MARE NUMBERS DOWN

The Keeper of the Australian Stud Book, Michael Ford, reported that Thoroughbred mating figures for the 2011 season are significantly lower than those for the 2010 season.

To date, 21,550 mares have been reported as being mated for the covering season which officially commenced 1 September 2011. In 2010, 24,140 mares were mated while in 2009, 24,610 mares were covered. While the 2011 matings are currently 10% less than the 2010 figures, Ford expected the difference to be 7% after late reports are lodged for a total of 22,500 mares to be covered by 700 stallions.

The indications are that the breeding industry will not return to the pre-global financial crisis days when over 26,000 mares were mated year after year but Ford does not see this as detrimental: “There are sufficient coverings to produce enough foals for racing purposes,” Mr Ford stated.

Some interesting facts:

• 45 shuttle stallions covered 4,356 mares or 20% of the 21,400 reported matings compared with 4,566 (20%) in 2010 and 4,238 (17%) in 2009;
•  Only one stallion, Fastnet Rock with 224 mares, covered more than 200 mares. In 2008, six stallions covered more than 200 mares so what was perceived as a worrying trend then has now diminished;
• There were 66 stallions with more than 100 matings in 2011 compared with 77 in 2010; 442 or 68% were Australian-bred stallions, the same percentage as in 1990 when 2,500 stallions covered 35,500 mares. USA stallions are favoured next at 16%; 17 of the top covering 20 stallions were Australian bred, continuing the vote of confidence in the local product; 47% of mares were covered in NSW (up 2%), 24% in Victoria (up 1%), 15% in Queensland, 10% in Western Australia, 3% in South Australia and 1% in Tasmania.

Written Tycoon - covered 152 mares in 2011 (highest in Victoria)