The Hunter Valley’s Thoroughbred Breeding industry contributes over $5 billion annually to the national economy and $2.6 billion annually to the NSW economy. It supports over 230,000 jobs throughout Australia. It is one of three international centres of thoroughbred breeding excellence in the world – alongside Newmarket in the UK and Kentucky in the USA. It is Australia’s largest producer and exporter of premium thoroughbreds. It is an iconic part of Australia’s sporting history.
The
26th edition of their HTBA’s Annual Awards Night for thoroughbred champions was held on Wednesday evening in Australia’s Horse Capital - Scone. Over 350 industry leaders, clients, sponsors, supplies and VIPs came together to commemorate the Hunter’s champion equine athletes.
“The Hunter Valley is Australia’s thoroughbred capital. It is the birthplace of 1 in every 2 thoroughbred race horses every year and is renowned the world over for breeding champion equine athletes. We are very proud of our people and our thoroughbred champions and tonight we recognise their exceptional achievements.”
Every year every category is highly contested and this year proved no exception.
Pierro - HTBA's Champion First Season Sire
The 2017 HTBA Champion First Season Sire Award was won by PIERRO - Australian Champion two-year old and Australia’s highest rated juvenile since Luskin Star in 1979. He is a son of Darley’s c
hampion stallion Lonhro, out of
Miss Right Note.
Pierro’s first crop of 2 year-olds already include winners such as
Tulip, Pierata and Pierone.
The 2017 HTBA Champion first season sire award was sponsored by Kentucky Equine Research & Ridley Barastoc Partnership and was accepted on behalf of
Coolmore Stud by Mr Sebastian Hutch.
Dynamic Syndications have purchased 3 fillies by the exciting PIERRO from the yearling Sales.
Each came from the Magic Millions.
Lot 1 ex FAITH HILL – a Gr2 Winner and dam of BLACK MINX a dual 2yo SW
(dam of SO SI BON a twice Gr1 performed 3yo).
Lot 192 ex MAFIA MISS – The Dam was a Widden Stakes and Gimcrack Stakes Placed 2yo.
Lot 478 ex SPECIAL EPISODE – Winning ½ sister to Gr1 Winner FIRST SEAL.
The 2017 HTBA Champion Sire was awarded to Arrowfield’s champion stallion SNITZEL. The son of Arrowfield’s
champion stallion Redoute’s Choice, out of
Snippets’ Lass, he’s a
grandson of the legendary Danehill. Multiple Group 1 winner Snitzel has sired 59 Stakes winners and 10 Group 1 winners including: Invader, Russian Revolution, Snitzerland, Summer Passage and Heavenly Blue.
The HTBA congratulated the 2017 award winners and thanked the sponsors for their support of these awards and of the HTBA’s activities to promote and protect the Hunter’s thoroughbred breeding industry.