Rodney Schick - Windsor Park Stud
TDN AusNZ: Where are you from and what is your earliest racing memory?
Rodney Schick: I’m from Cambridge, NZ. My earliest racing memory is going to the TAB bar with my Grandfather and having raspberry lemonades.
Windsor Park's Rodney Schick (right)
TDN AusNZ: Which is your favourite racehorse of all time? Why?
RS: Might And Power (Zabeel {NZ}). Windsor Park bred him and he won my favourite race, the Cox Plate among many other Group 1s.
TDN AusNZ: Do you have a favourite day on a racecourse? Why?
RS: Derby Day at Flemington. It's a fantastic day's racing with great horses.
TDN AusNZ: Could you tell us how you got into this industry, about your job now and what you love most about it?
RS: I was born into the industry, my parents started Windsor Park. I’m the Stud Master and I love the farming side of it, the animal husbandry and the people in the industry.
Weanlings at Windsor Park Stud
TDN AusNZ: Who do you believe to be a value sire for the upcoming breeding season? Why?
RS: Obviously it’s going to be one of our own! Rip Van Winkle (Ire) is great value at NZ$12,500 (+GST) having the Champion Filly of last year in Jennifer Eccles (NZ) and high-class galloper and multiple Group 1 winner Te Akau Shark (NZ).
Rip Van Winkle (Ire) | Standing at Windsor Park Stud
TDN AusNZ: Is there a stallion that you consider to be under the radar?, and why?
RS: Rageese. He leaves very nice precocious types and I am sure you will see them hitting the track early this spring. He’s got a lovely pedigree and was the fourth highest rated 2-year-old of his generation in Australia.
TDN AusNZ: Which stallion, ever, do you think was the best type?
RS: Sadler’s Wells (Ire) in the Northern Hemisphere, and Zabeel (NZ) in the Southern Hemisphere.
TDN AusNZ: Which first-season sire (other than your own) do you believe is most exciting?
RS: The Everest winner, Yes Yes Yes.
TDN AusNZ: What was your favourite weanling, yearling or mare purchase this year?
RS: An I Am Invincible yearling filly out of Forever Loved (NZ) (High Chaparral {Ire}). We’ve being trying to get into that family for a long time and we bought her in partnership with a very good friend of mine, Ben Kwok.
The I Am Invincible x Forever Loved (NZ) filly purchased by Windsor Park, Lionrock and Andrew Williams Bloodstock for $450,000 from the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale
TDN AusNZ: Who do you think is a rising star within the industry? (Person not horse).
RS: Andy Williams.
TDN AusNZ: What positive change would you like to see in the industry?
RS: RITA have just announced the streamlining of the NZ Racing calendar which I think is fundamental for the continued success of the NZ industry.
TDN AusNZ: If you weren’t in this industry what would you do?
RS: I’d be a sheep and beef farmer.
TDN AusNZ: How did you keep busy in isolation?
RS: Lots of exercise as well as kids, trimming horses, fencing, scone making, trough mending, lawn mowing and a few beers!
