WELCOME TO A NEW MEMBER OF THE BRECKON FARMS TEAM

Last week, Breckon Farms welcomed a new member to their team, Nigel Fahy, who has been appointed to the position of Farm Manager.

Nigel hales from the harness racing mecca of Southland, being born & raised in Southland on a sheep and beef farm. His father always bred a handful of mares each season, with most of the resultant progeny having the “Raka” prefix to their names.

Nigel had a good grounding in the care of bloodstock, helping his dad out after school, with the feeding and weaning of the young horses and lending a hand with whatever else had to be done around the farm. He took a keen interest in the horses from an early age and followed the youngsters closely on the track, once they became racehorses.

Nigel, however, did not get involved directly in the Standardbred industry until he moved to Canada in 2008, where he worked for the famed Seelster Farms. Nigel held a position as a night time foaling attendant and took the opportunity to also learn all about handling stallions.

It was at Seelster Farms that he took an interest in the stallions they had and thought this was what he wanted to do. The farm had a resident stallion in Nigel’s time there, called Camluck, who is one of the greatest sires of all time in North America, so it was a thrill for Nigel to be able to handle that calibre of horse.

After returning from a 2-year stint in Canada, Nigel was to take up the role of Stallion Manager at Alabar Farms in Waiau Pa, Auckland, where he remained for 10 breeding seasons. Another topline North American stallion, Mach Three, was the marquee stallion in his time there, until his untimely death in January 2017, following a paddock accident. The 18-year-old, who was the sire of the legendary Hall of Fame racehorse and stallion Somebeachsomewhere ($3.3 million, 1:46.4 world record), suffered a broken leg in his paddock and had to be put down. The news very unfortunately came on the same day his North American stud farm base, Tara Hills, announced that his North American book was full and closed for the upcoming 2017 season, with some 140 bookings. His loss is still being felt in the Standardbred world.

Over this current New Zealand winter, Nigel once again spent a few months in the USA, at Diamond Creek Farms in Pennsylvania, handling their stallions and gaining further experience. Diamond Creek Farms have some fantastic stallions in current World Champion and Fastest horse of all time Always Be Miki, current World Record holder and second-leading USA first season sire and Leading NZ first season sire Sweet Lou, multiple World Champion and Leading first season sire in USA, NZ and Australia A Rocknroll Dance, World Champion and USA and Canadian 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year Father Patrick and World Champion and USA and Canadian 2YO Trotting Colt of the Year Southwind Frank. They also have a very strong broodmare band, with the likes of millionaires Pure Country, See You At Peelers and Ginger And Fred. Nigel commented, “It was good to gain an insight into how a professional breeding farm is run up there.”

Upon joining the team at Breckon Farms, Nigel said, “Whilst it was sad to say goodbye to Alabar, it is an exciting opportunity to come and join the crew as the manager of Breckon Farms and to be able to work with some of the best bloodlines New Zealand has to offer. It is a lovely farm and I look forward to the challenges that lie ahead and I hope that we can continue to produce top class racehorses throughout Australasia for years to come.”

On behalf of Breckon Farms, welcome aboard Nigel, we all look forward to working with you to continue to improve all aspects of farm, breeding, rearing, racing and sponsorship, that Breckon Farms is so heavily involved with within the harness racing industry.

Rob Carr