By Sally Reid
Photography: Cornege Photography; Pegasus Photography
There are few, if any, people in New Zealand who don’t know the name ‘Waitangi’. It’s a tiny and very beautiful place where the nation’s founding document, the Treaty of Waitangi, was signed between Maori and the British in 1840; a treaty that is still of central importance to the running of the country today.
In New Zealand’s equestrian world, however, the name is synonymous with breeding excellence. Joss Bayly’s Waitangi Sport Horses, which is set in the sublime scenery of Waitangi and the Bay of Islands, has produced many top performers over the years, but has had an outstanding season.
The superstar: Waitangi Skynet
At the pinnacle of the stud’s 2023-24 success stories is Waitangi Skynet (Cassini II - Petanque II x Aberlou xx) a 15-year-old gelding who is owned and ridden by Sophie Scott. Like his sire, who was a full brother to Cassini I, he is a big, handsome grey. He was exported to Australia as a younger horse, and competed successfully there with James Arkins, reaching World Cup level.
‘Sky’ and Sophie Scott were in tip-top form all season, winning the Olympic Cup at NZ HOY (the country’s highest showjumping accolade), the ESNZ’s season-long Premier League and Grand Prix series, and finishing second by a single point in the NZL World Cup series. And, when they weren’t winning, were almost always in the highest placings. And at the end of the season, Waitangi Skynet was given an ESNZ Olympic trial at Takapoto, and took the 1m60 fences in his stride.
His sire, Cassini II (Capitol I - Wisma x Caletto II), Holsteiner Stamm 3389, was bred by Johann Claussen and approved in 1996 with a high jumping index. However, an injury in his early years meant this stallion did not compete. He sired many very good horses, however, including Harrie Smoulders’ current superstar Monaco NOP, and 10 licensed sons, but died far too young: he was euthanized after a paddock accident in 2011 at the age of 16.
Waitangi Skynet’s dam Petanque II is by the wonderful Thoroughbred eventing sire Aberlou xx, out of a mare called Dolly Gray xx (Minnamour xx - Lady Cinnamon xx x Ballybrit xx). Dolly Gray is also the dam of the international five-star eventing stallion Internet (Oldenburg x Inschallah x Weinstern). “Petanque was the second foal out of my founding mare Dolly Gray,” says Joss. “All of Dolly’s progeny were well above average and Petanque has carried on her legacy. She [Petanque] was with Sally Steiner and I think from memory competed to 1m35/40. I was lucky enough to buy her back for broodmare purposes. I kept the only filly she had – a half-sister to SkyNet. Her name is Waitangi iCloud (Cardento), and I now have a mare from her called Waitangi SkyLink, by Hector van d’Abdijhoeve. She is one to watch out for – iCloud is leaving stunning progeny. They all have movement, temperament and are super scopey.”
Another of Petanque’s offspring, Waitangi Hotmail (Escudo), a gelding who competed at two-star level here, was sold to Japan... To read the complete article you need to be a subscriber
CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE TO BREEDING NEWS
SUBSCRIBERS CAN READ THE COMPLETE ARTICLE BY LOGGING IN AND RETURNING TO THIS PAGE
