Beef stud owners ready to call it a day

DUNGOG husband and wife Jon and Chris Erby will close the chapter on one of the oldest Angus beef studs in Australia when Forres Angus Stud goes under the hammer in May.

Sheik Won't Share

DARLEY and Coolmore studs have been forced to the negotiation table over promising stallion Ad Valorem after the son of Danzig was part of the Woodlands deal that was finalised last week.

Hunter Tops Yearling Sales

HUNTER Valley studs have dominated one of Australia's important yearling sales, easing the financial strain of last year's equine influenza-affected breeding season.

Form On Fashion, Phantoms At Randwick

WHILE horse studs across the Hunter remained in lockdown yesterday, fashion fillies took to the track in Victoria for the launch of the Caulfield spring racing calendar.

Breeders Welcome Rush Of Blood

THE Upper Hunter equine industry is at its most frenetic this weekend as studs prepare to welcome their well-heeled clients for the annual stallion parades.

Blues For Breeders

STALLIONS from Ireland and Japan destined for Upper Hunter studs are being kept in quarantine in Sydney with fears at least one may have contracted the equine flu virus.

Trainers' Legal Challenge Over Papal Visit

RANDWICK trainers are set to take legal action in a bid to stop Pope Benedict XVI from holding a papal Mass at racing headquarters next year. The attempt to prevent the Pope's World Youth Day celebrations from going ahead has the support of the NSW Racehorse Trainers' Association and Aushorse, which is made up of the country's most powerful thoroughbred studs.

2 Studs Courting Hot Colt

A MULTI-MILLION dollar bidding war for the services of Court Command has broken out between two Australian studs.

Reign Of Yearlings

THREE Upper Hunter studs have joined forces to make their presence felt at the prestigious Magic Millions yearling sale on the Gold Coast, which opened yesterday with an impressive $1.5 million paid for a Coolmore Stud colt from Redoute's Choice.

Singspiel's The Stay-at-home Type But Progeny Are Still On The Way Down Under

SHEIK Mohammed's stallion band totals 46 - and 19 of these bluebloods are standing at studs in NSW and Victoria for the southern hemisphere breeding season. Sadly, one of Darley's most spectacular Down Under successes, Singspiel, is missing again after his 2001 sojourn to Australia almost ended in disaster.

Big Questions On Coal Use

THE coal industry is accustomed to seeing new mining proposals meet considerable opposition. Nearby residents don't like the thought of having to put up with noise and dust from a mining operation, with rural industries such as wineries and horse studs adding water concerns to that list.

Studs, Stallions And Visitors Put Their Best Feet Forward For Week Of Festivities

FOR the past week, among the rolling hills of the Hunter Valley, a battle has been raging - the battle of the studs.

Studmaster Turns To Teaching

TRANSFERRING from the top job at one of the state's highest-profile studs to the post of manager at a stud set up to train equine-studies students would not appeal to many people, but for Ian Horwood, such a change was something he had contemplated for some time.

Filly's Remarkable Win Ignites Interest In New Stallion

IT WAS only 10 or so years ago that studs could import a horse with a nice pedigree but lacking somewhat in racecourse performance and have some confidence that, given a reasonable level of marketing support, he would be able to attract a book of 60-plus mares.

No Rest For Studs, Or Stallions, As Season Nears End

THE breeding season may be heading to wind-down mode in coming weeks but for most commercial studs, there is no time time to rest, with the Magic Millions Gold Coast sale kicking off the 2006 yearling sales season in the second week of January.

The Golden Slipper Fits For Stud Managers As Written Tycoon Confirms The Trend

The Golden Slipper "class of 2005" is shaping as the most significant stallion provider in the 50-year history of the race, with Written Tycoon the latest colt sought by several studs in Australia and New Zealand.

Redoute's Choice, The Rock Shine As Studs Move In On The Next Generation

It has been a huge week for Redoute's Choice and budding stallion sensation Rock Of Gibraltar at the Magic Millions mega-sale.

Stud's Supersire Stocks Soar

SUPERLATIVES dominate talk of the Upper Hunter's horse studs, but with Redoute's Choice standing at stud at Arrowfield near Scone the excitement is palpable.

Segenhoe Goes From Strength To Strength And Hoping For More Luck

The Segenhoe Valley on the outskirts of Scone has been an integral part of the NSW breeding industry for decades, but in recent times there have been several surprise ownership changes at major studs in the area.

Studs Charge Forward To Buy Exciting Colt For More Than $5m

Offers of more than $5 million have been made for the John O'Shea-trained three-year-old Charge Forward, with a deal expected to be signed within days.