A Very Good Year for Finch Farm

Finch Farm Chill

Calgary GNZ (photo: Direct Shots Photography)

Finch Farm Style

As the dew settles on the grass, and the sun creeps over the horizon, Finch Farm is abuzz with activity. Mares with foals at foot nicker in that low, knowing manner they have when expecting  their morning feed; hooves clop on concrete as the first rides of the day walk through the barn and out onto the arena; from humble beginnings, Finch Farm has grown to become a business, a horse stud, and a way of life. 

The truck has only recently rolled in on the return journey from Sydney’s Summer Showjumping Classic, where the six-year-old Finch Farm Chill was named the Oaks Medallion Young Horse Champion by a judging panel including Australian showjumping legend Michelle Strapp, and international course designer, Leopoldo Palacios. Five-year-old Finch Farm Style was also judged the strongest in his age category, and was awarded the highest individual showjumping score of all of the young horses presented. This, among the many state titles and championship wins that Finch Farm horses have collected in 2011, is the result of a strategically implemented breeding program and fastidious drive for excellence that have been implemented by the company’s founder and namesake, David Finch.

David’s passion for horses can be traced back to his childhood in Roma, western Queensland, where many an hour was spent droving cattle in a dusty old stock saddle. From stock work, he progressed to showjumping, competing throughout Australia with local childhood friend, Cathy Graham (Green).  David was then based in the Lockyer Valley with the Creighton family before embarking on his first international riding job in Japan. It was in Japan that David was first exposed the process of exporting Australian horses on the international market. From his placement in Japan, David received the life-changing opportunity to work with Peter Luther and his family, in Germany, which exposed him to the German system of riding and breeding horses.  Continuing on from Germany, David then spent time in California, and was fortunate to train with Kathy Kusner, a prominent American rider and trainer. With the skills and knowledge gleaned from his overseas travel, David returned to Australia and setup his own operation. Since then, Finch Farm has grown to encompass all areas of the performance horse industry from breeding to competition, and everything between.

David’s trophy cabinet is these days populated with trophies not only from the competition arena, but also with awards in recognition for his outstanding coaching and commitment to equestrian sports. He has five times been awarded the Equestrian Queensland Coach of the Year, and in 2007, was also crowned the National Coach of the Year. But it’s out in the paddocks, not here in the living room, that Finch Farm’s greatest accomplishments can be found. David takes me on a tour of the place to learn more about the horses behind it. 

While wandering through the broodmare paddocks, we meet up with the horse responsible for it all, Lily (Boera). Lily was one of David’s World Cup showjumpers. She competed at the highest level, despite having had a fractured pelvis, but was ultimately retired early to commence a breeding career.  ‘I stopped hoping for another top horse off the track and decided to breed my own’, says David. A business decision that is certainly starting to pay off – Finch Farm Chill is one of Lily’s foals (Converter x Boera). This celebrated stallion has not only dominated in young horse events in 2011, he was also awarded premium stallion status with ACE, and won both the Qld State Championship and Qld Country Championships. Continuing through the paddocks of mares and young stock, I notice that David is throwing around the names of a lot of international bloodlines. To name but a few of the dizzying list includes Casall, Corrado, Cassini II, Stakkato, Calvaro Z, and Vivant.

We move from the paddocks to the stables, where the Finch Farm stallions and competition horses are housed. The stallions have had great success in the 2011; from their Premium Assessments with German classifiers to State titles and Championships wins. At the Queensland Country Championships, Charlegmagne Ego Z (Calvaro Z x Capri Ego Z) ran second to Finch Farm Chill in the 1.15m, and also won Champion Young Showjumper of the show. It’s not just the boys who’ve been on the podium, in the 1.25m class and the Future Stars Championship, Finch Farm Viduka won and AEA Orox (owned by the Brown Family) placed third. ‘It has been a game of patience and persistence, but now we have a fantastic team of horses and so much depth backing it up. David has taken lots of risks and has an OCD when it comes to pedigrees and remembering horses from 20 years ago,’ Robert quips.

In one of the stables, a big white face with an intelligent eye is trying to attract attention.  I am informed this is Calgary GNZ, an exciting import from Goldengrove Stud Farm NZ. This stallion has a fully European pedigree – sired by Casall la Silla, who has been a prolific winner throughout Europe this past season in Global Champions Tour and World Cup events. Clagary’s dam is Countess, a daughter of Calato who has been a phenomenal sire, (and arguably, even a better broodmare sire). Countess descends from line 173 – the family responsible for producing Capital, one the most consistent producers of quality jumping horses ever known. Later on, watching the YouTube link of Calgary GNZ moving and free jumping, you can see why Finch Farm is excited about the sport and their breeding future.  David outlines his philosophy on breeding , ‘While there are no guarantees in sporthorse breeding, by following sound principals and careful selection of mares and stallions, you stack the odds in your favour. The cost of a service fee has never worried me, by the time you get a horse to competition, the extra investment becomes irrelevant.’

Finch Farm operates on the holistic approach to the industry, with staff, clients, friends and supporters all encouraged to achieve their maximum potential. There is an exciting group of young riders training with Finch Farm, who have all been producing excellent results at the major shows.   The rapport between David and his students, clients, and supporters is evident from the moment you drive in the front gates. Add to this the support of long term sponsors Barastoc (who David and Finch Farm have been associated with for over 15 years) and Saddleworld Rockhampton, and the future of showjumping in Australia appears to be in safe hands. Riders in search of elite performers and international bloodlines need not waste money on an international airfare when we have Finch Farm in our very own back yard.

By: D Skerman

 

Stay tuned to Horsezone where several top quality Finch Farm horses will be listed for sale in coming weeks - your chance to own a future champion!

Quick Link

• Visit the Finch Farm website