Next Gen to feature again at 2026 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales

Next Gen is a “different dynamic” that adds another aspect to the NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales.

That’s the belief of NZB Standardbred Manager Cam Bray (pictured above) as he prepares for next week’s sales at Karaka on Monday (Feb 16) and then at Christchurch on Wednesday (Feb 18).

There will be more than 50 Next Gen eligible yearlings going through the ring next week. Each will be marked with a Next Gen sticker at the sales.

To see the full list of Next Gen eligible yearlings click here

A Next Gen Collection booklet highlighting yearlings sired by Next Gen stallions has also been produced.

“Next Gen definitely brought new people in last year and it was a different dynamic,” says Bray, “and while they may not have fully understand the landscape then they are beginning to get the hang of it now.”

Next Gen is all about increasing ownership and encouraging younger people into the sport.

Latest figures show that 176 new people got involved in horse ownership directly because of the Next Gen scheme last year.

Among them was Josh Mantell (pictured above) who won the first HRNZ’s Next Gen “Win a Share in a Race Horse” competition.

He has a 3.5% share in Tour Party, the  full brother to multiple Group 1 winner Republican Party. He was bought at the 2024 National Yearling Sales for $150,000 by Cran and Chrissie Dalgety, who now train the colt.

The competition will run again this year.

The winner gets a $5,000 credit (plus GST) towards the purchase of a share in a Next Gen eligible Standardbred, with all expenses covered for the first two years (up to $7200) .

To go into the draw click here

To qualify for Next Gen bonuses and rewards, horses must be purchased at the 2026 NZB Standardbred National Yearling Sales and meet one of the following criteria.

1. Trained by a Next Gen trainer (non Group 1 winning trainer as of January 1, 2026).

2. Owned by a Next Gen ownership group, with at least 30% of members being first-time HRNZ owners or individuals born after 1985

3. Sired by a stallion in his first three New Zealand or Australian crops.

What’s the benefit of being Next Gen eligible?

The first Next Gen eligible horse home in all three of the Harness Million Races will get a $50,000 bonus. The owners gets $35,000, the trainer $10,000 and the breeder $5000.

The races are for 2YO Pacing Colts and Geldings, 2YO Pacing Fillies and 2YO Trotters. They are held at Addington around October.

Any Next Gen eligible horse making his/her second 2YO race day start will get a $5000 bonus. The owner gets $4000 and the trainer $1000. This bonus is capped at 90 horses per year, and a maximum annual payout of $450,000.

Next Gen Eligible sires include:

Bettor’s Wish
Bird Parker
Bold Eagle
Bulldog Hanover
Capt Mignight
Dancinginthedark M
E L Titan
Ecurie D
Elite Stride
Face Time Bourbon
Habibi Inta
Huntsville
King Of Swing
King Of The North
On A Streak
Pebble Beach
Perfect Sting
Propulsion
Tall Dark Stranger
Timoko
Ultimate Sniper
Village Mystic
Walner
Zenith Stride

To read more about Next Gen click here