Trelawney Stud is New Zealand’s oldest commercial Thoroughbred horse stud farm. It was established in 1930 by Seton Otway near Cambridge, New Zealand.
It has stood a number of top quality stallions including Foxbridge, Kingdom Bay and Carnegie (IRE) and produced many fine race horses including seven Melbourne Cup winners.
Seton Otway’s stud foundation was commenced when he purchased several mares with impeccable female families. Unable to purchase well-performed mares he bought half-sisters to top performers but not necessarily outstanding horses themselves. His early acquisitions included Persis and Lady Marie (both foaled in 1923), who established families of major stakes-winners in New Zealand and Australia.[1]
The site of the present stud farm was established when Seton Otway purchased a run-down, 300acres, dairy farm on the banks of the Waikato River, on the North Island of New Zealand. This was to become the famous Trelawney Stud and the future home of some of Australasia’s top thoroughbreds and racehorses.
In 1935, Seton Otway purchased and imported the sire Foxbridge (GB), who was a good racehorse in England, for £2,625. He became one of New Zealand's most successful stallions and brood-mare sires for eleven consecutive seasons.[2]
Another very successful Trelawney Stud stallion was Alcimedes (GB) (by Alycidon), a winner over distances from 7 to 10½ furlongs. Alcimedes’ first crop included VRC Derby winner Prince Grant and the Melbourne Cup winner Galilee. His progeny often raced in Australia, including Divide and Rule and Silver Knight a Melbourne Cup winner and in turn the sire of 1984 Melbourne Cup winner, Black Knight.[1] Alcimedes also sired the winners of 20 races in South Africa.[3]
Trelawney Stud was briefly owned by Australian businessman, Robert Holmes à Court and his Heytesbury Stud.
During the early 1990s Trelawney Stud was purchased from Robert Holmes à Court by the Taylor family. As at 2021, Brent and Cherry Taylor still own the property.
In 2006, Trelawney stood the top juvenile, Van Nistelrooy (USA) (by Storm Cat), a US$6.4 million yearling.
In recent times the farm has moved away from standing stallions. It now focuses on broodmares and young horses. It is also a working sheep and cattle farm.
The Trelawney brand has been carried by seven Melbourne Cup winners:
The champion racehorse Tulloch also spent the early part of his life at Trelawney Stud.
Trelawney Stud’s first million dollar yearling, a son of Redoute's Choice out of the stakes winning-mare National Treasure, sold for A$1.5 million at the 2009 Inglis Yearling Sale in Sydney.
Other horses that have come from Trelawney include:[4]