Te Akau Friday Update

David writes:

We had a wonderful day yesterday at Te Akau Stud with the owners involved in our 2014 Breeding Syndicate.  It was great to welcome familiar faces as well as meet first time owners, all who have taken shares in four of the best colts we have ever had at Te Akau.

The four colts that I purchased for them from the Karaka Premier Sale are the Fastnet Rock/Randaroo colt (who has the stable name Lewis - as in Carl), the Fastnet Rock/Beyond the Sunset colt (stable named Bolt - as in Usain), the Pentire/Axiom colt (stable named Blake - as in Sir Peter) and the Savabeel/Splashing Out colt (known to us as Phelps - as in Michael)!

After everyone's arrival (unfortunately some overseas owners were unable to join us and a couple of others could not make the date) we headed towards one of our large, green paddocks that we know as 'the airstrip'.  A simply stunning setting for the colts to show off their skills and education to date.

There we were able to firstly see the two Fastnet Rock colts work together, ridden by James Jackson and Jamie Richards (main picture - James on the left aboard Bolt and Jamie on the left aboard Lewis).  What a sight it was - they looked magnificent as they strode out.

Not to be outdone, James and Jamie then took those two colts back to the stabling area and returned with our other two colts, Blake and Phelps.  Likewise they worked as a pair and were also very impressive.

It was a great opportunity for our owners to get up close and personal with the four young horses that they have invested in - and they all looked like strong, athletic, striking individuals.  Plenty of photos and "oohs and ah's" and all four were on their very best behaviour.

After that (and luckily the rain had stayed away) we headed inside for some fun and refreshments - and enthusiastically toasted the future success of the quartet. it was a very happy occasion and wonderful to have these friends at Te Akau Stud.

Today it is raining and we have just said farewell to four fillies who have finished their breaking in and are heading to the stable in Matamata for the first time.  It is such an exciting time of the year as we watch this future talent unfold.

By our standards Karyn and I are having a relatively quiet weekend but on Monday we will welcome our former farm manager and special friend Sam Boyd back to stay for a week as well as our great South Island mate David McCarthy.  Our late lab Karaka loved it when David came to stay as he walked him everyday - he hasn't met Hilton yet (once met never forgotten) but I am sure he will rapidly become Hilton's best buddy!