30-year anniversary for breeding association

In 1992, a group of prominent Victorian harness racing breeders led by John Campbell and Geoff Waters, acting on a suggestion from Trackbred editor Graham Goffin, met at the Red Lion Hotel at Kilmore (Vic.) with a view to establishing a national breeders’ organisation.

Prior to the meeting Waters noted that “we had no national voice before the Australian Harness Racing Council or the Inter Dominion Council. We were just a few States bashing away and they could ignore us as we were all pushing our own interests.”

“We set about trying to get some unity between States which was very difficult because three smaller State bodies were of the opinion that they would be run over by the larger States,” Waters said.

Twelve months later a meeting of State representatives attending the 1993 Brisbane Inter Dominion Championship was held and Waters and Campbell were voted to form an Executive and were engaged to negotiate with all State controlling bodies and to draw up a constitution to be presented at the next meeting of the Inter Dominion in Sydney in March 1994.

The constitution, drafted by Waters, called for a breeders’ organisation to have only six members and that each State body could seek membership and have equal voting rights.

It was adopted in 1994 and the Australian Standardbred Breeders Association was formed.

The inaugural president was John Campbell, the secretary Geoff Waters and the treasurer, Peter Wharton.

Campbell stated that ‘’the advantage of a national body is that it can deal with other national bodies and controlling organisations across the States as well as State breeder’s associations and BOTRA’s.”

The funding model was a $1 per foal levy for foals registered in every State.

The constitution provided for the Annual General Meeting to be held in the State conducting the Inter Dominion each year.

“Shortly after our incorporation in 1994, we realised that we could then seek a Trusteeship and a Chair before the Australian Horse Council. This is the body that advises the Federal Government on all horse related matters and up to that stage was controlled by the thoroughbred industry with some input from the Pleasure Horse Council,” Waters said.

“ASBA sought a Trusteeship, and I was fortunate enough to be able to represent the Australian breeders for my three-year tenure.”

ASBA meetings were regularly attended by Harness Racing Australia CEO’s including Rod Pollock and Andrew Kelly and representatives of State controlling bodies.

The host State arranged social activities, stud visits, etc. to coincide with the Annual meetings.

“It has been so worthwhile to work with so many people who love breeding,” Campbell stated.

John Campbell served two years as ASBA’s inaugural president before handing the baton to Queensland personality Bob Lutherborrow in 1994/95. Lutherborrow was followed in the chair by leading studmasters Stephen Norman (South Australia), Ross Gange (Victoria) and Alan Galloway (Victoria).

In 1999/2000 prominent Western Australian identity Grahame Searle was appointed as president, a position he held continuously for a record 12 years.

NSW breeder Les Camarda was president for six years from 2011/12 to 2016/17, while WA’s John Coffey was at the helm for the next four years.

Geoff Waters served as ASBA secretary for its first three years before WA’s Laurie Kennedy performed the role as both secretary and treasurer in 1995/96 and 1996/97.

Mark Lawrence (Victoria) was elected as secretary-treasurer for two terms, while Gary Sarah (Victoria) was secretary in 1999/20.

In 2000/01 popular Victorian administrator Des McQueen was appointed as secretary-treasurer. He held the secretaryship for a record 10 years and the treasurer’s position for a record 16 years.

In 2010/11 Searle served in the dual role as president and secretary, before Camarda acted in the same capacity for the next five years.

NSW breeder Flora Robson was appointed secretary in 2016/17 and for the last five years South Australian identity Gary Newton has served in this role.

Following the resignation of McQueen as treasurer in 2016/17, well known WA breeder-owner Howard King stepped into the position, serving for four years in the role.

The current ASBA committee comprises David Hayes (Tas.) president, Jeanine Diederich (WA) vice-president, Gary Newton (SA) secretary, Kirk Pinner (Tas.) treasurer, Flora Robson (NSW), John Campbell (Vic.) and Daren Garrard (Queensland) delegates, John Coffey (WA) ASBA breeding consultant and Dr Tony Britt (Vic.) ASBA bio security consultant.

Life members of the Association are Geoff Waters, John Campbell, Des McQueen, and Bob Lutherborrow.

It should be pointed out that all the above mentioned served purely on a voluntary basis.

Other significant leaders over the 30 years of ASBA include NSW breeder and official Don Clough, Australian Harness Racing Council CEO Rod Pollock, Dr Tony Britt, WA breeding authority John Coffey, Trackbred editor Peter Wharton and NZ breeding officials John Mooney, Kiely Buttell, and Brad Reid in recent times.

“John Mooney emphasized the goodwill and support between Australia and NZ with his flights across the Tasman in 2016,” John Campbell said.

“Meetings were always conducted with courtesy and respect. Everything was always done in good order, in accordance with the constitution,” Lutherborrow said.

“Many lifelong friendships were made between ASBA delegates. Breeders took a great deal of pleasure in being able to meet up socially.”

Over the years ASBA has lobbied the National Horse Council and national and State governments on behalf of the industry on a wide range of topics.

Australian Horse Council representative Geoff Waters reported back to ASBA on meetings covering all Federal horse related matters from taxation, drought relief, equine diseases and equine research and development.

Among the significant gains for the breeding industry initiated by ASBA was the successful introduction of the expanded use of artificial breeding, especially embryo transfer.

“Those rules were subsequently abused by taking embryos from racing mares and from healthy mares for freezing and storing,” Bob Lutherborrow noted.

“ASBA contributed significantly to biosecurity protocols, especially control measures for infectious diseases as well as quarantine measures for imports,” he said.

Other important ASBA initiatives included:

• Forming successful alliances with kindred bodies
• Collaborating closely with the Minister for Agriculture Peter McGauran and thoroughbred breeders on drought and flood relief measures
• Developing close ties with the NZ Standardbred Breeders Association highlighted by an ASBA meeting in Auckland attended by NZ breeders
• Working with the Australian Government to develop free trade agreement with NZ, known as the ‘CER,’ or treaty for Closer Economic Relations
• Removing discriminatory practices surrounding the trade of horses across the Tasman
• Writing dozens of submissions/proposals to improve the Breeding industry

Other important matters discussed at ASBA meetings were:

• Filly and mare opportunities
• Quarantine measures
• Falling breeding numbers
• Fostering breeding
• Definition of ‘breeder’
• Equine influenza
• Freeze branding
• Micro chipping
• Stallion service limits
• Slot race levies on stallions
• Newsletter
• Website, Facebook, and Twitter
• Altrenogest
• Ovarian tumours
• Group racing
• Horse welfare

Discussion papers were presented to ASBA by Dr Angus McKinnon (Breeding Science), National Horse Council Trustee position (Geoff Waters), NZ Breeders links (Rod Pollock), Equine flu in Queensland (Adam Kelly) and Japanese encephalitis (Dr Tony Britt).

Dr Tony Britt contribution to ASBA has been invaluable he not only consults on veterinarian issues that breeders face on a day to day but on Bio Security concerns, and more recently on Equine transportation.

Matters addressed with Harness Racing Australia in recent years include the disqualification of mares from breeding when they present with ovarian tumours, a new semen extender and a national survey of breeders.

In relation to the 2019 national survey, secretary Gary Newton said that ASBA presented an overview highlighting areas of concern.

“Foal numbers and the number of breeders are looking to either cease or downsize their numbers over the next five-year period,” Newton said.

ASBA officials John Coffey and Howard King pointed out the decline in foals will decline in the number of races.

“HRA believes the current numbers of the horse population will be sufficient to maintain race programs into the future,” Newton stated.

Coffey also pointed out that since 2014 eight farms have either closed their doors or ceased providing fresh or chilled semen to Australian breeders.

by Peter Wharton, for Harnesslink