Aiyana

Out in front first lap

This mare's earning her right to a post mention, running a nice maidener's 3rd in a 2100m at Tauherenikau yesterday.
Now 5yo, she had a couple of starts at 3yo for 4th's both times, but since then and the current campaign, had chips removed from her fetlocks.
Touch wood, there's been no recurrence this time, but thought in the camp was she might have been harbouring associated trauma memories, and to his credit, then trainer, Peter McKenzie, suggested a change in work regime might be the next consideration to work a mental change, dropping her off at Kevin Myer's Sandhaven facility for me.
Fingers crossed, it might be working.
Peter's magnanimity on this issue keeps him at No1 in my book.

Pursuant to my Nth American Indian naming theme, Aiyana means endless blossom, or always in flower.
She's a daughter of His Royal Highness, which is why I sought training with Peter in the first instance, out of Pompeii Rose, which makes her a half-sister of the Rayner trained stakes horse Valhalla, also bred here at Waione.
Pompeii Rose descends through Prairie Rose and Waione Girl, the family of our good gallopers Chief Joseph, Always Summer, Never Winter, stallion Siege Perilous, back to 22 family matron, Eulogy.

NewPlymouth 11/11

Ram Circling

MNCC 495/09 getting down to business

Its a bit early for my flock mating but last couple of days have availed of the opportunity to run an outside ram with the recorded ewes, MNCC 495/09, on a four farm circuit down this end of the North Island, on his way back to owner/breeder Edward in Cambridge.
495/09 was adjudged top choice by the NZOSR sire reference group at our 26th AGM last month. Out of a bit over 1000 rams referenced he came in 9th for over-all production index. His Ramguard FE resistance credential from a flock with an established reputation for this trait was an added attraction.
He's covered ewes at Steve's, Waipukurau, Simon's, Halcombe, here, then today on to Murray and Wayne's at Mangakino.  Flock owners share the transport with halfway rendezvous, and the ram's taking the tour in his stride.

I copped the stormy spell of weather with my time allotment and only got a handful of ewes covered, Simon thought it through much better with teaser synchronisation for a 40 odd ewe cover.
Ram circling's an attractive alternative to access to the genes by AI, all part of gene-sharing by a co-operative group, improving genetic links between flocks for the reference purpose, and conferring kudos on the breeder of the ram, and his flock.

OK Boss, where to next?