Cover image courtesy of Aquis Farm
Clint Donovan
With good weather and such an impressive lineup, Aquis made Sunday a great day for us at their stallion parade.
Aclaim is a serious horse and a wonderful option for every breeder in Australia. To have a horse like him in Queensland is phenomenal. He’s got the most gorgeous action I’ve seen on a stallion, he just moves so well. Plus, with the price they’ve put him at, he’ll be full in no time - there will be a huge queue.
Aclaim (Ire) stands for $24,200 (inc GST) | Standing at Aquis Farm, image courtesy of Aquis Farm
With what he’s achieving in the Northern Hemisphere, the horse he was on the track and how he presents physically, he’s a massive coup for Queensland.
Jonker has always been a brilliant athlete and he presented that way on Sunday. Like all Spirit Of Boom’s progeny, he’s just such a tough, sound horse. He walked out like a professional, as if he’d done it his whole life.
Brave Smash is such a physically strong, sprinting type, he’s sure to suit the Australian market. The stock I’ve seen look like they can run, and seeing him in person reminded me of them.
Jonker stands for $16,500 (inc GST) | Standing at Aquis Farm, image courtesy of Aquis Farm
John Barnes
It’s pretty impressive to see 15 stallions parade. We’re very fortunate to have someone like Aquis with so much commitment to the breeding industry. Given the number you might wonder how they manage it all but I was so impressed by everybody there. They have worked together as a team for a number of years and their knowledge and care shone through.
Aclaim has only just arrived from the UK and has already settled in very well and clearly is a happy horse. You get the feeling that everyone there understands the individual needs of the stallions, and I couldn’t rate it more highly.
Aclaim (Ire) with Canning Downs owners | Image courtesy of Aquis Farm
With so much of breeding depending on matching the type of mare you have to the stallion, I was glad to attend two of the parades. Aquis offer a great selection of highly prospective stallions all at the one farm, which is a real benefit for breeders. They clearly want to make it successful and that’s why they set reasonable prices.
As for any particular one, and ignoring a natural bias for Aclaim, I couldn’t pick a select one, as each is there based on individual merit. Time will tell, but a number of successful stallions will emerge from this line-up.
Brave Smash (Jpn) stands for $22,000 (inc GST) | Standing at Aquis Farm, image courtesy of Aquis Farm
Stuart Ramsey
It was a good experience and a beautiful evening. They did a good job – the stallions were very well-handled. They were all very positive.
Personally I liked the Japanese stallion, Brave Smash. He’s inbred to a horse called Northern Taste, which I like a lot.
Penelope Crowley and Stuart Ramsey | Image courtesy of Aquis Farm
All the stallions have great potential and they had some very nice horses there. The Mission is throwing plenty of winners at the moment and looks likely to go on with it.
Aquis have three newcomers on their roster this year and they all have their credentials. But it’s like anything, they have the credentials to succeed and if they get the right mares they will do a good job.
