Te Akau Midweek Update
9 November, 2022
David writes:
Since I got back from Singapore a month ago, my feet have hardly touched the ground.
First up it was Livamol Day at Hawke's Bay. I was the guest speaker at the Hawke's Bay Club on the Friday. We spent the weekend with three other couples and had a really enjoyable time then ten days later it was back to Melbourne where I attended both Derby and Melbourne Cup days at Flemington.
It was great to catch up with so many people that I hadn't seen for three years. The atmosphere at Flemington was really electric and the week was a lot of fun. I got a big thrill out of seeing an Almanzor colt win the Derby.
I loved being in the parade ring for these big races, inspecting all of the horses many of which I have seen previously as yearlings. The excitement that built 30 minutes prior to the Melbourne Cup is something unique to Melbourne - an atmosphere you wouldn't find anywhere else in the world and it was very special to be a part of.
Three former Te Akau apprentices were riding at the carnival Mick Dee, Daniel Stackhouse and James McDonald. I could not be more proud of the achievements each of these young men has gone on to record in their chosen careers.
I was only home for 24 hours then Karyn and I flew to Christchurch for our South Island owners evening at the Christchurch Club which was so much fun, catching up with people we hadn't seen for some time due to Covid restrictions last year.
Then we had an enjoyable day at Riccarton, especially with Contributer mare Campionessa securing valuable black type winning the $100,000 Listed Metropolitan Handicap over 2500m. I bought this mare for A$60,000 at the Gold Coast sale and she has been a horse that just gets better with age!
Campionessa was beautifully ridden by visiting Australian jockey Joshua Parr. In all my dealings with him, I have found him to be a thoroughly professional person and we are really thrilled to have him riding for us during Cup Week.
We also saw All Too Hard 2YO filly Viva Vienna win at Te Rapa, cementing her claim for a Karaka 2YO Million spot. Top round the day off, Minister won the feature event at Kranji for our trainer Donna Logan and he is on track for a tilt at the Singapore Gold Cup.
Te Akau Singapore trainer Donna Logan is right in the fight for Trainer Premiership honours in what has been a remarkable season for the team - the season concludes at the end of November.
Karyn and I then came down to Queenstown for a couple of days to celebrate her birthday then we're back to Christchurch for Cup Day then next week I will be at Karaka gearing up for the Ready to Run sale.
On Tuesday, the Te Akau winning continued with two more wins recorded at Counties - Inca Belle and Elounda - that takes our season tally to 59 - Te Akau leads the way in new Zealand for wins, Group/Listed wins and now over $1.5 million in prize money won for our owners.
Then the following week after that I'm off to New South Wales looking at mares and foals and yearlings in the Hunter Valley.
Before I went to Melbourne I went around every paddock on the farm and in the week I was away I was just blown away about how much the grass at grown in that time. Today we have 3,000 steers on of which 2,000 2 ½ year steers and a 1,000 yearling steers plus 2,700 ewes, 3,600 lambs and 830 ewe hoggets. Even though we have 200 acres shut up for haylage we are still struggling to control the grass, it's growing that fast.
So far since mid October we have sold seven units of steers (36 steers per unit) and they have weighed out at an average of:
334.5kg
374.7kg
394.9kg
373.2kg
385.5kg
372.4kg
383.5kg
From next week we will step it up to three units a week and then in December to four.
Last week all the ewe hoggets and rams were shorn and in ten days we are having our first lamb draft where we will draft the five-year-old ewes, wean them, draft the fat ones off to the works and drench and shear the balance and sell the five year olds. I have been selling all my sheep to Wilson Hellaby since 1979.
We are about to settle in enjoy the Riccarton races - good luck to all the team racing today - every Te Akau starter today contests a black type race including Perfect Scenario and Markus Aurelius in the Coupland's Bakeries Mile, where Markus Aurelius returns to defend his title of last season ...