return of mares

Does anyone else other than me ask what the max number a stallion will cover that season before booking the nomination? I often hear that breeders who are disappointed that the stallion they chose covered so many mares, and I wonder ...did you ask or at least consider it beforehand?


im disappointed that the USA stallion cap didnt hold up. For one thing yearling sale catalogues have become so boring with sales dominated by a handful of stallions.

I remember back to the days when 40 was the max...

Yes the failure of the U S cap was disappointing if not totally unexpected.

Talking to a stallion manager recently he said that he is hardly ever asked about the stallion book size anymore. I don’t know if that is a convenient view on his part but I just see it as a symptom of the scenario where we mostly (always?] know what the policy is of the studs now so it is a bit pointless even broaching the subject.

One of the main ‘arguments’ that the American greed meister put forward was that small Breeders’ wouldn’t be able to gain access to restricted book stallions as they can now. Well, hello? Could they just not have sold some nominations to small Breeders’ and said get lost to a few more large ones? Another advantage of restricted books for a stallion man. The breeder might take offence but they’ll still try again next year.

The % of offspring by these big book stallions that lose money is obscene. Like our incumbent of No.10, the psycho in the Kremlin and  Love Island It just leaves me feeling rather helpless.

Return of mares 2022 should be out soon

anyone received theirs? any surprise numbers?

Arrived yesterday Wily, took long enough I felt too!

37 pages of mares covered by more than one stallion.

5 of those by 3 stallions.

2 entries for mares covered by 4 stallions.

Marvellous things these mega books, aren’t they?

totally agree

we need to hit back. stop going to stallions covering more than 200 mares, its not good for anyone. funny thing is, i actually think the big studs would be better off too.

what stallion's book this year caught your eye on numbers (big or small)?

totally agree

we need to hit back. stop going to stallions covering more than 200 mares, its not good for anyone. funny thing is, i actually think the big studs would be better off too.

what stallion's book this year caught your eye on numbers (big or small)?