It is full steam ahead for the team here as we approach the end of 2024. Our first two foals of the season are safely on the ground for our two maiden mares Cornetto RF and Athena GNZ who both welcomed stunning fillies by our resident stallion Up n Go RF. We now take a pause on foaling until our next one due in February.
Breeding duties finally kicked off for our personal mares last week with three AIed and one ready for tomorrow, then a slight wait until the next is ready with her timing post-foaling. The downsides of being away for university is that I need to be careful about our foaling dates to ensure I am back home in time! This means quite the FOMO watching everybody else's mares scanning in foal when I haven't even started! On a positive note it's been great watching two outside mares we managed for breeding successfully scanning in foal this month on their first cycles. Fingers crossed mine do the same!
My competition team Burley RF and Countessa RF finished up the end of our first half of season in time for a quiet period over Christmas. Personal highlights of their achievements include Burley's 2nd place in an amateur rider class in November, and Tessa's win in her first 5YO class in Taupo back in September. They will kick off 2025 at Woodhill in the new year with only a handful of shows left before we head off to Palmerston North. All going to plan we will hopefully make it to a couple shows down there before the season wraps up.
The younger team are ticking along with 4YO's Classic Affair RF and Cashed Up RF returning to work in preparation for finding new homes before I head off in February. They are priced to sell, which certainly does not reflect their quality and the work that has been put into them, but it is simply better to see them find their person rather than sit in our paddocks without a job to do. Our 3YO's return home from the breaker later this week for a holiday before I lightly work them for awhile before I leave. I am excited as always to have a feel of what my breeding program is achieving.
While everybody enjoys the festive season we are ticking along business as usual here to ensure clients can rest easy on holiday knowing their horses are being well cared for. We have a busy time ahead with a selection of horses of coming to visit over the coming weeks, and as always appreciate our return clients who support us each year.
Wishing you all a Merry Christmas, and a happy New Year -Georgia
Classic Affair RF (4YO Cornet's Air x Mastercraftsman) coming along nicely under saddle