Major Breeding Initiatives Announced





Sunday15 September 2013





HarnessRacing NSW (HRNSW), in conjunction with the NSW Harness Racing Club (NSWHRC),today announced four initiatives designed to stimulate the NSW breedingindustry.



Speakingat the official launch of the NSW breeding season at Pepper Tree Farm, HRNSWChief Executive, Sam Nati, detailed the new strategies worth in excess of$500,000 in the first year.



“Whenyou examine the industry’s critical KPIs, there has never been a better time tobe involved in harness racing,” he said.



“Prizemoneyis at record levels across the state, there is significant investment ininfrastructure, returns to participants are higher than ever before and thestrengthening of regulatory and integrity functions have increased confidence.



“However,the one area of the business which has declined over the past two seasons isfoal numbers and we feel it is important to address the issue and we especiallywant to encourage grass roots participation and attempt to reconnect with thosewho are no longer breeding.”





Thefirst two initiatives announced are part of a new branch of the NSW BreedersChallenge family to be known as Breeders Challenge Blue.



· ABreeders Challenge Blue Incentive Certificate (BCBIC), worth $500, is available to breeders forthe payment or part-payment of a service fee during the 2013/14 season if thesire is physically based at a NSW stud and the broodmare was not used forbreeding purposes during the 2012/13 season. For the BCBIC to be valid thebroodmare must be served or inseminated in NSW (the full terms and conditionsare outlined below and are available at the HRNSW website). The BCBIC is beingoffered for this season only.



· TheBreeders Challenge Blue Race Series (BCBRS) will be conducted at Tabcorp Park Menangle in July two weeksafter the Breeders Challenge Major Race Series. It features $50,000 finals fortwo and three year olds and for both sexes. Eligibility is restricted toprogeny that are by stallions physically based at a NSW stud at the time ofconception and from a broodmare served or inseminated in NSW (the full termsand conditions are outlined below and are available at the HRNSW website). TheBCBRS will be conducted by the Principal Club in 2014 and thereafter.

NSWHRCChairman Mr Rex Horne said: “As a club we recognised the need and importance ofinvesting money into regional areas which we have done so successfully thoughthe country series.”

“OurBreeders Challenge Blue Race Series is an extension of that and represents afurther injection of prizemoney each year to the value of $200,000.”



“Italso symbolises the strong working partnership we have with HRNSW to achievethe best possible outcomes for the broader harness racing industry.”



Theremaining two initiatives announced are changes to the current BreedersChallenge structure:



· Horsesthat are aged five years and older are now eligible to win a Breeders ChallengeOwners Bonus Certificate and the Nominators $3,000 Cash Bonus if they did notwin one as a two, three or four-year-old (the full terms and conditions areoutlined below and are available at the HRNSW website).



· Thefoal notification/Breeders Challenge nomination and sustaining fees have beenrevised with significant savings available for upfront payments (the full termsand conditions are outlined below and are available at the HRNSW website).

HRNSWwould like to thank all the studs involved in the NSW Breeding Season Launchincluding Pepper Tree Farm, Yirribee Pacing Stud, Success Stud, Lonsvale Stud,Golden Gait Stud, Brooklyn Lodge, Medowie Lodge and Lochend Stud.