b4breeding

Learning from mistakes

(Written 2009)

Breeding horses is a tough learning curve. Here’s a reflection on my experiences so far with a much loved Camtastic mare.

“If I learned from my mistakes, I’d be the wisest person in the world.” That’s a quote from Charlie Brown, the cartoon character. Horse breeding is a minefield of potentially unfruitful decisions that can cost a small fortune – and the odds are against us. So chances are we will have plenty of mistakes or failures along the way. However I much prefer to call them interesting experiences – because only hindsight can show whether some of our decisions were foolish or clever. We usually have good reasons for choosing a certain path, such as personal likes, financial constraints, pedigree theories, advice from people we trust, statistics, commercial trends, the offer of a good deal, or previous good or bad experiences. No-one aims for failure.

I’ve bred six foals so far, which means I’m on the early steps of a very steep learning curve. I’m keen to look at how I can reduce my odds of getting it wrong. And like Charlie Brown, I’ve got plenty to learn from!

Recently I had the pleasure of attending the Alabar stallion parade where a good turn-out of around 80 people viewed the superbly presented Jereme’s Jet, Santanna Blue Chip, Real Desire, Elsu, Great Success, and Gotta Go Cullect.

There is nothing like seeing these sires in the flesh, particularly when you can make immediate comparisons that highlight their differences. Congratulations to Alabar for giving us that opportunity.

The stallion parade took me back to the exact same venue and event six or seven years ago. The stallions were very different – there was Irakis, Pacific Rocket, Presidential Ball, Malabar Maple and others. I was keen to find a future potential match for my ‘qualified and lightly raced’ Camtastic mare, bought at the 2000 yearling sales in the hope of developing her into a winning three year old filly and a commercial broodmare.

Yes, you may be saying, I can see her first mistake. As we know now, Camtastic didn’t leave many (any?) speedy two and three year old fillies. He left some nice bread and butter horses, some stoic 9 year old claimers, and a few tough stayers including the very good Mister DG. So the Camtastic filly, in hindsight, was a $14,000 mistake. But at the time I had good reasons….she was from a solid family and has some well performed relatives. I had her checked before the yearling sales and she ticked the right boxes. She was affordable. And to my eyes she was (still is) beautiful. So you can see my decision made sense – at the time.

I learnt quickly. I retired her from racing after about four starts when a combination of thin soles, poor gait and mental immaturity said loudly: “Stop now.”.

Her first foal was a filly by Shiney Key.

Ah ha! I hear you say, that was her second mistake. But Shiney Key was chosen for more reasons than just his extremely low service fee. He was a tough Abercrombie horse from a very consistent second tier dam family who performed well from 2 years old to 9-plus years old. I was hoping to add the famous Abercrombie gait plus physical and mental toughness to a mare who needed that. So you can see my decision made sense – at the time.

The resulting filly was a sweetheart with a rough gait, who now hacks on a hill country farm.

For her next foal, I realised I needed something more up-market and commercial than Shiney Key. At the 2004 Alabar parade, my eye was taken by the very handsome, well performed and beautifully bred Island Fantasy.

Oh yes. My third mistake.

The advertising mentioned he was a “Top 20 sire in North America with both his first two crops.”  I spent time researching the pedigree match – and I liked it a lot. Coincidently, one of Island Fantasy’s best early performers in America was from a Camtastic mare. Island Fantasy had great natural early speed himself. (Hmmm, so did Camtastic.) Island Fantasy has such great credentials on his sire and dam sides, you felt almost safe. A bit like Red River Hanover. So you can see my decision wasn’t a bad one – at the time.

My mare went to stud in 2004. By the time the colt got to the yearling sales in early 2007, Island Fantasy was gone. Gone from the country, and out of the list of desirable, commercial sires.

My mare’s Island Fantasy colt was a handsome sweetheart, with a rough gait. Another one. He sold for $6000 and never made it to the races.

By that stage I got some good advice. Give your mare three decent chances, then reassess. For my third try I sent her to Grinfromeartoear.  He’s a stallion I have a lot of respect for. His bloodlines are slightly old fashioned but very genuine. All three Grin foals I’ve bred showed a natural love of running and real character right from the day they were born. My Camtastic mare produced a lovely bay colt one morning. By late afternoon, I watched him canter (beautifully balanced, natural) alongside his mum flat tack across the paddock. He had no idea where the brakes were, and he loved it.

However Grins sell on type as much as on breeding. He was a smaller type and the mare was not commercial. He sold for $4000 to a local trainer and broke in well. He had a lovely gait. Not a mistake. The trainer was very happy – until the colt collapsed and died on the jog track one day from what turned out to be an unusual, random deformity of the heart.

My mare is 12 now, and struts around like a stallion. She’s gorgeous, and a lovely companion for an older mare or a youngster. Would I breed from her again? Maybe, but definitely not for the yearling sales or to try to start a great family.

So I’ve learnt some very important lessons.
First, be very clear about why you are breeding from a mare, and judge the results against that goal.
Second, listen closely to what your mare is telling you. Look for what your mare needs, not what you like.
Third – and that’s appropriate – stop at the third foal and reassess.

I guess the fourth lesson is that breeding good horses is a huge challenge, and developing great families or breeding consistently well is even harder. I give a big tip o’ the hat to those who have done so. You’ve beaten the odds.

It’s all great goal and a steep learning curve, and one that my Camtastic mare has been a much loved part of.