Ridgemont Highlands
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Ridgemont
Location:
PO Box 88, Robertson, 6705
Tel: 023 626 2331
Fax: 023 626 3442
Cell: 082 654 5169
Email – Craig@ridgemont.co.za
Website – https://www.ridgemonthighlands.co.za/
For decades a globally acknowledged leader in the field of thoroughbred breeding in South Africa and staffed by experienced professionals, Ridgemont is located in the fertile, lime rich Robertson valley and the home of champions extends over close on 300 hectares.
A typically international standard residence to top-class stallions, stabling facilities in well ventilated American Style barns mean optimum care and comfort throughout the year.
A seasonal mare boarding facility is offered as well as a supervised ‘flying start’ weanling facility in a secluded and separate area of the farm.
Post and rail fencing, with permanent irrigated pastures, are maintained on organic principles and happy mares run free in spacious well maintained pastures.
Great emphasis is placed on a balanced feeding programme for all horses and the iconic farm produces and stores lucerne, oat hay and teff. This aspect is managed at the highest quality standards to ensure all equine residents are fed to the very best nutritional benchmarks available.
Our specialised and secure yearling facility provides a vital platform for the all-important aspect of sales preparation, and includes well maintained horse-walkers and lunging facilities.
In-house veterinary care means that all residents will benefit from 24/7 treatment and attention, as may be required.
Stud Highlights:
National Assembly, Spectrum, Jallad, Windrush, Dynasty
Racing ability. That is the one criterion uppermost in our minds when evaluating new stallion prospects. For seldomly does a stallion succeed at stud who has not shown to possess superior ability. All our stallions have it. Most showed it on the track. But sometimes a home reputation is all there is to go by, as is the case with NATIONAL ASSEMBLY. One of legendary Vincent O’Brien’s leading classic contenders at home, injury prevented the son of Danzig from showing it on the track. But he could run, and he succeeded as a sire in a big way. Sire of Gr1 winners of both sexes, sire of a sire, and with an unrivalled percentage of winners to foals. NATIONAL ASSEMBLY achieved the remarkable success of siring a son who in turn proved to have what it takes at stud, young sire National Emblem. He has been a leading sire for twelve seasons, ending 3rd on the Sires Log for 2006 and sire of the joint HORSE OF THE YEAR – NATIONAL COLOUR.
Exciting aquisition to Highlands sire band in 2005 was SPECTRUM – the fastest son of Rainbow Quest and winner of Gr1 Irish 2000 Guineas and Gr1 Champion Stakes. He has proven to be a sire of Gr1 winners of both sexes in both hemispheres. At the end of October 2006 he ranked the Leading Sire in Europe by wins. While as broodmare sire he hit the limelight with dual Gr1 winner Dutch Art (ex Halland Park Lass) who achieved the 3rd highest Timeform rating (TFR124) for 2yo’s in 2006.
JALLAD A Champion sire who ended the 2005 season with more Graded stakes winners and wins than any other sire despite being denied the Championship on the last day of the season. Champion sire in 2003, Champion runner up in 2003, 2004 and 2005 and 4th leading sire in 2006 behind National Assembly.
The imposing young sire WINDRUSH has his first crop racing in 2006. A son of Seeking The Gold, sire of world champion Dubai Millennium, he is out of a dam who is full sister to a Gr1 Kentucky Oaks winner. The sisters are daughters of another of the world’s most wanted stallions, Storm Cat, from a mare by influential broodmare sire Hoist The Flag. Windrush may well be described as having a Designer’s Pedigree!
DYNASTY, Horse of the Year and Champion Classic 3yo in 2003, retired to stud at Highlands and will have his first crop of yearlings at the 2007 sales. A son of the Champion sire Fort Wood out of the Blake’s Affair, granddaughter of Derby winner Blakeney.
All of us at Highlands stress our continued commitment to racing and breeding in South Africa. The Highlands broodmare band continues to be expanded to ensure proper support for our sires.