At a meeting held at Heversham Park Farm on 15 October 2016, it was decided to form a breeders association for those breeders in all provinces, excluding Kwazulu-Natal and the Cape.
It was the common consensus between the participants that it was essential that a concerted effort be made to improve the standard and quality of horses bred in the regions by the formation of a stallion station.
Mr Spies reminded the meeting that in years gone past, areas such as Standerton had played a leading role in the breeding of racehorses. The meeting was unanimous in its opinion that if outstanding and commercial stallions could stand in the region, breeders in other regions, including the Cape and Kwazulu-Natal, would utilise the services of such stallions.
The meeting accepted that there existed a general negative perception about the quality of horses bred in the region, but believed that such a perception was primarily caused by a lack of quality of stallions and mares based in the region for the past while.
However, the situation now appears to be changing with the formation of locally-based boutique stud farms that are professionally run with substantial investment in quality mares and the utilisation of leading stallions situated all around the country.
The formation of a viable breeding industry in Gauteng and the other provinces would most importantly create employment and real tangible empowerment opportunities. The meeting further recognised that any breeders association in the region had not only a duty to embark on empowerment initiatives, but that such initiatives also made financial sense, in that it would both encourage and develop participation in the racing industry from other racial groups.
As a consequence of the above, it was unanimously agreed to register a breeders association with Mr. Brons, Ms. Theart and Ms. Winnard as the interim directors, and to hold a further meeting at the same venue in late January 2017.
Interested parties should contact Mr. Fred Brons at 083 325 8161 or email at [email protected]
Press Release issued by Highveld Breeders Association – to be formed
