Written by Keely Mckitterick
Cover image courtesy of Sharon Lee Chapman Photography
On Thursday, Aquis Stallions announced the launch of its Officiating Breeders Bonus Scheme, offering breeders a chance to win $500,000. This prize will be awarded to the breeder responsible for Officiating's (USA) first 2-year-old stakes winner from his 2025 crop.
Earlier this year, Aquis announced its acquisition of Officiating, a triple Group 3 winner by Blame (USA). Standing his debut season at $12,500 (inc GST), Officiating won five races, including the G3 Tom Fool H. and the G3 Mr Prospector S. at Gulfstream Park.
He is the first son of Blame to stand in the Southern Hemisphere—who famously defeated Zenyatta (USA) (Street Cry {Ire}) in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic. Officiating is also well-related, being a half-brother to the North American Champion 2-Year-Old Filly Caledonia Road (USA) (Quality Road {USA}), the winner of the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies.
In offering the $500,000 bonus, Aquis Farm’s Director of Sales, Jonathan Davies, highlighted the operation's confidence in Officiating and their desire to reward breeders. “He’s been incredibly well-received by Queensland breeders, and he’s a stallion that has more individual shareholders in him than any stallion that Aquis has previously stood over the last eight seasons.
Officiating (USA) will stand for $12,500 inc GST in 2024 | Standing at Aquis Farm
“He’s going to receive a great book of mares in his first season, and this is just a reward that we want to give our loyal clients and breeders who have supported us and have faith in us and our ability to select a stallion that can progress into the future.”
“He’s (Officiating) going to receive a great book of mares in his first season, and this ($500,000 breeder's bonus) is just a reward that we want to give our loyal clients and breeders who have supported us and have faith in us and our ability to select a stallion that can progress into the future.” - Jonathan Davies
It's worth noting that Aquis Farm previously launched the careers of the exciting stallions Brave Smash (Jpn) and Pierata and Royal Meeting (Ire).
Brave Smash, now standing at Yarraman Park Stud, sired the high-class filly Kimochi, conceived during his time in Queensland. Pierata, who has since relocated to Yulong in Victoria, also produced his first crop of promising runners, including the dual Group 1-placed Coleman, from his time in the Sunshine State. “We are confident that this bonus will be won, and Officiating will join previous Aquis stallions like Pierata, Brave Smash, and Royal Meeting in siring 2-year-old stakes winners in their first crop.”
“We are confident that this bonus will be won, and Officiating will join previous Aquis stallions like Pierata, Brave Smash, and Royal Meeting in siring 2-year-old stakes winners in their first crop.” - Jonathan Davies
Davies added, “We specifically sought a son of Blame because we wanted a complete outcross to what’s in Australia. It’s incredible that even in the last racing season, among the top 20 General Sires, I believe 11 were complete outcrosses, and there were only three in that top 20 from Danehill sirelines.
“So, I think that’s pretty telling when our stallion ranks in Australia are so heavily influenced by Danehill.”
Officiating goes down a treat at Aquis parades
In recent weeks, Aquis had the opportunity to showcase Officiating to prospective breeders at its annual stallion parades, and as anticipated, the feedback was overwhelmingly positive. “He was definitely well-received. He’s a big, strong, masculine horse. Officiating stands 16.2hh, with a beautiful colour, a great head, and plenty of substance and depth to him, along with a great action.
“He (Officiating) was definitely well-received (at Aquis Farm stallion parade). He’s a big, strong, masculine horse. Officiating stands 16.2hh, with a beautiful colour, a great head, and plenty of substance and depth to him, along with a great action.” - Jonathan Davies
“So, he’s everything that breeders look for in a stallion, and the stallion parades were obviously a great benefit to him. Once people saw him in the flesh, his bookings certainly surged in the time following the open days.
Jonathan Davies | Image courtesy of Aquis Farm
“We will be sending around 20 of our own mares to him, and we’ve purchased some really nice mares at the broodmare sales for him—stakes-winning and stakes-producing mares based on sirelines we think will work with Officiating.
“He’s definitely going to get a good foundation, and that’s something we haven’t really done for a number of years, probably since launching Brave Smash and Pierata.”
“We will be sending around 20 of our own mares to him (Officiating), and we’ve purchased some really nice mares at the broodmare sales for him... He’s definitely going to get a good foundation.” - Jonathan Davies
Davies added, with a nod to the future, “We really do look forward to handing over $500,000 to one lucky breeder!”
The Officiating Breeders Bonus Scheme covers all stakes races run in Australia, with the bonus being paid to the breeder. To be eligible for the $500,000 prize, breeders will need to have at least two mares covered by Officiating this season. Aquis-owned mares are ineligible for the bonus.
