Stoney Bridge, Karaka, New Zealand
Stoney Bridge is a world class thoroughbred stallion station sited on prime rolling pasture in the exclusive Karaka district of South Auckland. The establishment of the stallion station in 2004 was the first stage in the equine expansion of Auckland businessman and breeder Michael Tololi’s investment in the bloodstock industry. In 2006 Tololi took the next step in the stud’s development by purchasing the former Java Lodge property to act as a Waikato arm for Stoney Bridge. Standing stallions at both properties is a business concept unique in the New Zealand thoroughbred industry, allowing greater access for a broader base of breeders to our stallion power.
The Stoney Bridge stallion station complex consists of a 4 stallion barn, stallion paddocks and breeding shed adjacent to an efficient walk-in transport bay. Stoney Bridge Waikato is a fully functional stud farm with all modern breeding facilities and can accommodate up to 8 stallions. The Karaka base is the home of the management and administration office that places emphasis on positive and fact-based marketing, and most importantly client liaison and satisfaction.
We have one of New Zealand’s largest sire rosters offering a range of stallions - all of whom are either Group 1 performers or producers -that are both genetically diverse and competitively priced ensuring that there should be a stallion in our lineup to suit ANY broodmare.
The emergence of Postponed as one of the country’s most promising young stallions and the acquisition of Champion British 3YO Storming Home in 2006 has underpinned the extension of our client base into the Premier market. However the purchase of the Royal Academy Grade 1 performer Royal Gem in 2007 has demonstrated our commitment to provide stallion prospects that are within the reach of all sectors of the market. This past spring we have been blessed with the arrival of the first foals by no less than 3 of our Group 1-winning sires - Storming Home, St. Reims and Mr. Nancho - and they are very much true to type which is no bad thing given their heritage. The first crop of our Danehill Group 1 performer Hawkeye are now yearlings and given their excellent type and temperament we look forward eagerly to the first reports from the breakers. The first crops of our foundation sires Ekraar and Storm Creek are now juveniles and they are now starting to get both trial and race form on the board, particularly Ekraar whose first runner was a winner on debut.
An permanent innovation and major point of difference for Stoney Bridge is the easy payment plan for broodmare owners known simply as the STONEYBRIDGE PLAN. We understand that breeders prefer payment options to suit their cash flow and therefore we are making the Stoney Bridge Plan available to ALL breeders who choose to send their mares to our stallions. Quite simply it works like this - you pay 50% of the service fee on a 42 day positive test and then don’t worry about paying the remaining 50% until the foal is born.
Stoney Bridge’s Karaka stallion operation is located on former dairying pasture on Linwood Road, and is adjacent to the Twin Pines agistment farm, also owned by Michael Tololi which serves as the base for visiting broodmares and foals complete with modern foaling unit, a 12 box barn and lush rolling paddocks. An integral part of the Twin Pines operation is the Rearing and Yearling Prep facility a few kilometres to the north east in Urquhart Road. Stoney Bridge Waikato is located on the very outskirts of Matamata township in the heart of the Waikato breeding scene and will be complemented perfectly later this year when Michael Tololi’s latest acquisition - the Duchess of Bedford’s former Bloomsbury Stud - will become operational under the banner of Twin Pines Waikato and will serve as a base for both Tololi’s own mares and clients bloodstock. All five farms -Stoney Bridge (Linwood Road, Karaka), Twin Pines (Kidd Road & Urquhart Road, Karaka), Stoney Bridge Waikato (Mangawhero Road, Matamata) and TwinPines Waikato (ex-Bloomsbury Stud) farms are in prime locations to service the core of the New Zealand thoroughbred breeding industry and offer a range of breeding options to Stoney Bridge clients. The total acreage of all five farms is in excess of 1200 acres making it one of New Zealand’s most extensive bloodstock operations.