Jeff and Sherry Elton

 

Farm/Stud location:

Otatara - Southland.

Farm size:

8 hectares.

How did you get started in breeding?

Always had an interest in the sport as a spectator and bettor when I lived in Auckland.

What is the name of your first broodmare:

Estabella (Soky's Atom - Nanoose 2 wins).

Is the priority to breed your horses for racing or to sell at the sales?

We breed to sell.

What do you consider was the best horse you've bred and raced?

Bella Me  (Presidential Ball - Estabella 3 wins) the only one retained.

Best priced yearling sold at the sales?

Delight Me (Bettor's Delight - Estabella (47-4-5-11 $77,092) - sold for $50,000.

Highest priced colt bred and sold?

Escaldo  (Island Fantasy - Estabella) $40,000

Best performed filly sold?

Milly Me (Falcon Seelster - Estabella) 15-3-1-4 $42,389 - 1-52.0 USA

Favourite all time stallion.

Bettor's Delight

How important do you feel it is to breed to a stallion that will possibly leave two year olds?

A stallion must leave two year olds.  

How important do you feel research is in choosing a stallion for your mare?

Important to do your own research on stallions ability to pass on speed and stamina. Stud representatives can be a little biased. 

How important is the stallion's size?

Not that important. Bettor's Delight and Courage Under Fire were both tiny.

Do you prefer to see your stallion choices in the flesh?

Yes. But not crucial.

As a professional breeder, how often do you buy outside mares to broaden your breeding stock?

When there is money in the budget.

What current New Zealand family would you like to buy into?

Black Watch Family

What feeding plan do you follow went rearing your foals?

Ad lib grass. Don't wean foals until they are 7 - 8 months.

If you breed primarily pacers, would you ever consider breeding trotters?

Yes - we tried to buy Petite's Pride at the Auckland sales a few years back with the view to getting into trotters.

Was there a famous mare/horse that you had the opportunity to buy but didn't - and how much did it sell for?

Angela Jane $28,000. (Falcon Seelster - Armbro Map 25-7-6-4 $144,835 1-56.5 NZ)

What do you most enjoy about breeding horses?

The challenge of breeding a great horse. Watching the foals grow. Seeing horses we have bred do well on the racetrack.

What do you consider to be the most challenging aspect about breeding horses today?

The high costs of service fees and the high costs of horses in training.

 

Jeff and Sherry Elton's breeding list:

 

Looking Good Franco (Badlands Hanover - Looks The Part) - unraced mare

Progeny: Brindamour (filly by Falcon Seelster) and Mimolette (filly by Bettor's Delight)

Editor's note: Brindamour is the mare's first foal. She was withdrawn from the 2010 yearling sales in Christchurch.

Merrily Merrily (Life Sign - Merry Dance) - maiden mare.

Progeny: Mach's Factor (maiden filly by Mach Three), Elmer (qualified colt by Elsu trained by Jeff Whittaker), Double Happy (colt by Bettor's Delight) and Bettor Be Mary (filly by Bettor's Delight).

Bella Me (Presidential Ball -Estabella) 3 wins and 1-56.8 placed

Progeny: No racing progeny.