TROTTING Increased Interest In Breeding Of Trotters

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31987, 14 May 1969, Page 5

TROTTING Increased Interest In Breeding Of Trotters

The increased interest in the breeding side of trotting is reflected in the number of service certificates for the 1968-69 breeding season filed with the New Zealand Trotting Conference. So far this season, 2614 certificates have been returned and when the few outstanding have been received it is expected that the total will be close to 2700, said the keeper of the Stud Book (Mr R. C. Morton) yesterday.

This will represent an in-i crease of almost 500 over the 2235 returns received last season, and will be more than 1100 greater than the 1550 for 1958-59, when trotting clubs used 121 permits, against 133 this season. Breeding operations increased at a fairly slow but steady rate until 1965-66, when 1894 mares were covered, 1305 live foals being produced. About this time, American Interest in other than top performers began to grow, and instead of increasing by about 100 or less a season, the number of mares put to the stud started to rise spectacularly. In 1966-67, the number of' mares served jumped from: 1894 to 2199, 1454 live foals! resulting. There was a further spec-! tacular increase in 1967-68,1 when 2235 mares were served.! So far, returns for more than! 1500 live foals have been' received, and it is possible that the total will reach 1600.; The number of live foals; next season is expected to! approach 1800, and it should; not be many seasons before ■

■ the number of service certifi- ,; cates and live-foal returns are double those of 1958-59. While a great majority of persons are breeding horses i in the hopes of attracting the , American market after they ' have shown form in New Zealand, many others are being bred to American time: and others are being bred for the national yearling sales, which this year had a record aver- , age of 81566, a figure at which , it is just economic to produce a foal. Sound Prospects The prospects for both the American and Australian markets look sound. Exports to the United States have been very high lately, and if a reasonable proportion of the horses are successful, the I demand from there could 'show further spectacular increases in the next year or (two. j Likewise, it is predicted (that the demand for yearlings ;for Australia will show a j marked increase from now ■ on, particularly as transport difficulties will be overcome ■ with the advent of roll-on i ships. ; Stakes have been increasing ;at a great rate in most Australian states, but in particular in Victoria, where there

has been an increase in interest in New Zealand horses.

The increases in breeding will add to the difficulties of an already-depleted staff of the New Zealand ‘‘Trotting Conference. There has been an increase of almost 50 per cent in the number of service certificates in four seasons, and all other returns are going to increase by a similar percentage.

It will not be long before the increase in the number of mares put to the stud is reflected in greater entries at trials and race meetings,; while the demand for naming! horses and all other forms of registration are certain to be on the increase.

The greater number of horses in training each year will create problems for the conference, if only on the score of lack of racing opportunities. If New Zealand is to cater fully for the horses being bred, additional permits are required. The last issue of permits was made in 1964—and the position is due for review this year. The spectacular growth of the breeding industry and export markets could be a powerful argument in favour of additional permits being granted.