Proud of Luke

David writes:

What a great week it has been for the tangerine!

Winner after winner after winner - but by far one of the stand-out moments for us this past week has been to see our team member Luke Copeland (on the right in the main picture) win the "Te Akau Personality of the Year" award which is awarded by our district at a major dinner each year.  Luke received his award for services to the Te Akau Rubgy team.

Luke has worked at Te Akau Stud for 15 years - ever since the day he left school and I am just so proud of him!  Luke's main job is looking after the sheep and cattle at Te Akau Stud but he is also a great horseman and a great general all-rounder at Te Akau Stud who can put his hand to anything.  He is a guy who is always happy with a smile on his face and nothing you ever ask Luke to do is a problem.

Yes nearly 16 years ago, Luke came to help with our docking, say for five days, and he has never left!  Today he is such an important part of the team and he lives on the farm with his wife Melissa and their two kiddies.

Well done Luke!  You have no idea how proud I am of you!

Yesterday I went to the Te Rapa races.  What a great day the Waikato Racing Club put on - this time they had the perfect weather for the sell-out crowd, good fields and a really enjoyable event. Te Akau only had one runner, a mare called Vinevale who we train for Trelawney Stud, and she won - so a 100% day!  Trelawney Stud's Brent and Cherry Taylor are great breeders and have been terrific supporters of Te Akau Racing.

Today we have two runners who had an additional, and unexpected, night's stay in Palmerston North - the Manawatu Racing Club's Cup meeting was abandoned after the first race yestrday and has been rescheduled for today.  I have strong views on the situation that unfolded yesterday and I trhink you will know what they are.  Gold Fever, a Savabeel 2YO filly that I bought from this year's January Gold Coast Sale, lines up in the first - trying to make it two from two. In the fourth race you will see Vive La Difference, who is a lovely staying type of mare.  I know some of our girls' connections who went to support them also had an additional night's stay too so good luck to you all today!

The focus this week is on yearling inspections on Monday and Tuesday and we are busy getting all our horse paddocks ready for the yearling sales that are now only six weeks away!!