Exciting future for NZ bred racehorses
Rod Schick is busy taking phone calls sitting in the welcoming warmth of the Windsor Park Stud villa, full of wood and leather.
Schick is this years New Zealand Thoroughbred Breeders Association personality of the year 2026, where fellow peers recognise someone who has made an outstanding contribution to NZ thoroughbred breeding.
He owns Windsor Park Stud with parents Nelson and Sue, who still work on the farm and wife Gina, who also reforms post racing thoroughbreds. He is father to Jonty, working in Europe on a superyacht, Lucy and Ollie who attend St Paul’s College in Hamilton, and Jimmy.
Family, friends and staff will be watching the Melbourne Cup together at the Volksraad bar, a room made for staff entertainment situated on the stud farm.
Volksraad, an eight-time champion winning sire at Windsor Park, has the bar named in his honour. They have an annual sweepstake with staff and friends, dinner and drinks, while enjoying the race that stops the nation.
Windsor Park had success in 1997, doing the double by winning the Caulfield Cup and the Melbourne Cup with horse Mighty Power.
Schick said, “a lot more European teams are entering due to big prize money, and it is easier to qualify in Britain and Ireland than Australasia, they have more staying races.”
Staying races are long distance races covering 3,200 meters or more, Schick didn’t have any tips for the Cup but said kiwi jockey James McDonald,” grew up next door.”
McDonald had Melbourne Cup success in 2021 on the NZ bred, Australian trained horse Verry Elleegent, and this year will be riding Irish horse Trustyourinstinct.
Post Melbourne Cup, Windsor Park Stud will be busy with yearling sales taking place at Karaka, the Gold Coast and Sydney early in 2027.
Schick stated that he had been all around the world and “the NZ environment is second to none, ideal conditions for horse breeding.”
Windsor Park Stud has 80 yearlings for sale; some being transported by plane to Australia. Horses are adaptable and travelling by plane causes no problems.
China is an emerging market, although gambling is still illegal there with continuing sales being made to Australia, Hong Kong, Japan and South Africa.
“The future for NZ bred racehorses is exciting and the industry is very important to the NZ economy, contributing both directly and indirectly,” Schick said, as he headed off to another meeting.
