been canvassed here before ... beware predicating anything on sales ring prices - especially with relatively new sires who the studs are trying hard to hype up. You may not realise the same returns for the progeny of that sire that the big studs appear to "achieve" in teh sales ring. There is more smoke and mirrors and skulduggery at the yearling sales than in Todd Barclay's Clutha-Southland electorate. Results on the track will tell the story for the established sires (but be careful how these stat.s are expressed by parties with vested interests ....make sure you compare like with like). And for the new sires - it's always gonna be a punt I believe - I've got some very right in the past and some others proved to be rather average. J.

Hi JL - my comment did not relate to purchase or lease costs - purely the quality/deeds of the horse. I don't give out the label champion lightly and he's not that - but he's done more than anything I've owned/bred so I guess in that regard he doesn't look too shabby to me.

Well maybe my sights are lower `cause I'd take one like him anyday! All the best to him for his new career as (presumably) a benevolent and well fed granny-gelding

He was! Kind is one description .... might not be the word all the quinella punters would be using but hey!

This certainly seems to have moved on from being in the category of "rumor and innuendo". This is now entering the realms of serious allegations with an evidential basis. And yet what is the response from the administration, the RIU and the board? Deafening silence so far ...

Gotta say - there has been a helluva lot of rain in the area ... not sure races would have gone ahead on pretty well any track in the lower NI .. Commiserations to those affected by the cancelled meeting ... J.

Just when I thought the team driving was bad enough at that meeting ... "but wait there's more" ... as they say in the informercials ...

That name keeps coming up. A pattern is emerging .... not a nice pattern, either ...

So this is who was selected to join the bunch of people dictating terms for the industry and spending industry funds? "Well connected" to who or what precisely? (pretty meaningless statement of itself really - depending on the nature of what one is connected to - this could be a blessing or a curse) A "good" guy?? - good as in well behaved? Good as in good at stuff? - if so, what stuff? (the links in the first post would leave one thinking his creditors may not regard him as all that "good" ... ) As for "charming" - that - like beauty - is in the eye of the beholder. And besides - is charm what we're looking for? For example - many a conman is thought of as "charming" before his nefarious ways are uncovered - so charm of itself may not always be a clear recommendation ... (call off the lawyers - read that last bit again carefully - just to be clear - I did not accuse any particular person of being a conman ...) An investment banker? At the risk of a generalisation - many in the modern world, based on recent history, would place that profession in much the same category as used car salesmen and politicians ... (probably because of all the investment bankers we've read about, who have ridden off into the sunset with bags of gold, leaving swathes of chaos & bankruptcy in their wake ...) Are there any better characteristics on which to base the recommendations for this man besides charm and connectedness? Please enlighten us. How about altruism? - someone who will do the right thing for all - not motivated by self interest - how do you think the new entrant will score there folks? What do his past deeds and history tell us about that? How about knowledge and competence in this field? How about stewardship - of the interests, finances and property of others? How about integrity? For those who would promote this individual to us - if there are things about this man which make him a sound selection and likely to be a good servant to this industry and us - the stakeholders - please speak up. Show us why we should rejoice in, and get behind the appointment of this man! Help us believe! Such a shame those who actually make these decisions and appointments seem to be accountable to no-one. I think I need another strong coffee .....

On the news tonight there is a claim Glenda Hughes now under investigation by Police in regard to her role in the Barclay matter ... report said that when contacted Ms Hughes said she'd done nothing wrong .... I wonder if she will talk to Police when they come calling or "take the 5th" ...

Thanks for posting a response Brent. Now we have you here - I wonder if the moderators would indulge me and allow you to tell us a bit more about the horse - conformation, temperament - types of mares you think best suited and that sort of thing? We know you have a vested interest (naturally) but I for one would nevertheless be interested to hear more about Wrote. Kind regards,J

I'm not sure what it was about her as a candidate that appeakd to NZRB. But maybe it was the outcome of her "representation" of Mark Todd all those years ago who was struggling at the time against allegations of some rather sordid behavior involving sex & drugs. His representative appeared to run a campaign of silence and obfuscation on his behalf and subsequently all was swept rather grubbily under the carpet, all was forgiven (or at least forgotten) and he was later knighted. Undoubtedly a favorable result for Todd. His advisor no doubt would have accepted his grateful thanks and proudly chalked it up on the resume. Others will make their own judgements as to whether this behavior forms part of a commendable CV for a person who holds the positions currently occupied by this individual - or whether it is rather the opposite. But the current situation definitely had me casting my mind back to the Todd debacle ....I sense some similarities in the modus operandi ..

Covered in glory once again. NOT. But some ppl have no shame and believe their own b.s. and obfuscation.

Have heard a lot of comment to the effect that quite a number of the new kids on the block are a bit pricier than the broodmare owners think they should be ... just putting it out there ..... J

Re Super Easy - does anyone here know anything of the horse's temperament - or more importantly - the temperament of his progeny? Just seeking some info...thanks, J

I don't have the answers for you Mattski (and I don't have your budget either if you are considering CS!) - but I'm interested to see you enquiring about his fertility. I think it's a worthwhile consideration - poor years can have reasons which may not be repeated but some horses have significantly poor fertility year after year and I think it is always a valid thing to consider amongst other criteria. Best of luck. J PS: you probably have seen on the NZTR site his 2015 fertility is shown 84.91% but for 2016 you might need to make enquiries ...