Brian West a keen supporter of Auckland Reactor

Studholme Park proprietor Brian West has been in the commercial breeding industry longer than most active breeders in the New Zealand market and is forever facing the dilemma of weather to support new sires in their initial years at stud.

Brian's lives and dies financially on returns from each years yearlings sales and the progeny he sells need to be attractive to the marketplace on both a breeding and physical front.

Hence Brian will have his share of the Bettor's Delights and Art Majors and Love You's throughout his offerings and with his proven record of producing quality two and three year olds, his stock are always in huge demand each year.

It is not very often that Studholme Park will take a financial punt on a new stallion in the market.

They will breed the odd mare to a new stallion if the breeding matchups suggest but very rarely in any numbers as the potential downside if you get it wrong are significant.

This year however Brian has changed tack and will consign five yearlings by the first season sire Auckland Reactor at the New Zealand Premier Yearling Sale at Christchurch and as the sales rapidly approach, Brian is more than comfortable with the stock he will offer.

" I couldn't be happier with the Auckland Reactor's heading into the sale at Christchurch."

" The more I have done with them during the sales preparation, the happier I have been with my decision to support him in such numbers in his initial years."

" They have great attitudes and are with you the whole way and that makes such a difference with young horses."

" I have been lucky enough to breed a lot of top horses over the years and you pick up the attributes that set them apart from the rest and I have seen a lot of those attributes in the Auckland Reactors I am preparing for this sale, " Brian said.

As any vendor is loath to do, Brian is reluctant to single out any one individual but it quickly becomes apparent talking to him that Lot 512, Please Shuddup, a colt from the Christian Cullen mare Blah Blah Blah has really made an impression on Brian.

" He is one of those colts that impresses you from the first time you do anything with him."

" He handles everything new like he has been doing it all his life and nothing appears to ruffle him."

" Right from day one here he has stood out from the bunch and I have a lot of time for him," Brian said.

Having the five Auckland Reactors in this years sale, you would think Brian may have taken a wait and see approach before recommitting to the stallion with more mares but Brian again sent half a dozen mares to Auckland Reactor in the last breeding season.

" With the five I have prepared here, I struggle to see how he won't make it as a sire."

" I haven't got one I don't like in the five and I am as confident as you can be that I have made the right call here," Brian said.

With leading breeders like Brian West in his corner, Auckland Reactor is being given every opportunity to establish himself in the stallion marketplace.

Harnesslink Media