Karaka crackers

Most young people would run a mile if they were asked to prepare eighteen high end yearlings for next month’s NZB Standardbred Yearling Sales at Karaka, but not twenty four year old Jamie Bartlett.

“I was lucky enough to work at Alabar which gave me a lot of confidence. I’ve learned from a young age, which most people usually wouldn’t. I am pretty confident in what I can do,” she said.

Graeme Henley and Wayne McNamara from Alabar had confidence in Bartlett early on, but she was granted no favours.

“I started there picking up shit and doing all the horrible jobs. They both taught me that if I worked hard I could get somewhere and they’ve supported me ever since.”

Bartlett is based at Todd Macfarlane’s old stable at Patumahoe and is being helped by her eighteen year old sister Kate.

“We’ve worked at Alabar for quite a while now. She knows exactly what I like.”w

Jamie’s partner Oliver Milne also helps out in the mornings. Co-incidentally Oliver’s grandfather Brian – brother of Murray Notman, owned the track and trained there.

Apart from the excellent tuition she’s received at Alabar, Jamie is pretty much self-taught.

“I did a lot of stuff with show horses so I knew how to make a horse stand out. I’d been to a lot of sales and by asking around I found out what buyers look for. I left school when I was fifteen to do work experience at Alabar and have been there ever since.”

She also buys and sells sporting horses.

“I’ve got a bit of a knack for finding horses for cheap that don’t look great when they’re younger, breaking them in and then selling them for good amounts of money. That’s kind of what I’m doing now.”

Bartlett prepared eleven yearlings for Alabar at last year’s Karaka Sales with an Art Major – Albuquerque selling for $120,000 and an Art Major – Emmber going for $85,000.

A Captaintreacherous – Gina Grace sold for $175,000.

“We always had a sneaky suspicion that she would sell really well. She was quite a hard horse through prep.  She had a really tough attitude to crack. In the end we became friends so we were really chuffed with how she came through.”

Recalling the moment she said, “I led her in and it went slow for a while and I was getting a little bit worried because I had hoped she was going to go for over $100,000. As soon as the numbers started creeping up the nerves went and I had a little smile on the inside. That’s what you do it for.”

Although not overwhelmed by the task of preparing the yearlings Jamie admits to a few nerves on Sales day. And she prefers to lead them into the ring herself.

“I like to take most of them in myself but I do have to hire a few extra staff to make the day run smoothly. It’s mainly Kate and I leading them in because we know them.”

Of the eighteen yearlings she’s prepping for next months Sales, eleven are for Alabar, three for Yabby Dam Farm, two for Mason Bloodstock and two for Harvey and Shelley Kaplan of Jordash Breeding. The process began on the 5^th December.

“Every horse is an individual and they’re all prepped completely different. Some are lighter framed, some are big and lanky so you have to cater for that in their feed. It’s constantly changing in what you give them. Some might need more supplements, some might need more work to build up their muscles.”

The yearlings are outside in paddocks during the night and are bought into the barn in the morning.

“They’ll get a feed and we go over them and make sure there are no injuries. They then come out for a brush. Three days a week they’ll go on a horse jogger. I’m quite lucky to have a track at the back of the farm. A lot of it is hand walking them and instilling those manners, getting them up beside you and teaching them how to stand. I put a big emphasis on them being a respectable horse so they’re easy to train for whoever gets them next.”

It’s the first time she’s prepared yearlings for Australian heavyweight Yabby Dam Farms.

“It really shows what a good reputation in the industry can do for you.”

Jamie has been impressed with the Pebble Beach colt and all the trotting yearlings from Yabby Dam Farms.

“These Australian bred trotters look far more like pacers. The fillies look a bit like colts. They’re really nicely built and have nice heads on them.”

Lot 15 Tall Dark Stranger colt out of Rodeo Beach

“He’s one that has come through prep well. He’s on the smaller side but he’s very strong in the body he does have and he’s got a really nice wide girth to him. He’s got a solid amount of bone on him and you can tell he’s going to grow into a nice horse.”

Lot 25 Always B Miki filly out of Sossusvlei

“She’s a really nice big filly but light on her feet. Typical of the Always B Miki’s. She’s nice and straight through the leg.”

Lot 32 Always B Miki colt out of Starlitart

“He’s a little bit smaller for a Miki which is a good thing as people seem to like them compact. He’s got a lovely natural and is easy to do anything with.”

Lot 39 Captain Crunch colt out of Time To Dream

“He’s a really big colt who is going to need a bit of time to grow into himself. He’s got a  lovely stride on him.”

Lot 44 Orlando Vici filly out of Val Gardena

“She’s a nice black filly that is strong all the way through. She’s got a lovely head on her. She just captures your eye straight away.”

Lot 51 Huntsville colt out of Virginontherocks

“He is a colt that people will notice is behind all the others. He was born in April in the American timeframe. He’s such a big colt that he’s growing up more that out, so he’s taking a bit longer to mature. When you watch him walk he’s got this massive overstride on him. In my eyes he going to be such a nice horse in a year or two.”

Lot 54 Always B Miki filly out of Weownthenight

“She’s a nice filly and a full to Kiss. She’s typical of the foals the mare has had before but has probably got a bit more bone than both Kiss and Midnight Miki.  She’s a lovely size.”

Lot 62 Captain Crunch colt out of Betty Grace

“He’s a big colt that has filled into his frame well. Typical of the Captain Crunch’s, he’s just strong all the way through. He really has a good march on him.”

Lot 68 Art Major filly out of Callie’s Delight

“She’s a neat, athletic filly who’s very well balanced and strong behind. Compact in her frame but correct all the way through, and she uses herself well when she moves.”

Lot 72 Bettor’s Wish filly out of Christanna

“A quality filly with a great way about her. She’s got good size, is very correct, and she’s been straightforward and faultless through the prep.”

Lot 76 Ready Cash colt out of Continentallady

“He’s a very athletic Ready Cash colt, light on his feet with good balance and natural movement. He does have a bit of attitude about him, but in a good way. He’s not dull, he’s got presence and confidence, and once you ask him to do something he’s happy to get on with the job. What I really like is how much he’s improved through the prep, both physically and mentally. He’s strengthened up, filled out nicely behind, and his attitude has come a long way. He’s learned what’s expected and has really taken it on.

Pedigree-wise, Ready Cash speaks for itself, and with the Continental line underneath you’re getting class and toughness. He feels like the sort of colt that’ll keep stepping forward once he goes into work. He is a January foal.”

Lot 80 Art Major colt out of Cordella

“He’s had a bit more of an attitude than the rest of them and we’ve had to put a lot of extra hours into handling him. He’s now super quiet and we can do anything with him. He’s got a massive, big roman nose on him typical of the mares he’s out of. Apart from the roman nose his body is exactly what you want. Picture perfect.”

Lot 86 American Ideal colt out of Czanyi

“He’s a good doer so we haven’t had to feed him any extra. He’s got a little bit more attitude but I think that’s a good thing for a colt in some ways.”

Lot 89 Always B Miki colt out of Delightful Brigade

“Just a fairly plain colt to the eye, but there’s a lot to like when you get him out and moving. Correct, athletic, and the sort that could easily improve with time.”

Lot 95 Art Major filly out of Emmber

“She’s a lot more solid than the colt I had last year. She’s a big filly who has a lovely walk on her and can really get up and boogie. We’ve got high hopes for her.”

Lot 100 Captaintreacherous filly out of Gina Grace

“She’s exactly the same as her sister. She’s got an attitude for sure and pretty much identical to the one we sold last year, but I just think she’s got a little bit more bone to her. We have really high hopes for her and I think she will sell well.”

Lot 103 On A Streak filly out of Glenferrie Unixa

“She’s one of my top picks out of the fillies. She’s a lovely strong filly who looks like a colt. She’s got a beautiful head on her with a nice distance between the eyes.  She wants to do everything right and wants to please. There is no mucking around, she just gets on with the job.”

Lot 129 Pebble Beach colt out of Millie Sampson

“He’s a bit more of a sensitive fella. He’s a smaller colt who is compact and very in proportion. He’s got a lovely strong shoulder on him. He’s a beautiful bright bay colour. We really rate him.”

And when pressed to name a sales topper, “Lot 76.”

by Bruce Stewart, for Harnesslink