Told You So – You Always Hear it Here First

The standardbred breeding industry is about to get a more than one-million-dollar boost.

A brand-new incentive scheme has been agreed to by the Harness Racing New Zealand Board that will reward breeders (the Breeding entity as listed on HRNZ system) who breed mares this season.

The decision follows months of consultation between the Board, HRNZ senior management, a specially tasked Breeding Focus Group, the Standardbred Breeders Association and the country’s largest studs and many other interested parties.

“We have to do something and do something big,” says HRNZ Chief Executive Gary Woodham, “the current trend shows a five to 10 per cent decline on foal numbers every year and that is not sustainable.”

The new incentive scheme would come into effect this year.

“We are looking to incentivise breeders,” says Woodham, “we have to stabilise and then increase the number of foals being produced.”

“We want breeders to have their foals this breeding season and then go again, knowing they will get a $1000 credit on their next stallion service fee.”

So how does this work?

A stallion service fee credit will be given to the breeder for any mare that produces a microchipped foal this season (2022/23) and the breeder rebreeds the same mare or another mare in its place and obtains a 42-day positive pregnancy test.

The credit can only be used for the stallion service fee. It is not exchangeable for cash.

The credit cannot exceed the stud fee – if a stallion is standing for $800 then the breeding credit will reflect that.

The credits cannot accrue and must be used within the breeding season they are earned.

Only one stallion service fee credit can be used per mare.

Here is an example:

A breeder has an in-foal mare, and the resulting foal is microchipped. When that mare or another mare owned by the breeder gets a 42-day positive test the stud will invoice the breeder for the stallion service fee minus the $1000 credit which will be sent to HRNZ for payment. HRNZ will pay the stud the $1000 difference.

Extra Incentives:

There are also extra financial incentives for breeders to produce more foals than they did this year.

For instance, if a breeder has two foals in the 2022/23 season that will be known as their “base rate”. If in this season they breed an additional mare and they produce another foal over and above their “base rate” they will receive a $3000 stallion service fee credit when the foal is microchipped and upon the mare being rebred and obtaining a 42-day positive pregnancy test i.e. in addition to the other two mares who will get the $1000 breeding credit each this season.

Similarly, if a breeder did not produce any foals this year but sends a mare to stud this season which in turn produces a live microchipped foal next year, they will receive a $3000 stallion service fee credit when the mare is re breed and obtains a 42-day positive test.

Taking it a step further if a breeder with a 2022 “base rate” of three has five more microchipped foals next year (i.e. 8 foals in total) they will be eligible for up to $15,000 in credits ($3000 per foal for the 5 foals from the additional mares) upon those mares being rebred and obtaining 42-day positive tests plus the $1000 per foal for the 3 base rate foals.