In exciting news for the states harness racing breeding industry, Tourello Standardbreds, have moved their Victorian operation to Tasmania ahead of the upcoming breeding season.
Studmaster Kerrie Hymers has decided to move the operation to Tasmania after needing to find more room for the stud, and the high cost of feed due to the drought across mainland Australia.
“We had outgrown our property in Victoria and decided we would look at something with more acreage and a property that was set up”, said Kerrie Hymers.
“We found it difficult to sustain the business in Victoria with the current climate, all of the hay has been difficult to find, we were paying $185 for a round bale,” she explained.
Tourello Standardbreds have called Sheffield home since Friday.
The property was previously used by thoroughbred trainer Angela Brakey .
All breeding services will be catered for including AI and Frozen semen (including stallions from Empire Stud) as well as five stations on site.
They include Tell All USA, Smiling Shard NZ, Metropolitan USA, Dawn Of a New Day USA and Cams Fool USA.
All stallions will stand for $1,650 including GST.
“We are fairly excited to get Tell All, he hasn’t really stood all that many years at stud, he has a good filly going around at the moment called Tell Me Tales,” explained Hymers.
For those that follow the Tourello Standardbreds Facebook page will be well aware that Kerrie Hymers loves “coloured” horses, and she will offer frozen semen options to unraced horses A Bit Of Bling and Arctic Cat.
Hymers will sell some of her yearlings at the Carrick Yearling Sale in February with horses that she thinks will be suitable for the sale as well as offering horses interstate as she has for the past few years.
“I breed to sell at yearling sales, mostly at Melbourne APG but some do go through their Sydney sale,” she said.
As well as bringing her operation to the state she has also been able to gain the services of Anne Jacobson, a well-known name to many Tasmanians from when she was previously located in the state a number of years ago.
“Anne asked if I had considered going over to Tasmania, and I said we would if we could find a suitable vet, she replied what if your vet came with you,” explained Hymers.
“She will be here for the entire breeding season and hopefully we can twist her arm and get her to stay.”
Hymers was in Tasmania in February and had discussions with many people within the Tasmanian trip, that mission also took in the Carrick Yearling Sale.
For full details on the stallions available and contact details, you can click here.
Further details on Tasmanian breeding options this season you can be found here.