The bulldozers may have demolished Sir Patrick Hogan’s old breeding barns at Cambridge Stud but the retired studmaster and his beloved stallions, Sir Tristram and Zabeel, will be enshrined in a new museum on the 200 hectare property now owned by Rich Listers Brendan and Jo Lindsay.
Established in 1975, Cambridge Stud became one of Australasia’s dominant breeding operations as the leading seller for 31 consecutive years at the National Yearling Sales and produced the winners of eight Melbourne Cups, four Cox Plates and three Caulfield Cups.
Sold to the Lindsays for an undisclosed sum in 2018, Hogan was delighted that his pride and joy would remain in New Zealand hands.
“Everyone knows Brendan and Jo Lindsay are deeply passionate about both our industry and our country, and Cambridge Stud certainly holds a unique place in both. For Justine and me, this is a dream come true – we can look ahead with great confidence to the future that Cambridge Stud is assured through its new ownership.”
Born in Rotorua and educated at St Patrick’s College Silverstream, Hogan was knighted in 2000 for services to thoroughbred breeding and training and has been a strong supporter of New Zealand First’s pro-racing policies, which have led to increased tax breaks for breeders under the Clark and Ardern coalition governments.
He was acknowledged for his services to the export sector with an Exporters’ Champion award at the 2018 Air New Zealand Cargo ExportNZ Awards, where long-time friend Sir Peter Vela described Hogan as one of the greatest New Zealanders he’d ever met and said the racing industry owed its growth “unquestionably to his infinite wisdom, not just his astute stallion acquisitions.”
At the age of 79, Sir Patrick is showing signs of physical wear and tear after handling horses from a young age. However, he and Lady Justine still race thoroughbreds and have a $50 million property portfolio to keep them occupied when they’re not relaxing at their $6m holiday home in Mount Maunganui.
2018: $175 million