BLOOD HORSES
"ENCOURAGE THE BREEDER."
In a letter to The Dominion, Mr. W. C. Ring, V.M.D., of Hemucra, Auckland,makes some interesting proposals for the encouragement of those actually engaged in, or likely to be engaged in, tho breeding of blood horses. He writes :- "Those who take an interest in the production of Ithe thoroughbred.and trotting horse are likely after a quiet, perusal of the results of tho recent Christmas racing carnival to he very much out of conceit with Auckland as a horse-breeding centre. We continually hear m Auckland the lament from sportsmen, 'Why were Sylvia Park and Wellington Park studs allowed to be broken up and scattered after nroving their efficiency in breeding horses"?' Tho answer is all too apparent: 'It did not pay.' If it did. not pay, and we aro assured by those interested that it did not, then it is fair to assume, that those engaged in breeding horses elsewhore in Now Zealand are still doing so at a loss, and that we are dependent upon men having a surplus of tins worlds goods and prepared to sacrifice the same with very small hope of an adequate return for our supmies of racing material. "Such a'state of affairs is manifestly wrong. In a country such as New Zea T ...land, where large sums are derived from the totalisntor—or, more properly spcakiug, the general public—which go to form the.prizes, the man who owns a racehorso is being catered for more lavishly each year, but.the man who is primur.'ly responsible for the racehorse-he who, by his brain and lime and money. wr.>stled with tho forces of nature, pierced the curtain of mystery surrounding the hidden forces, and. finally produced the individual' to race with-the man commonly spoken of as 'the breeder'—is hardly ever thought of, much less given inducement to continue his work. "The very laudable efforts of jthc Auckland country racing clubs -in importing highly-bred stallions for-the'purpose of trying to foster breeding iu their districts shows that some of our more progressive clubs are endeavouring to look after the breeder. But, excellent as their efforts have been in the past, still greater efforts must be made in the future. The question then arises: how can wo best stimulate the industry so that.instead of a few breeders we may have many? Tho answer is: By making breeding a payable ■proposition. ■ "I would propose that five per. cent from the stake of eaeli race should go-to ;the breeder of the , winner. With the large prizes. that clubs are now giving.it could easily bo done, and no one would-be-penalised in doing so. -The farmer is !. ideally situated for breeding and needs onlv ft little inducement to berome'.nn enthusiastic participator in this fascinating- and useful business. . "Another reason for which we should look to this method of stimulating horsebreeding is that, with the progress of the internal combustion engine, each rear must see commercial horses continually reduced in numbers. 'The. war we have .just come through proved, however, if the proposition-ever needed proving, that' the horse still has a very large.part.to play.■■• The-fact that Great Britain employed something like four million horses and mules speaks for itself. . IL.l L . has already been definitely laid down by the Racing Conference that the owner of tho mare at the time of foaling is designated the 'breeder.' Therefore, if a breeder intended to .'cap the benefits of such an arrangement, as I have outlined he would lose no time in registering each,, and every ono of the failings of' his mares. This procedure would automatic-, allv keep:the New Zealand Stud Book right up to date. At present, Lam informed, it is .1 most difficult, matter to get breeders to register their failings, which should not be.
"I should -like to see a scheme such as I bare just outlined broncht forward by both the Bncinjr and Troltinjj Conference?, and progressive bodies like the country racing clubs who arc desirous of fostering breeding would do well to hear such a scheme in mind and endeavour to have it established llironghout New Zealand. Of course, this would only apply to horse l : bred in the Dominion. In races .won by horses bred outride of New Zealand, (he percentage could go to a fund controlled by, 'sfty, o thi> district committees, and in time, perhaps, it might be subsidised by the clubs of the district and used for the importation of new blood, in the form either of stallions or of mares. If the-latter, the progeny of such mares could be leased for racing purposes; finally reverting to the committee. Studs could be established in this way, which would in years to come be in- . valuable assets, to the Dominion of New Zealand" \
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Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 127, 23 February 1920, Page 3
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786BLOOD HORSES Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 127, 23 February 1920, Page 3
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