PIERRO BUSIEST STALLION IN AUSTRALIA
Interim statistics released by the Australian Stud Book show Coolmore Stud's Pierro (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}) as the busiest sire in the country in 2014, with 220 mares covered. As of Jan. 26, the stud book has 509 stallions recorded as standing for 2014, with a completed forecast of 563. In 2013, 621 stallions stood in Australia.
Current records show 18,673 mares covered, with a forecast of 19,117. In 2013, 20,191 mares were
covered. Given the forecasted final figures, Jacqueline Stewart, Keeper of the Australian Stud Book, has projected a 2015 foal crop of 13,616, down 3.3% from the 2014 final foal crop estimate of 14,081.
The current stats also show a continued increase in the prominence of Australian-bred stallions. Of the top 20 stallions by coverings, 18 were Australian-bred, and Australian-bred stallions were responsible for 72% of the total coverings, compared to 70% in 2013. There were 39 shuttle sires that covered 24% of mares compared to 23% in 2013.
Twenty-five (5%) of stallions covered books of 150 or more, compared to 23 (4%) in 2013, while 230 (45%) covered less than 10 mares.
“I believe that although there will be a decrease in coverings in the 2014 season, it is a marginal decrease in the context of the current economic conditions and worldwide trends,” said Stewart. “The Australian breeding industry is remarkably resilient and the rationalization in the numbers of stallions and broodmares resulting in a decrease in coverings is an economic reality, not systematic of any inherent frailties in the breeding industry.”
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