EARLY SIRES PLAYED THEIR PART WELL

Southland Times, Issue 24000, 15 December 1939, Page 15

EARLY SIRES PLAYED THEIR PART WELL

Southland Is Famed For Its

Trotting Horses

IF there is one sport more than 1 another which has placed Southland on the New Zealand sporting map it is light harness racing. Today Southland-bred pacers and trotters are quite a force in the land and as a breeding centre Southland is second only to Canterbury. Trotting in Southland has made great progress in recent years, the foresight of studmasters being chiefly responsible for this, for at the present time a select list of young sires representing the best American families, is available to breeders.

Southland's present position in light harness racing is an enviable one, and all the more creditable as the province's early trotting history is rather obscure. Early sires such as Sir Hector and Bellman may not have been in the first flight but they played their parts well. The mares with which they were mated were a nondescript lot, the blood lines of the majority being unknown and in a big percentage of, cases they were unable to boast much in the way of trotting blood. Early studmasters are agreed on the point that most mares used at the stud were thoroughbreds of some standing or other. The pedigrees of many of the best pacers bred in Southland over a period of years will bear this out.

The point has been debated from time to time whether the thoroughbred has had a desirable influence in trotting pedigrees. The American idea is to breed away from the thoroughbred but in spite of these views the influence early thoroughbred mares had in Southland cannot be denied. Sires cannot be given all credit in the foundation of successful families but there _is much evidence to support the opinion that the thoroughbred has had a great influence in Southland trotting history. The consistency of champion pacers—whose stamina has always been an important factor—cannot be denied. Rapid Progress LIKE all other sports trotting had advanced in all departments, and in Southland as in other parts this has been evident. The introduction of American sires with fast time records to their credit and representing the most fashionable American blood available, time performances almost unheard of years ago are accepted as every day happenings; a mechanical system of handicapping has replaced the old method of handicapping on time performances, and other changes have assisted in placing the sport on a high plane. One important reform has been the encouragement given the racing of two and three-year-olds. The presence of stallions from families famed for getting early speed has resulted in classic races in the Dominion becoming quite an important feature. This has also brought about a big change in the education and gaiting of horses. At one time when horses were not expected to race until five or six years of age, horse breaking was no easy matter and a stand-up fight between colt and trainer was always to be expected. Classic racing brought about a big change m this direction. Most horses are now handled when weaned, broken to harness, gaited and lightly worked as yearlings. Rough handling is almost unheard of and this method is much more satisfactory. In Southland, classic races were introduced some years ago bub they were discontinued. It was not until last year that the Winton and Wyndham clubs decided to include races for three-year-olds. At both meetings these classics were a great success and are assured of a place on future programmes. Earlier Return

JUVENILE racing has met with adverse criticism but there are many

points to commend it, providing young horses are judiciously handled and raced. One important point is that breeders are given an opportunity to secure a much earlier return than under the old order. Racing over a period of years has shown that the majority of the best-class pacers racing today were produced as two-year-olds and no harm came to them because of their efforts at this age.

In past years Southland has been fortunate in that the daughters of the majority of sires used have bred on. Bellman’s name crops up in the pedigree of almost all leading winners while Marvin Wilkes, Harold Rothschild, Adonis, Bon Homme and others

also played their parts. In more recent years Sungod mares have proved prolific producers. The Harold Dillon stallion left a type of horse which appeared to be ideally suited to Southland conditions and for many years the Sungod tribe was on top. Now his mares are consistently represented by winners of the best class.

Wealth Of Blood EEFERENCE is rarely made to the producing qualities of mares being bred from in different centres and , probably never before has there been such a wealth of blood in evidence at Southland studs. This has been made possible by the introduction of new and proved blood lines and at practically every stud, mares representing several generations of proved families are being used. In the past champions have been bred from mares of little breeding, or at least little has been known of their blood lines, but today much greater interest is being shown in this side of: racing. Some mares being used are members of families not elsewhere represented in the Dominion and this is a fact of some importance. Breeders have placed a high valued on mares by Adioo Guy and their chances of proving prolific producers are based on sound grounds. When Adioo Guy was imported to Southland by Mr' G. Youngson, of Riversdale, he was believed to be quite a young horse, but on his arrival it was learned that he was 21 years—an age when most stallions are long past their best. In three seasons at the stud in Southland Adioo Guy left a big percentage of his mares in foal, the majority winning races and their ranks including such fine winners as Grand Mogul, Aide de Camp, Southern Smile, Voloma and others. Had he been imported at an earlier age it is possible that Adioo Guy may have left many more pacers, as he did at the stud in America. There is some consolation in the fact, however, that his family is well established here and many of his daughters are now being bred from, all being young mares as yet.

Wellington Direct and Frank Dewey are two other importations with fast time performances against their name, who may be expected to breed on. Their stock may not have raced up to expectations but mares from both these families have the breeding behind them to make names for themselves as producers. It could not be said that the stock of either Drusus or Lee Norris were as 'successful as expected. Lee Norris left several good winners at the square gait while only a few of Drusus’s gets reached the top flight. It is antici-

pated that Drusus will make amends when his daughters are tried at the stud. Lee Norris, too, boasts a wealth of sound blood which may come to the top in the second generation. The value of brood mare records cannot be too highly stressed. Proved brood mare sires have played a big part in building up successful studs and the case of Logan Pointer can be quoted as an outstanding instance. As a sire he left more 2.10 winners than any other and his stock won stakes, totalling more than £250,000. Logan Pointer mares were immediately successful at the stud and for years they have outdistanced all others. Mares by Logan Pointer left' winners to sires of all descriptions and assisted in placing trotting on a standard in New Zealand which is rivalled only by America. Utility Horse The trotting horse is known on all sides as the utility horse. One . reason ■why light harness racing has made such great progress is that the farming community took an interest in the breeding side. Trotting horses could be bred, and trained on the farm, while their value from a domestic point of view was not overlooked.'. Unlike racing there have been very few light harness studs in Southland where breeding has been carried out. on a large scale and at the present time the small breeder is still most in evidence.

Among a host of champions bred in Southland are New Zealand Cup winners in Winsoon and Cathedral Chimes; great stayers such as Willow Wave, Satin King, Logan Chief, Blue Mountain, and Grand Mogul while others of good class bred in these parts include: Native Chief, Black Lion, Nelson’s Victory, Erin’s Fortune, Master Boy, Rocks Ahead, Harold Rothschild, Harold Thorpe, Sunshower, Kibo, Blue Mountain Queen, Southern Smile, King Pointer, Arctotis, Bellflower, Gold Tinge, Bellfashion, Lynwood, All Sunshine, Carver Doone and many others. In no other centre in New Zealand, with the exception of Canterbury, are light harness breeders so well catered for as they are in Southland, where a select list of colonial-bred and imported horses, representing the best families in America today, are at the service of breeders. In early years breeders were not so well catered for but the rapid progress the sport has made has justified the increased interest shown by studmasters. Such high-class sires as Wrack, Grattan Loyal, Rey de Oro, Great Bingen, Worthy Bond and others have been used in recent years. Those available at the present time include: Arion Axworthy, Llewellyn, Dillon Hall, Royal Silk, - Quite Sure, Nelson Pointer.