A quiet force in pacer breeding 

Former fencing contractor John Booth is 80 years old and has been breeding pacers for more than 25 years but he still gets a thrill when his youngsters go through the sales ring. 

Booth will offer two youngsters at the APG Sydney Yearling Sale on February – both are descendants of broodmare gem Baby Boomer, who produced two $400,000 earners and two $100,000 earners among her nine winners. 

Now four of Baby Boomer’s daughters have also produced $100,000 stake earners, making this one of the most prolific families in NSW. 

Booth will offer (Lot 388) a McWicked filly from TheMajors Daughter, the last daughter of Baby Boomer. TheMajors Daughter is the dam of last year’s good three-year-old winner Kimchi and she has a McWicked two-year-old colt, McChips, set to debut this season. 

“I sold TheMajors Daughter and she showed a lot of promise but got hurt while in training, so I bought her back as a broodmare,” Booth said. “I think she might be the last daughter of Baby Boomer at stud.” 

Booth said he was lucky to acquire Baby Boomer when she was in her mid-teens and bred four foals from the Windshield Wiper matron. His first foal was Delightfullybettor, who went 1.56.9 as a two-year-old and won eight races. She has produced 2YO Australian Gold Bullion winner Captain Ritchie (1.52.8, $140K). 

“Baby Boomer’s owner, Peter Plummer, was winding down and wanted to find a good home for her, so we got her relatively cheaply,” Booth said. “She was 15 or 16 and had already been nominated for NSW broodmare of the year twice. I bred Another Swinger (1.55.1, $131K), Delightfullybettor, Sir Rogue Jasper and TheMajors Daughter.” 

“I have also kept a granddaughter, Jamberoo Delight, who has a (McWicked) colt in this year’s sale.” 

Lot 337 is the first foal for Jamberoo Delight, who is by Bettors Delight and closely related to Delightfullybettor. Booth said he still got great enjoyment from harness racing but had reduced his interest in recent years. 

“I bought two mares, Solataire and Armarella, from a Seymour reduction sale in Queensland and later bought Ark De Jeanne, who had won 20 races in Queensland,” he said. “At one stage, I was breeding six foals a year but I am down to three mares now and I am supposed to be down to one.  I just haven’t been able to sell the other two yet.” 

All the youngsters are raised on Booth’s 130-acre former dairy farm, Jamberoo, 10km out of Kiama. 

“It is not traditional horse country but it seems to suit them,” Booth said. “It is one of the best dairying districts in NSW and I worked in the dairy with my father for 40-odd years. 

“After he retired, I became a rural fencer. It was hard work and was good when we got a hydraulic post hole driver. I have seen a lot of changes. I once ploughed a paddock with two horses before my father bought a Ferguson tractor.” 

While he may not breed the amount he used to, John is still a force in the breeding world and this years offerings are sure to peak some interest.

For full details and catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales please visit our Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now.

From APG Ltd