Breckon Farms to take 35 yearlings to Karaka

By Michael Guerin

Ken Breckon believes the enormous investment in developing Breckon Farms is only now starting to pay its full dividend.

And he says buyers at next Monday’s Karaka yearling sales will be able to see those benefits first hand.

Breckon and wife Karen have long been among our elite breeders but stepped up their game with a massive redevelopment of Breckon Farms, their new facilities now able to provide stabling for up to 50 yearlings.

“It has been a game changer,” says Breckon.

“It means we can have state of the art housing for every yearling when we need it.

“That means we can start their preparations earlier if we want, we can have them inside out of the weather and it is better and safer for the staff.

“It is a wonderful facility now and you can see that in the draft.”

Breckon Farms take 35 yearlings to Karaka with a near equal split between colts and fillies.

While spoilt for riches one of their top lots will undoubtedly be the brother to outstanding young trotter Meant To Be, who was also bred on the farm.

“Because we also race a lot of horses people sometimes ask what it is like selling a horse who went on to be our champion two-year-old, but we are breeders and selling is a huge part of that.

“We love watching what he has done and there would barely be a day that I don’t check all the race results here and in Australia to see how the horses we bred are going.”

Meant To Be’s brother will go through as Lot 127 so right at the end of next Monday’s sale that promises to provide some new highs in the renaissance of trotting yearlings being sold in New Zealand.

“We also have Higher Power’s brother going through and people know we love the trotters so it is very satisfying to be taking some lovely yearlings from such modern trotting families to the sales.”

It won’t all be about the trotters though with the Breckons buzzing about the first foal of A Bettor You (Captaintreacherous filly) and a Sweet Lou colt from another Group 1 winner in Enjoy Me, which comes with the signature Sweet Lou white blaze. 

“It is always exciting when you have yearlings from these Group 1-winning fillies coming through, they are the future.

“Overall the quality of the draft is very high and very consistent.”

While acknowledging the difficulties the ATC is facing, Breckon says the sales is a time for the industry nationwide to come together.

“We have a great product and we need Auckland to survive and thrive and we think it will.

“We are excited about the future. New Zealand breeds great horses and harness racing has some wonderful people.”

The Breckons were overjoyed to be recognised with the Outstanding Contribution Award at the recent HRNZ gala night but Ken says a nagging nerve problem stopped them attending.

“I have had a very badly pinched nerve in my neck and upper back and it is been bloody horrible to be honest,” says the usually jovial Aucklander. 

“It dates back to my footy days and I either need to work on getting it better, which could take a year, or have an operation.

“But we will get the sales out of the way before any of that.”