New Zealand’s Lib and Katrina Petagna’s significant investment in the Austrian livestock and racing industries added a new chapter on August 1, with the official opening of the Elsdon Park private captivity facility in Matamata. .
The former 600-acre Valachi Downs estate was purchased by Petagnas in May, leading to the dispersion of Kevin and Jo Hickman’s purebred interests, and the new property has become a private home for the portfolio. Their expanding JML Bloodstock investment.
“Lib and Katrina and JML Bloodstock have been racing for a long time and once you start racing and racing some fillings, your mother hen band starts to grow and suddenly you become a breeder (trader). commercial),” Elsdon Park said. manager Kerrie Cox told ANZ Bloodstock News on Monday.
“The mother hen band is about 60 years old and we need to buy more land, so this is a great opportunity as Valachi is about to be sold. This is the most beautiful property with a good country for racehorses to thrive. develop.
“It’s very exciting, not just for Lib and Katrina, but for all of us on the ranch.”
Cox is well known in New Zealand’s thoroughbred industry, having spent 17 years at Waikato Stud before the sabbatical ended only when Petagnas contacted her to come to Elsdon Park headquarters.
She had to work from a 200-acre farm about ten minutes from Valachi, but Petagnas changed course when the opportunity came to gain more land.
“There is another 200 acres of land, which is actually being developed to be equine property, but at this stage it will run cattle and that will be an important part of the operation as we have very little,” she said. horse than Valachi.
Among the valuable broodmare bands owned by Petagnas are Lucia Valentina, three-time group 1 winner, Zaniah, the three-quarters sister of the top stallion. Abyssand the first prize winner of the Shooting To Win group and Sofia Rosa, the winner belonged to the Australian bull (G1).
Lucia Valentina is in the hands of the Australian champion mare I am invincible carrying a pony while Zaniah, a track-winning sprinter, was trained by Kris Lees for Petagna, who is also a pony in I Am Invincible and has been assigned to a steed. four times champion Snitzel This year.
With her enlistment date on November 18, Lucia Valentina will be assessed after her 5th foal is born to see if she will be mated again in 2022 or given a year off.
Sofia Rosa is in the newly minted first season New Zealand champion’s pony Almanzor and will be served by Cambridge Stud’s son again this year.
Petagna has also bred and co-owned a top class sprinter trained by John O’Shea. Lost and ran awaywho was guaranteed a spot in this year’s The Everest after finishing fourth in last year’s $15 million race.
His Dreamlife Dam is in Little Avondale’s pony Per Incanto and is therefore bringing a sibling to Lost And Running.
“The Lib also has a sizable racing team, which we will probably limit a bit from now on as we will be selling more of our horses,” Cox said.
“The goal is going to be a commercial breeding operation, so we’re going to sell most of our crops and we’re not going to keep a lot of fillings, and we’re going to sell the fingerlings where we feel they’re suitable. best.
“We also want to support the New Zealand livestock industry and when the time comes we will find out where they are best suited in terms of breed, mating and certainly Australia is on this list as well.
“This will be our first year under Elsdon Park. The horses have had a new brand on them this year and it will be exciting to be sold under our own name for the first time.”
The Petagnas were partners of Blandford Lodge, but to facilitate the acquisition of the Valachi property, they sold their shares of the business to co-owners Graham and Helen Bax.
