Te Akau Friday Update

David writes:

Every so often I get an invitation to attend a function that for some reason I cannot attend, something that clashes with another commitment I cannot get out of.  Today I received an invitation from Professor Peter Kemp from Massey University asking me to attend and be a co-sponsor of its 2014 Awards' Dinner in Palmerston North.

I completed the Diploma Course in Agriculture at Massey University in about 1974 and have not been back to the university since that year. While I was there I spent quite a bit of time with two other school friends - Richard Kidd,who was completing an Agricultural Science Degree and Bill Ewan who is now the senior partner in Marks & Ewan Veterinary in Matamata and who is recognised as one of the very best vets in New Zealand.

This morning we took six horses down to Taupo to prepare for Spring racing.  They were Costa Viva, Rockfast, Abidewithme, Wolfwhistle, Clos de Tart and Show No Emotion.  Matt Cameron and Kate Hercock went down to ride.  Kate is one of the best track work riders we have ever had - TOP class.  The horses all worked in a pleasing manner and will all be chances when they next start in the next 10 days.

Today we will be finalising our team to go south for the Riccarton Carnival.  This year we will have between six to eight racing at the Carnival with some really good chances in all the big races except for the NZ Cup.  This has been a hugely successful carnival for us and in the last ten years we have won the Group One races seven times - Pam Gerard will be taking the horses south and the team will be staying with Lance Robinson.

After a busy weekend in Hawkes Bay I am keeping the home fires burning this weekend and we have our vet Doug Black and some friends coming to stay plus our youngest daughter Julia Rose and her partner Hamish Hayes.

It is very mild this week on the farm and that always puts a smile on the farmers' faces!! The lambs are thriving and the cattle are putting on real weight at the moment. The most exciting business in New Zealand at present is the cattle market. Record prices and more to come.  There appears to be a huge shortage of beef around the world.

We are nearly in October and the tracks will start to improve from now on which is good news because we have some really exciting horses ready to go to the races.

Last night  Karyn chaired her first AGM of the Waikato Racing Club and on Sunday the Club has the final jumps' races for the season - plus they race again a week today. Good news in racing has not been very frequent lately but there was some very good news announced last night.

At the AGM Karyn announced that the Group 1 WFA Herbie Dyke Stakes in February will now be run for $300,000.  That is a stake increase of 50% or $100,000!  Steven and Simon Dyke have been friends of mine for over 35 years and Herbie was one of my best pals.  I was a member of the MOBIE DYKE fishing team along with Colin Jillings and Peter Grieve and we won the international trout fishing tournament at Lake Taupo at least ten times.

This race will now be the richest WFA race in New Zealand.  How exciting!!   Well done Waikato Racing Club and Simon and Steven and NZTR for approving and supporting it.

The other good bit of news is that the turnovers have taken quite a lift recently which augurs well for stake increases in the next 12 months.  Now that would put a smile on a Te Akau farmer's face.

Have a great weekend and ago the All Blacks.