Provided by Adam Dobbin of The Greyhound Recorder.
Provided by Adam Dobbin of The Greyhound Recorder.
The announcement comes as the sport’s greatest ever greyhound’s offspring nears a record $200 million in stake earnings, currently perched at an eye-watering $197,923,611.
While on the racetrack Fernando Bale soared to the greatest of heights, winning eight group 1 races and 35 of his 44 race starts, his influence has been even more profound off the track as a sire, shaping the breeding industry for years to come both domestically and abroad.
Since hitting the stud scene in 2017, offspring of Fernando Bale have won upwards of 53,000 races.
“It’s been one heck of a ride but the time is right to call time on his stud duties,” Westerveld said.
“He’s still healthy and in great condition but his semen count has dipped a bit so we’ll stop drawing from him now.
“Nearly all services have been done with frozen semen but the last girl he mated with fresh semen Cairnlea Blue just had ten pups three weeks ago and she’s eight years old. So it’s incredible he has been so fertile for so long.
“From now there will be no AI available and we’ll begin going to market use with the frozen semen we collected from back in 2017 and onwards.
“We managed to store a bit away along the way so that’s what we’ll take to market now but obviously now there is only a limited amount left.”
Bred by the late Paul Wheeler, Fernando Bale has won every sires’ title and award on offer around the country.
He’s the only sire to produce four individual million dollar earners in a stud career so far that has seen him annex almost every Group 1 race on the calendar.
“He’s created a legacy that will shape the industry for generations,” Westerveld said.
“And there’s still more to come with what we’ve still got put away.
“I’d like to thank everyone that has supported his stud journey along the way because without all the great breeders using him he wouldn’t have become what he is today.”
In 2019, Fernando Bale was ushered into the Victorian Hall of Fame, the quickest post retirement induction in the sport’s history.
It’s expected that the once in a lifetime greyhound will be front and centre at the National Championships Awards night in Brisbane at the end of August where further honours will come his way.
