Breeding Thoroughbreds Takes A Lifetime

39 YEARS AGOBreeding top-class Thoroughbreds can be a lucrative business, with The Green Monkey fetching a record-high price for a colt of $16 million [about R239 million] in 2004. However, breeding these animals takes precision, good management and patience.

- 

“To realise prices at the Germiston yearling sales of R34 000 [R1,02 million] for Havanna Kid (Jamaico-Shamrock) and R20 000 [R602 777] for the Hammerman (Field Master-Killala), and to realise R108 000 [R3,26 million] for nine yearlings, does not happen overnight. So far it has taken the third Elley generation lots of hard scientific work and a great deal of capital to achieve this. Mr Eric Elley of West Bank Stud at Oudtshoorn is the third generation of the family who started the stud in 1922.

“About four brood mares are at present kept on the 90ha of irrigated lucerne and 35ha of river ground in this 200mm rainfall area. About 75% of the lucerne is used for the horses, either in the form of grazing or hay, which is made with a mower conditioner, and the rest is used for cattle and seed production.

RESIDENT STALLIONS

“At present two resident stallions are kept at West Bank. Windsor Lad was imported from New Zealand and won 15 races in South Africa. American Bold Pirate who was raced in England and France with great success, proves to be a great sire. Brood mares are from local and imported stock, most of them having an imposing record.

“Because all Thoroughbreds born before 1 August are automatically registered as a year old at that date, the mating season is arranged so that the mares will foal soon after 1 August. With a gestation period of 11 months and 6 days, mating takes place from September to mid-December.

“Experience tells Mr Elley when a mare is in season, and after teasing the mare she is brought into a paddock with the stallion, after being hobbled and fitted with boots to prevent injury to the stallion.