b4breeding

(Stamp of success Part 6 of 6)  Is there enough evidence of ‘stamping’ by sires to factor it into our breeding considerations?

Yes, there are attributes that show up often enough and strongly enough to indicate “genes at work”. This doesn’t mean it will come from the sire to the foal every time. Nor does it overshadow the contribution of the mare, the upbringing and other environmental factors. However it is worth putting into the mix.

How can we breeders find out more? Nothing beats seeing a sire in the flesh – and seeing a large number of his progeny in the flesh. So breeders need visit the sires they are interested in and also encourage the studs to continue to have open days.

Yearling sales are a great way to see a whole lot of a sire’s progeny at the same stage of development and pick out any distinctive ‘looks’.

Luckily breeders can now get age-related foals/starters and starters/winners statistics from here and overseas which can provide insights about a sire’s ability to leave early types. We can also find articles written about many of the sires during their racing or when they retired that can highlight quirks of temperament or physique.

At yearling sales time, major buyers tap the experience of those who handle a lot of horses to get the advice that will help them make better decisions. There is no reason why breeders can’t do the same at breeding time.

Talking to trainers, breeders and those who break in young horses (particular those who deal with larger numbers) can help us get an insight into what sort of foals a sire might be leaving.

However be aware of how quickly myths and opinions based on handling one or two horses can gather momentum.  Sundon (“they’re all mad”) was too good a sire to let that stop him. Mach Three (“gutless under pressure”) is the latest if you believe some of the Race Café dwellers (but who does).

There’s heaps of room for more qualitative research on ‘stamping’. It’s not about rating sires against each other or spreading rumours that can ruin a sire’s career.

It’s about identifying what qualities a sire might add to our mix – and therefore help us beat the odds.