With the first Victorian foals having already hit the ground this season, Avenel’s Ellora Stud is awaiting its first arrivals as it prepares for a busy spring.
Established in 2016 by Matthew and Claire Brown, Ellora Stud is a boutique thoroughbred operation near Avenel based on 80 acres.
The partnership is ideal to run such a farm with Matt being an experienced stud manager while Claire is a skilled equine veterinarian.
“We aim to provide a first class, professional service by working with our clients to achieve their dreams,” Matt said.
Matthew has over twenty years of experience working in the thoroughbred breeding industry in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and France. Work in Australia has included roles at Kitchwin Hills and Rosemont Stud.
Claire is a senior equine veterinarian and partner at the Seymour Equine Clinic, with 18 years of experience. She is specifically interested in thoroughbred reproductive work and stud medicine.
She was born in the UK and graduated at the Royal Veterinary College in London, before working at the Irish National Stud and then moving across the world to take up a position at Scone’s Satur Veterinary Clinic.
The highly experienced couple bring their individual skill sets to the farm to ensure every thoroughbred resident receives the best of care.
The Browns pride themselves on achieving excellent pregnancy rates amongst resident mares. With Claire on site mares can be vetted very early or late on in the day to achieve the optimal time for covering.
The farm was bought as mostly a blank canvas for the Browns to develop as a breeding property.
“All our foaling yards have diamond mesh fencing to ensure the safety of clients’ mares and newborn foals, with individual stables to provide additional shelter or exercise restriction as required,” Matt said.
“There are also a number of smaller grass runs, which are ideal for gradually increasing the exercise for young foals as they grow.
“The horses are all around us and the foaling yards less than fifty metres away from the house. We do all the night watch ourselves.”
With half a dozen of their own broodmares and several clients’ mares, Ellora Park will foal a band of around 15 mares this coming season.
“We have a strong Victorian emphasis and try to support local farms and stallions. Our mares are heading to Sun Stud’s Palentino and Bel Esprit, along with supporting the Spendthrift Australia stallions,” Matt explained.
“We prepare our own weanlings for sale and endeavour to always improve our mares, who are mostly sourced in foal from the Great Southern Sale and other breeding sales.”
“We had some great results selling under our own banner (at June’s Inglis Great Southern Sale), including a Nostradamus weanling that made $50,000. I buy mares in foal to first season sires, or proven stallions, and try to find some value in a competitive market.”
For more information on Ellora Stud, contact Matt Brown on 0400 113 268 or visit www.ellorastud.com.au